In this episode of Moral Mayhem, we discuss and debate the ideas presented in Robin Hanson's essays on cultural drift. We examine his central argument that the emergence of a global monoculture, coupled with reduced existential pressures such as war and famine, enables the persistence of biologically maladaptive cultural values— falling fertility rates being the case in point. Some related questions we touch on:

-- The challenges of aligning incentives and welfare across space and time

-- The feasibility of consciously shaping cultural values

-- The interplay between technological progress, economic incentives, and fertility rates

-- The possibility of maintaining cultural diversity while preserving peace and cooperation

Links to Hanson’s blogs on the topic:

How to fix cultural drift

Betrayed by culture

Culture drift predicts decadence

Floppy vs stiff concepts

When lawyers sing

Rational culture

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