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[Hanslanda]

A scientist did a study on a post-scarcity society with mice. It ends in cannibalism, murder, OCD, excessive vanity, gluttony, and eventually completely collapse. I think it was called City 14 or Universe 14 or something?

'Tis not murder when the state sanctions it. Possibly war crimes, or just regular ol' killing. Plus we have a fair share of murder in general. Really, it's catastrophic murder we're supposed to be worried about. As in, so much murder society tips the Theban threshold and breaks apart under the sheer weight of everyone being murdered.

You're splitting hairs with the first bit, and WWIII WOULD be catastrophic murder (Or killing, if you insist on being pedantic).

[Loud Whispers]

You're splitting hairs with the first bit, and WWIII WOULD be catastrophic murder (Or killing, if you insist on being pedantic).

This is catastrophic as compared to the behavioural sink.

I.e. No survivors because everyone is being murdered by everyone. And this isn't even just some country invading another or something - that would be what would be done to avoid the catastrophic murder scenario. Everyone who's anyone murdering everyone. There would simply be no recovery. Civilization would cease to exist. WWIII? More survivable.

So it's a good thing we're not mice.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

R-selection species?

R-selection = Survival by massive numbers of offspring.
K-selection = Survival by high attention to few offspring.

[Descan]

Maybe mammals with large litters? Pigs, cats, dogs, etc. But even then, I think they care for each individually so it'd be more K than R.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Is there some sort of mid-ground there?

Not really. These are the two things that work, evolutionarily speaking. They exist in degrees, but not as a mean.

[misko27]

Flies, for example. Just huge masses of children that will mostly die. There was a bit of a trend for it in the middle ages and presumably somewhat before: If many of your children would die, might as well have enough to compensate. Of course, even these would have 10 children or so, and the ones that lived would presumably be appreciated.


There is actually often a problem when medicine starts substantially reducing infant mortality but cultural norms haven't caught up. It's occurring in many countries right now actually.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Anyway, my primary point is that humans are strongly K-selection, and so are much more capable of controlling population growth than mice.

[Darvi]

Jesus fucking Christ SCP-5972-J.

[misko27]

Jesus fucking Christ SCP-5972-J.

Before I click over to it, bear with me: Is there a picture?

[Darvi]

Yes, but it's only a guy's reaction to it.

[mastahcheese]

I remember that there was something that happened today that I was going to put in here, but I forgot it.

[Putnam]

Jesus fucking Christ SCP-5972-J.

Before I click over to it, bear with me: Is there a picture?

-J stands for "joke"

also Imma mantle Marvin here for a second

SCP-5972-J

[BlackFlyme]

Was the only one on the bus going home from an exam earlier.

Then someone else got on and sat beside me. Why? There are plenty of free seats. In fact, all of them were free.

It was incredibly awkward. I wanted to put my headphones in and listen to music so that I had an excuse not to talk, but if I did they would hear my music. I don't really like it when others listen to my music. But thankfully we didn't say a word to each other the whole ride.

[Putnam]

Was the only one on the bus going home from an exam earlier.

Then someone else got on and sat beside me. Why? There are plenty of free seats. In fact, all of them were free.

It was incredibly awkward. I wanted to put my headphones in and listen to music so that I had an excuse not to talk, but if I did they would hear my music. I don't really like it when others listen to my music. But thankfully we didn't say a word to each other the whole ride.

What is with this whole "social anxiety and not wanting others to know what you play/listen/watch"? I've had to convince my brother that he shouldn't be embarrassed of playing Skyrim publicly, if "publicly" means "in front of your own brother".

[Loud Whispers]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

This is a thing. People buy it to force others to stay away from them.

Logic of such a thing aside...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Actually, no. The logic is fucking horrendous.

However, I'm not all that afraid of the notion of human porcupines commuting within eye's reach.

No, I am afraid of what happens next. What if these become popular?

Some people begin buying them in order to counter all those who don the spikes.

Until someone starts wearing actual armour.

Then the arms race begins.

The cat spikes soon get replaced with splintered wood spikes to counter kevlar fencing suits and leather biker jackets. People begin upgrading their armours with chainmail and segments of random bolted metal. Gangs form with people driving rival uniformed commuters off with travel pikes and cuirasses to counter their now newly-forged steel spikes.

Then someone gets high-tech.

People striding around in mechanized suits, impervious to all but power spikes on their daily travels. People begin engineering super-human commuters and start invading other stations to control trade routes. The train lines become the new silk road, Empires start forming on these lines of wealth. Incentives to start developing more and more powerful armours increase as the factions begin consolidating their power.

And then it happens. Something ticks. The factions fight. Globally, an international linked railway with every Empire fighting one another for supremacy.

Two outcomes are possible. Global devastation...

...Or the reign of the God-Armour of mankind begins.