“[Those] who monopolize resources monopolize imagination.”

“For some of the most outspoken proponents of longtermism, humanity as we know it, flesh-and-blood Homo sapiens, is old-school. These advocates are enamored by the prospect of digital descendants who, in the deep future, they believe will be (should be?) granted the same moral standing as you and me. In their new-ish stories, the most important task we face is ensuring the ‘longterm potential’ of imaginary future people rather than working to alleviate the human suffering in the here and now – those pesky ‘feel-good projects’ like eliminating poverty, addressing climate change, and preventing catastrophic wars. All of us – teachers, students, policymakers, journalists, artists, businesspeople, gig workers, and all those pushed to the margins—should take this warped imagination seriously…

[Those] who monopolize resources monopolize imagination.”

“As each new generation expands their imagination, let them also develop a keener ability to detect bullshit. Each of us can foster the kind of discernment that tells the difference between New Stories of collective well-being and Faux Fables deciding our collective fate.

One way to tell if our vision of the future is new or just new-ish is whether it seriously aims to alleviate the injustice and suffering of the present. The choice is not between effective and ineffective altruism, but between solidarity and indifference when it comes to flesh-and-blood people whom those planning looooong-term would rather we abandon.”