[John Gray On Andrew Sullivan's Podcast
The British philosopher John Gray is always worth reading and listening to. I'm not a big podcast aficionado, but this interview Andrew Sullivan did with him is ace. At one point, Gray and Sullivan talk about the global population crisis. Sully says yes, the cost of forming families and raising children must have something to do with it, but it cannot be the only explanation. After all (he didn't say, but might have), many generations in the past have been much poorer than people today, with much dimmer life prospects, and facing much more peril from violence and disease yet people formed families.
After pointing out that this is not just a phenomenon in the West, but a global one, Gray responded:
Gray added that "the revalorization of sexuality" is another part of it. People today, he said, have made a semi-religion out of sex and sexuality. Sullivan made a remarkable observation: that because of the Pill and reproductive technology, "In some ways, straight people become like gay people … and your attitude towards sex changes a bit, because it becomes purely recreational…." This is exactly what some Catholic critics of contraception have said for decades ] -Rod Dreher
The British philosopher John Gray is always worth reading and listening to. I'm not a big podcast aficionado, but this interview Andrew Sullivan did with him is ace. At one point, Gray and Sullivan talk about the global population crisis. Sully says yes, the cost of forming families and raising children must have something to do with it, but it cannot be the only explanation. After all (he didn't say, but might have), many generations in the past have been much poorer than people today, with much dimmer life prospects, and facing much more peril from violence and disease yet people formed families.
After pointing out that this is not just a phenomenon in the West, but a global one, Gray responded:
He went on to say that people want pleasant living, "the enjoyable, congenial life" more than anything else. Because "children cramp that, people are less and less willing to take on that commitment."Quote:
I think the deep thing that's happening is the rise of a very radical form of individualism everywhere in the world. … It means making meaning out of your own life in the way that you choose to do. So if you don't see procreating the next generation out of that, you won't do it.
Gray added that "the revalorization of sexuality" is another part of it. People today, he said, have made a semi-religion out of sex and sexuality. Sullivan made a remarkable observation: that because of the Pill and reproductive technology, "In some ways, straight people become like gay people … and your attitude towards sex changes a bit, because it becomes purely recreational…." This is exactly what some Catholic critics of contraception have said for decades ] -Rod Dreher
