Most People Have Never Been Adults

Summary

This script explores the rarity and wonder of human existence, highlighting how few people have lived beyond childhood throughout history. Despite today's advanced health and medical standards, the majority of humans who ever lived died young. It traces humanity's population growth, focusing on how half of all humans who ever existed lived before 100 CE, often facing high mortality rates. The script reflects on the technological, social, and scientific advancements of modern society, emphasizing how extraordinary it is that humans now live longer, with greater opportunities, and possess the capability to innovate in ways once thought impossible.

Takeaways

• 😀 The majority of humans who have ever lived died at a very young age, making life expectancy much lower in ancient times.
• 😀 Today, 7% of all humans who have ever existed are alive, with the population at over 8 billion in 2024.
• 😀 In the year 1800, the global human population was just one billion, which is eight times smaller than today.
• 😀 Over half of all humans who have ever existed (around 60 billion people) lived before the year 100 CE.
• 😀 The high child and infant mortality rates in ancient times significantly limited population growth despite high birth rates.
• 😀 The average life expectancy today is about 73 years, a dramatic increase from historical life expectancies of just 10-20 years.
• 😀 Many people in the past never experienced the conveniences and advancements we take for granted today, such as electricity, eyeglasses, or even the concept of time.
• 😀 Throughout history, it was common for people to live short lives, with many not even reaching their twenties.
• 😀 Despite the progress humanity has made, it’s important to consider how remarkable our existence is in the context of human history.
• 😀 The future of humanity may involve overcoming old age and mortality, creating a future of longevity, happiness, and even divinity.

Q & A

How does the life expectancy of modern humans compare to those in the past?

The average global life expectancy today is around 73 years, which is significantly higher than it was in the past, where life expectancy could be as low as 10 years due to high infant and child mortality rates.

Why do we have a higher population today compared to earlier periods in history?

The higher population today is largely due to advancements in healthcare, medicine, technology, and a decrease in child mortality rates, which have allowed more people to survive into adulthood.

What role did child mortality play in historical population growth?

High child mortality rates in historical populations meant that while birth rates were high, many children did not survive to adulthood. This kept population growth slow despite high birth rates.

How does the concept of life expectancy differ across various historical periods?

Life expectancy in the past was much lower than today, often due to poor healthcare, malnutrition, and diseases. For example, in Roman Egypt around 1 CE, nearly 60% of children died before age 15, drastically lowering the average life expectancy.

What was the population size of the world in 1800, and how does it compare to today?

In 1800, the global population was around one billion, which is eight times smaller than the current population of about eight billion people in 2024.

What are some of the technological and societal advances that modern humans experience that past populations did not?

Modern humans experience a wide range of advances such as the use of mechanical clocks, electricity, air travel, space exploration, and technologies like touchscreens and video games, none of which were available to earlier populations.

What factors contributed to early death in historical societies?

Historical societies had high infant and child mortality rates, limited medical knowledge, disease outbreaks, and poor nutrition, all of which contributed to the high death rates, especially among the young.

How did societal norms around childbirth differ in the past compared to today?

In the past, it was common for women to have five to seven children, but many did not survive childhood. Today, the average number of children per woman is much lower, and child survival rates are far higher.

Why is the existence of humans today considered an unlikely miracle from a historical perspective?

From a historical perspective, the existence of humans today is a miracle because most humans in history did not survive to adulthood, and many never lived to see the technological, social, and medical advancements that we now take for granted.

What does Yuval Noah Harari suggest humanity's future goals might be?

Harari suggests that humanity's future goals could include immortality, happiness, and even divinity, as humanity continues to innovate and overcome challenges like aging and disease.