Gen X here with no kids in my 50’s, glad I didn’t. I have endometriosis, had a very abusive childhood and didn’t want to pass down abuse and the disease to a daughter. My mom seemed to not enjoy being a mom and my dad had a narcissist borderline personality disorder.
Happiness, in my experience, comes from overcoming challenges along side the people you love. Pursuing that isn’t always comfortable, and having kids (ideally with a great partner) can throw you into what becomes a very very rewarding life.
Definitely concur with shifting focus on reshaping a successful economy based on smaller populations. Far better than trying to force a return to a past that at least half the population doesn’t want. Also suggest that on a personal level older generations examine how they can start shifting wealth or assets into a means of retirement security for their offspring. As retirees our needs are simple & we now have, not lavish, but adequate retirement income. We decided to sink our nest-egg into an older house in an excellent rental location. We live in it, we’re slowly upgrading it. Yes, we have a mortgage in our 60’s, but it’s manageable & when we go, our daughters can rent it out to cover most of the costs. In the end they have a safe place to live if needed or a source of income when the mortgage is up. I know this isn’t an option for many & honestly it’s a sacrifice for us, but it’s just one way to tackle future insecurity & perhaps help reset the economy.
I think it's fine that educated women don't want to have children. We'll adapt to low fertility rates. However, it is worrying that the groups with anti-woman cultures are now becoming ever larger portions of society because of their higher fertility rates. What happens in 50 years when 40% of the country is composed of Orthodox fundamentalist religious groups who don't educate their women and keep women at home? Will we start seeing government policies become the increasingly anti woman? In short, low fertility rates gives greater political power to fundamentalist religious groups over time.
It's really simple. There is a direct correlation to the female education levels and participation of women in the workforce to fertility rates. The countries with the lowest female education levels and workforce participation levels have the highest fertility rates. The reality is that few women want to have kids if they are able to support themselves and have their own careers. For career women children become a luxury good, and subsidized child care or tax credits will never be sufficient to change the incentives.
I agree with you, but would not reduce children to a luxury good. It has been a luxury for society to rely on women to provide unpaid home, child care, & community volunteerism for generations. Speaking to my grandmothers who lived out their old age in borderline poverty, wishing they’d had other opportunities makes it clear why women are more cautious. It’s far, far harder for us to have both security & children. Globally & historically, it is clear that many men are not reliable caretakers or even safe for women & children. Many women soon learn they must provide that security & safety themselves. It’s far, far harder with 24/7 responsibility for a tiny child.
I agree, it's really interesting that people are happy to talk about all the external factors as to why women are having fewer children but nobody seems comfortable discussing the basic truth that when women have an option to not have children, they choose not to have children! I've always thought the cultural norm of the "maternal urge" to have children to be more myth than reality. I think it comes from the fact that when women couldn't prevent having children, it became a societal way of elevating an unavoidable fate.
Another interesting trend I have seen recently is that, many developers are building smaller dwellings based on the demographic forecast. It can limit the provision of diverse housing then make people less willing to have more children or even any child.
Here are some thoughts: "Is my life really going to be better and more fulfilled with kids?", I agree, people are also asking is my life going to really be better and more fulfilled if I get married or into a relationship. Less people are getting married and into relationships and don't find having a partner worth it. - When you have less people, you have less resources; less taxable income, less support programs. With less people, you will have to be more self-reliant as you age. - If is said that the more progressive a society becomes the more feminine it becomes and the more people focus on their individual wants
It's too expensive and the social and econmic pressures that exist in America at this moment do not make it ethical, nor conducive to raising healthy kids.
Wealthy privigeled technocrats talking a technocratic language-opportunity cost, utility-yeah, these people really understand the hopes and fears of the 'great unwashed'.
The evolution of Industrialized economies has led us here. We live in expensive societies (housing, healthcare, student debt) that require two salaries to maintain a roof over our heads and the cultural grip of religion has faded, so the traditional lifepath of marriage/house/kids has lost it's primacy. Humans are very adaptable, it's our strength and our weakness. When having children becomes an economic challenge we change our priorities and find fulfillment in other ways. I find it so ironic that Republicans are upset that people aren't having kids when they've created the unforgiving "winner takes all" economic system that loads people up with student-debt, insane housing prices and healthcare costs through the roof. I think a smart capitalist nation would recognise the value of reproducing and now that people want to do that less, there should be serious incentives to have children. Given that the Brookings Institute estimates it's costs $310,000 to raise a child to 18, why not find ways to pay people to do that through debt-relief, tax breaks and free healthcare etc.
How is there no mention of world overpopulation? Shouldn't we all be trying to have fewer kids and figure out the economic stuff instead? When I was a kid in the '80s there were like 3 billion people. I have 2 kids who I love very much but every day I feel guilty for contributing to the overpopulation problem.
