looks like the breeders aint breeding no more son
Turns out people don't like having kids when they are in mountains of debt and can't afford housing 🤔
Finally clawed my way into a semi-safe financial state for the first time in my life in my mid 30's? I think my partner and I will celebrate by putting ourselves back into an uncertain financial state for the next 20+ years.
Yeah no thanks, I'll adopt another dog.
I'd imagine a ton of millennials feel the same way.
Honestly I think I'd really enjoy being a dad if society actually provided reasonable support to parents beyond tax breaks. Neither of us are neurotypical and we wouldn't have the energy to work and be good parents without heavily relying on our own parents, and I don't want to put that responsibility on them, even though they would probably be glad to help out 95% of the time.
Theres always the looming ecocide, but even people relatively stable financially can be more nervous when the ground falls out under the people around them.
if me, person A, financially stable, knows people B & C & D, and BCD all get laid off at same time, then me, Person A, not have kids because direct view of failed societal safety net. Doesnt matter that A is currently stable, A is more aware of the issue.
Yeah, seriously. All I remember of my parents as a kid is screaming, constant worry, perpetual exhaustion. Even then it seems like I hardly ever saw them. They were always at work. We only managed because I had retired grandparents who basically raised me. Now there's an expectation that I have kids? Without any prospect for a partner? Making half the money my parents did? Yeah ok
I dont know one person in my life who didn't have two non abusive parents
Capitalists are so fucking stupid. Like of course this will happen if you keep cutting social safety nets.
I was told that because of lockdown people sitting at home would have nothing to do but to have the sexy time and make babies. What are you telling me? Birth control? Isn't it just prostitutes and heathens who use that?
Young people are holding their Schrodinger's children hostage until we figure some things out, sorry boomers
Thanks for climate change. Here's your grandson. He's a dog. I'd give you a granddaughter but can't rent with two dogs and can't pay $300k for a starter home in this state.
In addition to the economic conditions others have pointed out, male fertility is WAY worse (like half) than ~50 years ago. Some theories include pollution and poor diets or food quality: so still capitalism, but in a different direction
It’s already a coverup much larger than tobacco, and that one took 50 years to really come to light. At least with tobacco, the powers that be could just offer up one industry onto the sacrificial bonfire and be done with it. But if we start to widely accept that plastic is as damaging as it seems, the global economy in its current form will be guttered. The timescale for change with plastics will be a long one.
But if we start to widely accept that plastic is as damaging as it seems, the global economy in its current form will be guttered.
I think we have to stop making so much plastic anywhere because of climate change (not that we are actually going to do anything about climate change before we go extinct)
Pesticides, industrial pollutants, and micro plastics do seem to target the male ballsack and hurt fertility. Capitalism might end up killing itself Children of Men Style (along with the rest of the planet, common ruin of contenting classes yay)
Won't someone please think of the STONKS
Also nice way to admit that economic growth depends on a growing proportion of working-age population, very sustainable
This has sparked concern about whether these economies will be able to grow and maintain their social safety nets should the declines continue.
Just to be clear, "social safety nets" here doesn't mean broad protections for people like healthcare, maternity leave, minimum wages, free education... it just mean old age pensions. The olds are afraid if we don't have kids they might have to take a cut to their pensions, they give fuck all about other social safety nets that help us.
Those affected the most by these pension cuts will not be old boomer assholes sitting in their McMansions. It will affect the poorest seniors the most. Like always the poor will carry the heaviest burden.
That's what happens to you when you don't view social safety nets as something to benefit everyone in society and instead see it as entirely transactional i.e. I paid into SS and Medicare my entire life so I'm ENTITLED to it. Which yes, technically correct but I know plenty of old chuds who dgaf about helping anyone else and will vote against any social program but don't believe SS applies because that's "theirs".
This is my thing about opinion polls regarding universal healthcare. I completely disregard the opinions of the over 65 crowd, who are the most hostile to it by far. I disregard it because about 75-80% of them are on Medicare. They are enjoying the benefits of universal healthcare already. So when you poll the under 65 crowd on single payer, the response is overwhelmingly in favor.
population growth that clouds prospects for sustaining the international economy
Our global economy really is supported by infinite population growth, huh? I wonder how that's gonna affect the rate of profit when population peaks (it tends to go up, right????)
Right, notice the concern is always the economy, not the well-being and thriving of humanity. I'm definitely not an anti-natalist but the population declining naturally (ideally just people choosing to have fewer kids) is bad for capitalism but neutral to good for most people.
Ending the infinite supply of expendable workers will be very bad for capitalists, but people in general should benefit in the long run, as long as we adjust our mode of production
wasn't the US's unstoppable birth rate supposed to be the reason China would never surpass it
I have not once heard this. I have heard right wingers say basically the opposite about white American birth rates, that they're too low.
Maybe 1 child but probably not policy, but it's enforced by debt
