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11-29-2008, 06:33 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Floribama
4,467 posts, read 2,862,610 times
Reputation: 1433
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coldwine
It's sort of ridiculous, really.
Most of it has to do with culture. I have one sibling, much younger than me, who was very clearly an "accident"
In general, most affluent white Americans just don't want children. I certainly don't. I like living and being a real person; the last thing I want to do is to throw away my life, my education, my research and my income on a baby. And pregnancy? Hell no.
It would mean just that, too: throwing away all my hard work. I would lose everything, and to be honest I really don't like children. I can't stand them. Close friends of mine are the same.
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What most people tend to forget is they will need children one day. What happens when you're 80 years old and you can't take care of yourself? Are you going to depend on a nursing home worker making 9 bucks an hour with an attitude to take care of you? I'm a gay man so I know I will never have kids, but I have a niece and two nephews that are a part of my life and I am thankful because I know I will need them to look after me someday.
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11-29-2008, 06:56 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
2,130 posts, read 1,297,850 times
Reputation: 882
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Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover
What most people tend to forget is they will need children one day. What happens when you're 80 years old and you can't take care of yourself? Are you going to depend on a nursing home worker making 9 bucks an hour with an attitude to take care of you? I'm a gay man so I know I will never have kids, but I have a niece and two nephews that are a part of my life and I am thankful because I know I will need them to look after me someday.
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By I have a good fifty, sixty years till I'm facing that issue  I have every faith that medical science will have solved most of the problems associated with aging.
Last but not least, you're choosing to not sleep with women and produce children. I'm choosing not to have them. So let's not start pointing fingers here, mister.
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11-29-2008, 07:44 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Floribama
4,467 posts, read 2,862,610 times
Reputation: 1433
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coldwine
I have every faith that medical science will have solved most of the problems associated with aging.
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I don't.
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11-29-2008, 08:26 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: May 2007
217 posts, read 234,709 times
Reputation: 57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coldwine
I have every faith that medical science will have solved most of the problems associated with aging.
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If that happens then we have REAL problems. Imagine how quickly humans would destroy the earth if the average life expectancy was 120.
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11-29-2008, 08:50 PM
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Certified Ferroequinologist
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Greenville, SC
2,349 posts, read 1,047,632 times
Reputation: 677
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I strongly suspect that Europe's low birth rate is attributed to the fact that it is an enormous liability, especially in countries with such high costs of living. Keep in mind that Europeans (for the most part) do not have as high of spending power as Australians or Americans, and therefore can't always afford to have children.
Either way, until the birth rate drops below the death rate, it isn't that big of a deal.
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11-29-2008, 11:52 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: California
1,764 posts, read 813,355 times
Reputation: 1269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coldwine
In general, most affluent white Americans just don't want children. I certainly don't. I like living and being a real person; the last thing I want to do is to throw away my life, my education, my research and my income on a baby. And pregnancy? Hell no.
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Wow, that's a snipe to parents.... I'm not a kid person either, but I'm not so narrow-minded as to think that being a parent is throwing your life away..... Raising a human being to be a positively contributing member of society is an admirable job in my eyes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frankie117
Either way, until the birth rate drops below the death rate, it isn't that big of a deal.
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I think that is what being below the replacement rate means...more people dying than being born.
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11-30-2008, 10:00 AM
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In Limbo
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Flamingo Park - West Palm Beach
6,175 posts, read 3,789,355 times
Reputation: 1624
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Well, it is what it is in Europe, but I definitely think that future census numbers in America will show a baby boomlet, even amongst whites. I think most affluent whites just took time to establish themselves before having kids, and are now rushing to beat the biological clock. Everywhere I turn around these days, friends and family are having kids!!
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11-30-2008, 11:51 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
197 posts, read 97,459 times
Reputation: 74
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DAP443
Why is Europe have such a low birth rate??
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Maybe make love is not the Europe's "favourite sport".
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11-30-2008, 05:10 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
197 posts, read 97,459 times
Reputation: 74
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Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover
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Because we have a responsible position, even so we are not an "oldish" country.
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