Another relevant point - the birth rate decline is a civilization committing apoptosis - orderly cell death. When a living cell detects that it is full of misfo

Another relevant point - the birth rate decline is a civilization committing apoptosis - orderly cell death. When a living cell detects that it is full of misfolded proteins, or many other conditions, it will simply commit suicide - breaking open its cell membrane, spilling its contents, allowing them to be recycled, and allowing one of its healthy neighbor cells to divide into its space to replace it. This is a good thing when a cell does it. Elimination of unhealthy cells and replacement by healthy cells helps keep the organism healthy. What does this say about civilisations and the human species?