[tsunamifury]

This article seems to be continuing the “genes eye view” of the world. That we are mostly vessels for gene propagation and socialization. Ants are becoming superior gene propagation and socialization vessels and therefor may succeed in reframing the worlds ecosystem to their goals.

Of course that discounts intelligence where in we as humans could probably roundly poison them into extinction if we wanted.

[gryn]

The problem with that is that humans depends on the ecosystem making them extinct would probably have very long chain of negative effects that would poison us in return if not make us extinct too.

[bee_rider]

Also, lots of our systems depend on people evaluating incentives locally and picking their behavior based on their interests—humans that all decided to pointlessly try and wipe our ants wouldn’t be engaging in normal human behavior!

Are we going to give the ants supernatural coordination as well?

[mistermann]

Our relative intelligence seems insufficient to overcome our default behavior as vessels for the unthinking propagation of memes though, which has resulted in serious harm to the ecosystem of a variety of species, including us!

[larsiusprime]

I'm not convinced we could drive ants to extinction even if we tried.

[HelloMcFly]

I think we could, but I believe it would be the most quintessential (and likely final) Pyrrhic victory humanity has ever known.

[ta2112]

> Of course that discounts intelligence where in we as humans could probably roundly poison them into extinction if we wanted.

What is that, irony?!

[kibwen]

> we as humans could probably roundly poison them into extinction if we wanted

We probably could extinct all the ants in the world if we wanted to, if we were content to extinct all other life on the planet as well.

https://xkcd.com/1217/