4 ms·

Most of the civilised world is becoming a gerontocracy. With birth rates in free fall for last twenty years, what did we expect?

• lifestyleguru 4mo ago
  > With birth rates in free fall for last twenty years, what did we expect? Millennials received kick in their teeth when entering adulthood and around the time when was the moment for a last (or the first, finally) child. Real estate market had never been cheap either. Exactly overlaps with falling birthrates over the last twenty years. Looking at other countries, "interestingly" Russian invasion of Ukraine basically wiped out childless millennials on both sides. Putin noticed that's the last chance to monetize the demographic opportunity and hopefully that was his last fart.
  • znpy 4mo ago
    > Millennials received kick in their teeth when entering adulthood and around the time when was the moment for a last (or the first, finally) child. X doubt. I partially agree but at the same time what I see with my eyes does not really align with this usual rhethoric/narrative. In my age group I see a lot of childless men and women that did manage to build their own stability (have a stable job, buy a house and whatever). Those people aren't having kids either. OTOH I have a number of friends with pets that are essentially glorified substitution of children.
    • littlexsparkee 4mo ago
      Not having kids likely allowed them that stability in the first place; now that they have it, why would they give it up? Times are precarious.
      • znpy 4mo ago
        > now that they have it, why would they give it up? a number of reasons, including avoiding to feed the gerontocracy > Times are precarious yeah i get it but at the same time, times are always precarious.
        • lifestyleguru 4mo ago
          Why breed when you're certain in advance that your children will be losers? They can wake up early, study hard, work hard and they will every time lose against children (now grandchildren) of rich boomers. Your kids will see them passing by in Porsche, or speaking how they casually bought an island on Adriatic.
          • znpy 3mo ago
            Your line of reasoning is very shortsighted.
            • lifestyleguru 3mo ago
              Why? Children will have to emigrate or at least move far away, you'll meet them once or twice a year, or every two years, unable to create any bond with grandchildren. So you basically only pass your genes.
              • znpy 3mo ago
                again, very short-sighted. > Children will have to emigrate or at least move far away, you'll meet them once or twice a year, or every two years, unable to create any bond with grandchildren. That is not true in general, and a lot depends on how you behave as a parent. In the year 2026 where remote-working is possible (sometimes only occasionally) if your children avoid spending time with you it's most likely that you were a shitty parent, not that they really really can't.
        • littlexsparkee 4mo ago
          from your first line, i think we are in agreement - they want to preserve stability hence they remain childfree, also to not provide fodder to the machine