mala voadora

Voluntary Human Extinction: Fresh Hope for Planet and People - Les U. Knight/VHEMT 

moderator: Vânia Rodrigues/mala voadora

All human societies encourage procreation, what we short-sightedly call “having children.” This natalism is the natural result of evolution. Throughout our existence, societies which didn’t encourage procreation were overcome by those which did. Although continued growth of our numbers has become a disadvantage, our cultural conditioning prevents us from recognizing this fact. We have been taught that creating another of us is always worthy of celebration. Pair bonding, procreation, and child rearing comprise our default life.

Likewise, the idea of our species ceasing to exist in the future is simply unthinkable, though we seem willing to accept tens of thousands of other species’ extinction. Their extinction is considered an unfortunate consequence of our expansion into their habitat — we all have to live somewhere. Wherever we live, not much else lives.

Les U. Knight

Les U. Knight lives in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches in public schools. He earned a degree in education from Western Oregon University in 1974, and has taught students in grade levels up to age 18 for the past 40 years.
While involved with environmental issues at university, he arrived at the conclusion that refraining from procreation is the single most effective way individuals can benefit Earth’s biosphere and humanity. It became apparent that the intentional creation of one more of us by anyone anywhere can’t be justified. He identified this growing awareness as the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement, and has promoted the concept in periodicals, on radio and television, at environmental conferences, and on a website in many languages.

 

10 November (7 pm) . talk Voluntary Human Extinction: Fresh Hope for Planet and People with Les U. Knight/VHEMT . Forum of the Future, Galeria da Biodiversidade (Jardim Botânico)