It is satire because it's not a serious argument

It's dark comedy

it is a serious argument taken to its logical conclusion

Fine

Go on

No carbon emissions = no modern mechanized agriculture

You need about 1 hectare to farm subsistently

the carrying capacity of the world is about 3 billion

have you considered that not feeding people is not a bug but a feature for those seeking dominance?

not the first time that leftist authoritarians engineered famines to consolidate power

@pwtdo It's not a well-thought-out feature if that's the case

There need to be people in order to have power

sure. but which people?

yes it is. less people, more chance of survival. you just have to be sure youre the one on top

@pwtdo thats where the eugenics comes in.

they sure as hell don't need any pesky middle-class kulaks mucking up their schemes

Bernie "Just the Billyuhnahs now" Sanders had advocated for basically ethnic cleansing

@SilentSkies No it isn't. The more technology and luxury still exist, the more the power actually means

i disagree that technology and luxury are required for power

What's the point of being the ruler of the world if you still have to work 16 hours a day out in the field just to grow food for yourself?

louis XIV had more power than anyone alive today could dream of

power is relative. and the ruler would be the only one who doesnt have to work, so thats relatively the best

I'm not saying they're required. I'm saying the power is more useful if they exist

these people would rather be in a techno-aristocracy over a bunch of serfs than democratic leaders of free individuals

@SilentSkies Well that's a mistake

Think of O'Brien in 1984. He had very little additional luxury or technology compared to Winston.

But he had infinitely more power.

Power is relative. You already said that

exactly 1984. the tippy tops had far less than the average person pre-revolution, but more than everyone else presently

So long as their boot is on your face and not the other way around they win.

It still wouldn't be as good as just helping society along and enjoying the luxuries that come along with technological advancement

That being said I'm quite sure they'll be eating foie gras while laughing their asses off at the proles eating maggots.

Today's tech billionaires live better than any king who's ever existed on earth

The eating bugs thing is a dead giveaway. Humiliation those beneath you is pure exercise of power.

not so, a king ruled over all he saw. the elites today have to share

RELATIVELY, yes

and they are accountable for the most part

Relative to their time

Not ours

yes for sure

In absolute terms, people today are far better off than the nobles or kings years ago