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Isn't the correct response to high costs of living to have fewer or no children? And if one willingly has children knowing full well they cannot provide, isn't

by SCUSKU 5y ago

Isn't the correct response to high costs of living to have fewer or no children? And if one willingly has children knowing full well they cannot provide, isn't that wrong? With reports like these, I feel that it makes sense that population growth is slowing considering homelessness and the like are rampant. Genuinely curious about your point of view.

Swizec 5y ago
> Isn't the correct response to high costs of living to have fewer or no children? The rational response for an individual or a couple is to not have kids. That's why we're seeing so many articles about "omg the birthrate!". People aren't having kids, it's too hard. From a nation perspective, however, you will die out as a people if you have negative population growth. Immigration can boost the numbers for a while, but not forever. Especially not if you're also trying to keep the immigrants out as many conservative policies are. So what is there to do? Governments need to make having children easier, if they want more children. If they do not in fact want more children, then all is good. However the current economic policy is based on infinite growth. How are you going to infinitely grow an economy if you aren't producing more consumers?
tehjoker 5y ago
The high costs of living don't come from legitimate sources. High education prices, housing, etc are all assaults by the upper classes that now own the vast majority of the wealth of the country. The proper response to a biologically insufficient distribution of resources is to take from those that have more rather than make do with less.
thaumasiotes 5y ago
> Isn't the correct response to high costs of living to have fewer or no children? And if one willingly has children knowing full well they cannot provide, isn't that wrong? No one in a Western country is unable to afford children. What's happening is that they believe they can't afford children, but they are wrong.
pyuser583 5y ago
Theres a good book called “Selfish Reasons to have more kids.” It relies on happiness studies and “regrets” survivors to argue that childlessness/few children is irrational. People are happier and more content when they have more children. And the numbers, in terms of reported and assessed contentment are massive. A lot of the “is it rational to have more kids” thinking relies on narrow versions of happiness and self-interest, rather than the broader definitions of happiness which people actually experience. Regarding the issue of “whether you can provide” … it’s common for people to come to America from foreign countries with very large families. And they provide for their kids. And the kids often do quite well.

by SCUSKU 5y ago

Swizec 5y ago

> Isn't the correct response to high costs of living to have fewer or no children? The rational response for an individual or a couple is to not have kids. That's why we're seeing so many articles about "omg the birthrate!". People aren't having kids, it's too hard. From a nation perspective, however, you will die out as a people if you have negative population growth. Immigration can boost the numbers for a while, but not forever. Especially not if you're also trying to keep the immigrants out as many conservative policies are. So what is there to do? Governments need to make having children easier, if they want more children. If they do not in fact want more children, then all is good. However the current economic policy is based on infinite growth. How are you going to infinitely grow an economy if you aren't producing more consumers?

tehjoker 5y ago

The high costs of living don't come from legitimate sources. High education prices, housing, etc are all assaults by the upper classes that now own the vast majority of the wealth of the country. The proper response to a biologically insufficient distribution of resources is to take from those that have more rather than make do with less.

thaumasiotes 5y ago

> Isn't the correct response to high costs of living to have fewer or no children? And if one willingly has children knowing full well they cannot provide, isn't that wrong? No one in a Western country is unable to afford children. What's happening is that they believe they can't afford children, but they are wrong.

pyuser583 5y ago

Theres a good book called “Selfish Reasons to have more kids.” It relies on happiness studies and “regrets” survivors to argue that childlessness/few children is irrational. People are happier and more content when they have more children. And the numbers, in terms of reported and assessed contentment are massive. A lot of the “is it rational to have more kids” thinking relies on narrow versions of happiness and self-interest, rather than the broader definitions of happiness which people actually experience. Regarding the issue of “whether you can provide” … it’s common for people to come to America from foreign countries with very large families. And they provide for their kids. And the kids often do quite well.