Covering this issue endlessly and not touching on the feminist issue is just so bothersome to me. Women do not have supportive male partners, young women see that, decide they need better, and therefore forgo kids. Women are endlessly saying they want an equal partner in the home, and just not addressing that at all, and just rambling on about the economy, come on guys........
My husband, and father to our two children, wanted was MORE children. YET he was never very helpful, especially in the early days, in their infancies ... when I was trying to heal from stitches, bleeding, nursing ... ALL of it. My (now ex) husband never connected his lack of support with my reluctance to have more babies ... even when I communicated this to him.
@@julierogers1155 I'm so sorry you did not get the support you deserve. I am hearing that from so, so, so many mothers. The era of men thinking all they need to do is bring home a paycheck is passed.
Parents need to educate their daughters on the value of marriage and children. If the parents do not believe that this project is worthy of sacrifice the child will likely meander in life single. And it will require sacrifice on many levels.
Hogwash. You mean educate our daughters on sacrificing themselves to provide society with a lifetime of unpaid social services. So they can live out their old age in poverty like my grandmothers. Trapped with “religious” men who treated them like property. Wishing they’d had other options, but with children & no money or skills. As one put it, “ I had no place to go.” And now, women who do get pregnant can’t even hope to survive a miscarriage in some states. Good luck with growing families by turning women & girls back into state-owned property.
@@SN-sz7kwDemocrats and Republicans owe the American people BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RESTITUTIONS for your riots and damages in 2020 and 2021. Love watching Republicans and Democrats keep making themselves look worse everyday! 🇺🇸 Quick look at my page and hundreds of videos posted on it would prove I'm not a Russian Bot. Too bad you're too feeble and inept to figure that out though. 😉
Gen X here with no kids in my 50’s, glad I didn’t. I have endometriosis, had a very abusive childhood and didn’t want to pass down abuse and the disease to a daughter. My mom seemed to not enjoy being a mom and my dad had a narcissist borderline personality disorder.
Happiness, in my experience, comes from overcoming challenges along side the people you love. Pursuing that isn’t always comfortable, and having kids (ideally with a great partner) can throw you into what becomes a very very rewarding life.
Definitely concur with shifting focus on reshaping a successful economy based on smaller populations. Far better than trying to force a return to a past that at least half the population doesn’t want.
Also suggest that on a personal level older generations examine how they can start shifting wealth or assets into a means of retirement security for their offspring.
As retirees our needs are simple & we now have, not lavish, but adequate retirement income. We decided to sink our nest-egg into an older house in an excellent rental location. We live in it, we’re slowly upgrading it. Yes, we have a mortgage in our 60’s, but it’s manageable & when we go, our daughters can rent it out to cover most of the costs. In the end they have a safe place to live if needed or a source of income when the mortgage is up. I know this isn’t an option for many & honestly it’s a sacrifice for us, but it’s just one way to tackle future insecurity & perhaps help reset the economy.
I think it's fine that educated women don't want to have children. We'll adapt to low fertility rates. However, it is worrying that the groups with anti-woman cultures are now becoming ever larger portions of society because of their higher fertility rates. What happens in 50 years when 40% of the country is composed of Orthodox fundamentalist religious groups who don't educate their women and keep women at home? Will we start seeing government policies become the increasingly anti woman? In short, low fertility rates gives greater political power to fundamentalist religious groups over time.
It's really simple. There is a direct correlation to the female education levels and participation of women in the workforce to fertility rates. The countries with the lowest female education levels and workforce participation levels have the highest fertility rates. The reality is that few women want to have kids if they are able to support themselves and have their own careers. For career women children become a luxury good, and subsidized child care or tax credits will never be sufficient to change the incentives.
I agree with you, but would not reduce children to a luxury good. It has been a luxury for society to rely on women to provide unpaid home, child care, & community volunteerism for generations. Speaking to my grandmothers who lived out their old age in borderline poverty, wishing they’d had other opportunities makes it clear why women are more cautious. It’s far, far harder for us to have both security & children.
Globally & historically, it is clear that many men are not reliable caretakers or even safe for women & children. Many women soon learn they must provide that security & safety themselves. It’s far, far harder with 24/7 responsibility for a tiny child.
I agree, it's really interesting that people are happy to talk about all the external factors as to why women are having fewer children but nobody seems comfortable discussing the basic truth that when women have an option to not have children, they choose not to have children!
I've always thought the cultural norm of the "maternal urge" to have children to be more myth than reality. I think it comes from the fact that when women couldn't prevent having children, it became a societal way of elevating an unavoidable fate.
