>>510866309>>510869472Cont.
>Historically most men did not reproduce. I am only one of the billions of men before me who died without leaving any genetic lineage. It is what it is, why prolong it?Eh, more of o cointoss I think since from what I recall it is within statistical error range. Might be wrong on that one.
And here we get to the crux of it. Are you just a genetic lineage? Are we just animals? Or do we consider us on a higher level of existence. Because of so, propagating a meme complex through the ages is a viable alternative. Plenty of childless folk managed to go the ascetic monk mode and ensured the survival of their ideas or those that subscribed to it. It is the historical alternative path and a viable one.
The church managed to preserve the ideas of the stoics for example, even if distorted in a real life example of A Canticle for Leibowitz. And we are seemingly heading towards such a scenario. Not necessarily in our lifetime but to my view with increasing probability.
The groundwork for such a work is necessary, and the only real effort involved is continuing to live, learning more and teaching it further for the next generation. For example, would have been nice as a theory to not have lost concrete and steam power the Romans knew about. But that did not make it. Quite likely due to lack of personnel. They were at one time having to reuse papyrus and parchment. I recall a incident of them figuring out a few decades ago they they were overwriting some of Archimedes volumetric equations that only got quasi reinvented in the 18th or 19th century as a practical example.
So in my conclusion genetics and physicality is not all we are worth. Sure, they are an considerable component , however, there is the spirit and intellect as well. And either due to validation or utility, future generation will see it, even if it was just enough to recognise that something is good, nice and useful and should be helped to reache future generations.