Longtermism^[1]^[2] is a philosophy that future lives matter and that we have a similar obligation to them as we do to lives around currently. William Macaskill states it in three clauses^[3]:

Future people count
There could be a lot of them
We can make their lives better

[broad description of philosophy, something about WWOTF]

Criticisms and responses

Longermism suffers from all the standard criticism of consequentialism
- Response: Longtermism doesn't require consequentialist assumptions. Many individuals and societies have felt an obligation towards their decendents
- Response: Many criticisms of consequentialism are baseless [[criticisms of consequentialism]]
Longtermism could be used to justify not caring about the world now
- This is partially true
Future lives don't exist, how could we care about them
Something about Bostrom
Something about ripples in a pond
Something about Hanson
Longtermism is unaccountable
Lontermist thinkers have skeletons in their closets
A future that doesn't deal with current suffering is not one some people want to live in