Steph, I think you’re unaware of your own competitiveness; it’s a problem I’ve had with you throughout, you seem very keen to score “points”. I’m not “assuming” a lab escape; I’ve been explicit that I consider it the most likely of the possibilities, and I have linked to evidence, direct and circumstantial.
It is a major problem that global population got so large before it began to stabilise. This was not inevitable; we have known for decades that modest prosperity, education and empowerment of women lead to the birth rate falling to around the replacement rate, but capitalist competition has been dominant, and that in turn has produced massive inequality and promoted rampant consumerism. But humanity has already passed peak birth rate everywhere but parts of Africa; population is stabilising.
Yes, I advocate addressing the SARS-CoV-2 problem, whereas you seem to advocate heads-in-the-sand, and massive suffering. I dislike what you promote, and I don’t accept fatalism – we have free choice; it is the essence of consciousness. What we lack is self discipline and humility.