For the Existential Risk question, I would have liked to see an option for societal collapse. It wouldn’t have been my number one option, but I think the prospect of multiple stressors in conjunction, such as international economic and food crises, leading to a breakdown of modern civilization is more likely than a number of other options already on the list.
I think the prospect of multiple stressors in conjunction, such as international economic and food crises, leading to a breakdown of modern civilization
Okay, but… including the deaths of 90% of humanity? That’s the sticking point, for me—I could see maybe 50% of humanity, but 90 seems like too much. (90 seems like too much for nuclear war, too, for that matter.)
If society collapses, we would lose the ability to support most of humanity. I wouldn’t expect it to result in the loss of 90+% of the population within the space of a decade, but I could definitely see it dropping by that much.
I don’t think it’s all that likely, but I would definitely rate it above a natural pandemic wiping out 90% or more of the population.
For the Existential Risk question, I would have liked to see an option for societal collapse. It wouldn’t have been my number one option, but I think the prospect of multiple stressors in conjunction, such as international economic and food crises, leading to a breakdown of modern civilization is more likely than a number of other options already on the list.
Okay, but… including the deaths of 90% of humanity? That’s the sticking point, for me—I could see maybe 50% of humanity, but 90 seems like too much. (90 seems like too much for nuclear war, too, for that matter.)
If society collapses, we would lose the ability to support most of humanity. I wouldn’t expect it to result in the loss of 90+% of the population within the space of a decade, but I could definitely see it dropping by that much.
I don’t think it’s all that likely, but I would definitely rate it above a natural pandemic wiping out 90% or more of the population.
Agreed. (Not to mention ‘asteroid strike’. Did anyone even pick that?) I put ‘man-made pandemic’, myself.