This video from Film Theory explores the economics behind Thanos' plan to wipe out half of all life in the universe, as depicted in the movie Avengers: Infinity War. The host examines population growth models, carrying capacity, and the global birth rate, which has been declining since the 1950s. He argues that Thanos' plan might actually be viable in terms of achieving a sustainable lifestyle, citing historical examples such as the Black Death, which led to increased wages and lower housing costs.
However, the host also acknowledges that Thanos' plan is morally wrong and that human life is priceless. He suggests that there are alternative solutions, such as using the Infinity Gauntlet to double or even make infinite resources, rather than killing off half of all life. The video concludes by promoting a Wisecrack video on the philosophy of Thanos and encouraging viewers to support smart and educational content on YouTube.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The text discusses the movie Avengers: Infinity War and the character Thanos.
2. Thanos' plan is to eliminate half of all life in the universe to balance resources and prevent overpopulation.
3. The text mentions two population growth models: the exponential growth model and the logistic growth model.
4. The exponential growth model suggests that population growth accelerates over time, while the logistic growth model suggests that growth slows down as the population approaches its carrying capacity.
5. Demographers believe that the Earth's carrying capacity is around 11-12 billion people.
6. The current world population is approximately 7.3 billion people.
7. The global birth rate has been declining since the 1950s.
8. The average couple in Europe has only 1.6 children, which is not enough to replace the existing generation.
9. The human population is no longer growing exponentially, but rather linearly.
10. The text references Thomas Malthus, an 18th-century demographer who first proposed the idea of a carrying capacity.
11. Malthus' theory states that the power of population growth is greater than the power of the Earth to produce subsistence for humans.
12. The text discusses the Black Death, which killed approximately one-third of Europe's population in the 14th century.
13. The aftermath of the Black Death led to increased wages, decreased rents, and lower food prices.
14. The text suggests that Thanos' plan could potentially have a similar effect on the global economy.
15. The elimination of half the population could lead to increased resources and improved living standards for the remaining population.
16. However, the text also notes that this is a simplistic view and does not take into account the complexities of human society and economy.
17. The text concludes that human life is priceless and that killing off half the population is not a viable solution to overpopulation.
18. The text suggests that there are alternative solutions, such as increasing resources or improving resource allocation.
19. The text references a video by Wisecrack, which discusses the philosophy of Thanos.