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The thing that will save the world from overpopulation- the internet. Both as a source of information, and perhaps as a way of abstracting social interactions

The thing that will save the world from overpopulation- the internet. Both as a source of information, and perhaps as a way of abstracting social interactions that otherwise would have more opportunity to be acted out in sweatier ways.

nsxwolf 10y ago
I think low birth rates are doing that and those started with widespread contraception, not the internet.
- maxander 10y ago
  Of course- the internet's effect (as information source) on population rise is presumably largely mediated by contraceptives, but this in itself isn't inconsiderable. With access to information, people can use contraception more effectively and overcome ideological biases that inhibit its use.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
pjdemers 10y ago
A while back I saw some study said that said women who grow up with a TV in the house have on average, 1 less child than their mother. And this was holding even as we go into the 3rd generation of kids with TVs at home. The Internet, and especially mobile Internet, are like TV * 5. So maybe this is right.
- stephengillie 10y ago
  This might have more to do with medical advancements in the past 100 years, than with the social impact of television.
- morgante 10y ago
  That sounds more like a confirmation of the well-established link between family income and teen fertility.
- andyjohnson0 10y ago
  There is a theory that, in Brazil, the popularity of telenovelas (ie soaps) have directly caused a decrease in the number of children that women choose to have [1]. Quote: "The secret sauce of influence is the telenovela's subtle promotion of extravagant materialism by means of a smaller family as opposed to the relative poverty of large families. It's also had the effect of promoting urban lifestyles." I don't know how directly relevant this is to teenage pregnancy, but there does seem to be evidence for media consumption affecting reproductive outcomes. [1] http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/how-brazilian-soap-operas-can-save-the-world/259139/ http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/how...

nsxwolf 10y ago

I think low birth rates are doing that and those started with widespread contraception, not the internet.

maxander 10y ago
Of course- the internet's effect (as information source) on population rise is presumably largely mediated by contraceptives, but this in itself isn't inconsiderable. With access to information, people can use contraception more effectively and overcome ideological biases that inhibit its use.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

pjdemers 10y ago

A while back I saw some study said that said women who grow up with a TV in the house have on average, 1 less child than their mother. And this was holding even as we go into the 3rd generation of kids with TVs at home. The Internet, and especially mobile Internet, are like TV * 5. So maybe this is right.

stephengillie 10y ago
This might have more to do with medical advancements in the past 100 years, than with the social impact of television.
morgante 10y ago
That sounds more like a confirmation of the well-established link between family income and teen fertility.
andyjohnson0 10y ago
There is a theory that, in Brazil, the popularity of telenovelas (ie soaps) have directly caused a decrease in the number of children that women choose to have [1]. Quote: "The secret sauce of influence is the telenovela's subtle promotion of extravagant materialism by means of a smaller family as opposed to the relative poverty of large families. It's also had the effect of promoting urban lifestyles." I don't know how directly relevant this is to teenage pregnancy, but there does seem to be evidence for media consumption affecting reproductive outcomes. [1] http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/how-brazilian-soap-operas-can-save-the-world/259139/ http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/how...