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When the population is growing quickly the ratio of young:old people is high. When the population is shrinking, the ratio becomes very small. A society with ma

When the population is growing quickly the ratio of young:old people is high. When the population is shrinking, the ratio becomes very small. A society with many old people and few young people will suck

rabuse 4y ago
I imagine the homeless numbers of elderly are going to skyrocket over the next few decades because of this.
wizofaus 4y ago
But is there a significant difference between how much support very young (pre-adult) people and how much support elderly (post-retirement) people need? At some point during rapid population growth there were a lot of the former, and we managed OK. Now there's a lot of the latter, and not so many of the former. As it is, many of the costs for elderly people seem to be about medical inventions to (arguably artificially) prolong life. I'd suspect that will become increasingly expensive, to the point that expectations around how much it's reasonable to spend on such treatment may change. As it is, COVID caused quite a significant increase in mortality among elderly populations - it was undoubtedly pretty awful for those directly involved, but society as a whole seems to have adjusted since.
- rayiner 4y ago
  > But is there a significant difference between how much support very young (pre-adult) people and how much support elderly (post-retirement) people need? Compare the cost of elder care to child care.
  - wizofaus 4y ago
    That's what I'm asking - both are very expensive. But we see supporting pre-adults as "investment" (education etc.), whereas it's hard to see it that way for the elderly - the selfish view would be that it's more like an insurance policy to give you confidence that society will still consider it important to care for the elderly when you join their ranks.
- oneoff786 4y ago
  Young people are cared for in large groups via schools. They have no wealth or political power. Old people can be very expensive, can still vote, and most will have a economic power for this specific generation. In the past when you were a working couple with kids, you hoisted your kids into your grandparents to help raise and there was no opportunity cost. There’s no converse here. Good luck passing legislation to reduce care for the old while they’re the largest chunk of the population.
IggleSniggle 4y ago
The robots will save us, surely!

rabuse 4y ago

I imagine the homeless numbers of elderly are going to skyrocket over the next few decades because of this.

wizofaus 4y ago

But is there a significant difference between how much support very young (pre-adult) people and how much support elderly (post-retirement) people need? At some point during rapid population growth there were a lot of the former, and we managed OK. Now there's a lot of the latter, and not so many of the former. As it is, many of the costs for elderly people seem to be about medical inventions to (arguably artificially) prolong life. I'd suspect that will become increasingly expensive, to the point that expectations around how much it's reasonable to spend on such treatment may change. As it is, COVID caused quite a significant increase in mortality among elderly populations - it was undoubtedly pretty awful for those directly involved, but society as a whole seems to have adjusted since.

rayiner 4y ago
> But is there a significant difference between how much support very young (pre-adult) people and how much support elderly (post-retirement) people need? Compare the cost of elder care to child care.
- wizofaus 4y ago
  That's what I'm asking - both are very expensive. But we see supporting pre-adults as "investment" (education etc.), whereas it's hard to see it that way for the elderly - the selfish view would be that it's more like an insurance policy to give you confidence that society will still consider it important to care for the elderly when you join their ranks.
oneoff786 4y ago
Young people are cared for in large groups via schools. They have no wealth or political power. Old people can be very expensive, can still vote, and most will have a economic power for this specific generation. In the past when you were a working couple with kids, you hoisted your kids into your grandparents to help raise and there was no opportunity cost. There’s no converse here. Good luck passing legislation to reduce care for the old while they’re the largest chunk of the population.

IggleSniggle 4y ago

The robots will save us, surely!