I believe there exist (extrapolated) wishes universal for humans (meaning, true for literally everyone). Among these wishes, I think there is the wish for humans to continue existing.
VHEMT supports human extinction primarily because, in the group’s view, it would prevent environmental degradation. The group states that a decrease in the human population would prevent a significant amount of man-made human suffering.
Obviously, human extinction is not their terminal value.
Or at least, not officially. I have known at least one person who professed to desire that the human race go extinct because he thought the universe as a whole would simply be better if humans did not exist. It’s possible that he was stating such an extreme position for shock value (he did have a tendency to display some fairly pronounced antisocial tendencies,) and that he had other values that conflicted with this position on some level. But considering the diversity of viewpoints and values I’ve observed people to hold, I would bet quite heavily against nobody in the world actually desiring the end of human existence.
Does the existence of the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement affect your belief in this proposition?
Obviously, human extinction is not their terminal value.
Or at least, not officially. I have known at least one person who professed to desire that the human race go extinct because he thought the universe as a whole would simply be better if humans did not exist. It’s possible that he was stating such an extreme position for shock value (he did have a tendency to display some fairly pronounced antisocial tendencies,) and that he had other values that conflicted with this position on some level. But considering the diversity of viewpoints and values I’ve observed people to hold, I would bet quite heavily against nobody in the world actually desiring the end of human existence.