Quoted By:
“But where do these genes come from? Your child will inherit half from you, and half from their mother. Each further generation halves this again. In a few hundred years, when nobody will remember your name, only a tiny fraction of your genetic legacy will remain in any meaningful capacity. But where did your genes even come from- your mother and father. Who in turn, inherited theirs from their parents, and so on. The only part of your genes that is even yours is a tiny fraction of a fraction of genetic drift, unique combination of ancestral genes, and tiny mutations. Take no offense from this statement; but your genes <span class="mu-i">aren't</span> special in the grand scheme. Not even the <span class="mu-i">Supreme Ruler's</span>. They move in with the rest of the population of a species- an ocean of genetic information. That is why it is a <span class="mu-i">gene pool</span>, not a <span class="mu-i">gene ladder</span>. Only through a slow and steady process of removing and spreading specific genetic trends can evolution be controlled- and the Hegemony's eugenic process is incredibly <span class="mu-i">fast</span> in comparison to natural evolution.”
<span class="mu-b">”But, without sexual selection, we would all have died out, right?”</span>
“True, but it is such a minor, unimportant thing in the grand scheme of a species. The species is an organism onto itself. Each individual is but one cell; and in our special case, an intelligent species has yet another base for this organism- the society. If a bad egg exists in a society- to that person, it would be the end of the world for them to be killed or culled. But for the species? Almost nothing would change- it is routine maintenance. That is what reproduction boils down to in the end; a biological process. It is healing, removing aged material with fresh material. It is excretion. In a thousand years, your fraction of a fraction of your genetic “legacy” will be so diluted and meaningless that this internal struggle and self pity will be absolutely pointless. Of course, the Hegemony opposes Anti-Natalistic views and for good reason-”
<span class="mu-b">”Anti-what?”</span>
“Don't worry about it. Listen, young man, if you want to have children, you certainly may, and it may give you a sense of fulfillment in life you can't get from anything else. But it will not fix all your problems, it will not complete you, you will not suddenly be a “real man”; to focus on nothing but rubbing your genitals with a matching opposite pair is an animal obsession. It is beneath you. The pursuit of art, technology, and honorable living that continues the legacy of your people is much more valuable use of your time. It is far more longer lasting then one's genetic lifespan.”