Another interesting trend I have seen recently is that, many developers are building smaller dwellings based on the demographic forecast. It can limit the provision of diverse housing then make people less willing to have more children or even any child.
Work hard, have a family, its pretty easy. But hey if you're a Democrat I'd imagine it seems like the end of the world due to narcissist tendencies.
Here are some thoughts:
"Is my life really going to be better and more fulfilled with kids?", I agree, people are also asking is my life going to really be better and more fulfilled if I get married or into a relationship. Less people are getting married and into relationships and don't find having a partner worth it.
- When you have less people, you have less resources; less taxable income, less support programs. With less people, you will have to be more self-reliant as you age.
- If is said that the more progressive a society becomes the more feminine it becomes and the more people focus on their individual wants
Why no married parents as part of this discussion? Wouldn’t that be a useful perspective?
DC is a horrible place to raise kids.
It's too expensive and the social and econmic pressures that exist in America at this moment do not make it ethical, nor conducive to raising healthy kids.
Wealthy privigeled technocrats talking a technocratic language-opportunity cost, utility-yeah, these people really understand the hopes and fears of the 'great unwashed'.
The evolution of Industrialized economies has led us here. We live in expensive societies (housing, healthcare, student debt) that require two salaries to maintain a roof over our heads and the cultural grip of religion has faded, so the traditional lifepath of marriage/house/kids has lost it's primacy. Humans are very adaptable, it's our strength and our weakness. When having children becomes an economic challenge we change our priorities and find fulfillment in other ways. I find it so ironic that Republicans are upset that people aren't having kids when they've created the unforgiving "winner takes all" economic system that loads people up with student-debt, insane housing prices and healthcare costs through the roof.
I think a smart capitalist nation would recognise the value of reproducing and now that people want to do that less, there should be serious incentives to have children. Given that the Brookings Institute estimates it's costs $310,000 to raise a child to 18, why not find ways to pay people to do that through debt-relief, tax breaks and free healthcare etc.
I'm an SMC too! Rock on 🤘
Young men aren’t even having sex and increasingly don’t want to.
All this is focused on women and nothing about men.
Shocking
How is there no mention of world overpopulation? Shouldn't we all be trying to have fewer kids and figure out the economic stuff instead? When I was a kid in the '80s there were like 3 billion people. I have 2 kids who I love very much but every day I feel guilty for contributing to the overpopulation problem.
Covering this issue endlessly and not touching on the feminist issue is just so bothersome to me. Women do not have supportive male partners, young women see that, decide they need better, and therefore forgo kids. Women are endlessly saying they want an equal partner in the home, and just not addressing that at all, and just rambling on about the economy, come on guys........
My husband, and father to our two children, wanted was MORE children. YET he was never very helpful, especially in the early days, in their infancies ... when I was trying to heal from stitches, bleeding, nursing ... ALL of it.
My (now ex) husband never connected his lack of support with my reluctance to have more babies ... even when I communicated this to him.
@@julierogers1155 I'm so sorry you did not get the support you deserve. I am hearing that from so, so, so many mothers. The era of men thinking all they need to do is bring home a paycheck is passed.
Fair point.
Sorry sounds like a bad man. @@julierogers1155
Parents need to educate their daughters on the value of marriage and children. If the parents do not believe that this project is worthy of sacrifice the child will likely meander in life single. And it will require sacrifice on many levels.
Hogwash. You mean educate our daughters on sacrificing themselves to provide society with a lifetime of unpaid social services. So they can live out their old age in poverty like my grandmothers. Trapped with “religious” men who treated them like property. Wishing they’d had other options, but with children & no money or skills. As one put it, “ I had no place to go.” And now, women who do get pregnant can’t even hope to survive a miscarriage in some states. Good luck with growing families by turning women & girls back into state-owned property.
Fear or selfishness.
Kids are awesome! Main Charcter Energy
No discussion of the environmental collapse.
Americans, keep documenting these propagandists!
Lets hold them ALL liable and accountable.
🇺🇸
Huh? Who are you calling "propagandists"? Why do you conclude they are propagandists?
Just put it in Russian. We can use the translator. 😂
@@SN-sz7kwDemocrats and Republicans owe the American people BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RESTITUTIONS for your riots and damages in 2020 and 2021.
Love watching Republicans and Democrats keep making themselves look worse everyday!
🇺🇸
Quick look at my page and hundreds of videos posted on it would prove I'm not a Russian Bot. Too bad you're too feeble and inept to figure that out though.
😉
@@born2bwildne744Love watching Republicans and Democrats keep making themselves look worse everyday!
🇺🇸
@@SN-sz7kwquick look at my page would show you I'm not a Russian Bot. Unlike your POLITICALt3rr0r1stTR41T0R account!!!!