By understanding the social milieu in which #longtermism has developed over the past two decades, one can begin to see how longtermists have ended up with the bizarre, fanatical #worldview they are now #evangelizing to the world.

One can begin to see why Elon Musk is a fan of longtermism, or why leading "new atheist" #Sam #Harris contributed an enthusiastic blurb for MacAskill's book.

As noted elsewhere, Harris is a staunch defender of "Western civilization," believes that "We are at #war with #Islam," has promoted the #race #science of Charles Murray — including the argument that Black people are less intelligent than white people because of genetic evolution — and has buddied up with #far-#right figures like Douglas Murray, whose books include "The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam."

It makes sense that such individuals would buy-into the #quasi-#religious worldview of longtermism, according to which the #West is the #pinnacle of human development, the only solution to our problems is more #technology and morality is reduced to a #computational exercise.

One must #wonder, when MacAskill implicitly asks "What do we owe the future?" #whose #future he's talking about. The future of indigenous peoples? The future of the world's nearly 2 billion Muslims? The future of the Global South? The future of the environment, ecosystems and our fellow living creatures here on Earth? I don't think I need to answer those questions for you.