Couples that do not want children. Are they doing the right thing? (environmentalists, death)
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People forget how much kids cost society. Fewer kids means fewer people paying into social security and the like, but it also means smaller classes, more one on one attention, and maybe more kids learning and fewer dropping out, which means more kids are getting better jobs. Better jobs means more money coming in and more taxes are paid into the system.
Fewer kids means the crime level goes waaaay down, since by the time people are in their 40s, they aren't as apt to commit violent crimes anymore. Fewer kids means much less competition for jobs and apartments, which means wages go up and rents go down. Fewer kids means a lot less childhood diseases and fewer illnesses, like flus and colds, which most adults catch from children. That means fewer sick days and higher productivity at work for the adults already here.
Fewer kids means less people driving on the roads and bridges, which makes our infrastructure last longer and need fewer repairs over a longer period of time. Fewer people on the roads means transport time for goods and services goes down and prices might drop. The demand for fuel will go down, and those prices might drop. Competition for colleges will drop, and those prices might begin to drop.
I personally think there's lots more advantages to having fewer kids in this country than we have now. I just wish more people would think like that.
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Originally Posted by Julian658
That is what China thought years ago. Read the NEWS-----the plan did not work.
No. Having fewer children is not the problem. China's problems are (1) the gender imbalance resulting from the one child policy and (2) the insistence on maintaining a socio-economic system dependent on population growth. China's traditional culture values boys far more than girls.
Back in the 1970s the belief in overpopulation was based on limited natural resources (food, potable water, arable land, oil, etc). Nowadays technology has alleviated some of these physical limits but we have a new overpopulation threat and that is a lack of jobs for people. The same technology that is solving some of the physical limitations is eliminating massive numbers of jobs. Without jobs what will these billions of people do? How will they support themselves?
The continued growth in automation, robotics and software will force the human race to reduce population and abandon all of the faulty "-isms" that make up the various socio-economic systems in existence in the western world today.
I hear you and from a social point of view there is NOTHING wrong with that. But, am talking about evolution and those that do not leave DNA behind stay out of the natural selection process. That they are or were fit to survive becomes a moot point.
My reasons for not having children has absolutely NOTHING to do with evolution. I'm my father's only child. I'm the last one in his family bloodline. His family name will die with me. My husband is the only son and his father was an only child. My husband's family name will also die when he dies. The world will somehow survive. Every single person on earth is within 50 steps so there's not this crazy massive evolution chain.
Then why is Europe importing so many foreigners? In Europe the fertility rate is well below two which is NOT enough to replace the population.
In the USA the rate is 1.9 per couple which is not enough to maintain the population. And it is that high because recent young non-European migrants reproduce more than those of European ancestry.
WIKI
Plenty of people are having big families. We're in no danger of dying out. And a smaller population would be better for the planet.
Actually folks that have many children are often bad parents. OTOH, folks that decide to be childless could be phenomenal parents. However, success seems to turn off the drive to reproduce.
Um, that's the point being made. That there are tons of people who had NO business having kids, that have kids. Or they could be terrible parents.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Julian658
I agree 100%. But, you are thinking in the moment. If all successful couples are like you we would have a very chaotic world in 3-4 generations. The world would be populated by the offspring of the "have nots".
Honestly, I won't be here so I don't care. At least not enough to have children I don't want.
Successful intelligent couples often decide not to procreate because there is pain in the world or because we are overcrowded. In their hearts these couples believe they are doing the right thing for humanity.
Meanwhile, China has discovered that curtailing reproduction has backfired and they will soon have an aging population with not enough young people in the pool. The one child per couple is a disaster, but at least there is one kid in the picture. However, it seems one kid is not enough! Most of the couples I talk about have ZERO children even though they are well educated and from a higher socioeconomic level.
Why do you think European countries freely admit so many Muslim migrants. They know quite well that without young folks the future is bleak.
What will happen in 100 years if all educated economically successful couples do not have children? What if ALL the kids of the next generations come from a low socioeconomic background?
No, it's terrible for society, it surely results in lowering of standards because the people opting out of parenthood are the smartest, best educated, most stable and ironically best suited to giving a kid a good start. To the detriment of all levels of society. But on the other hand... **** it, **** society, I'll be dead one day anyway, why should I make my currently enjoyable existence about the responsibility, obligation, stress, lack of free time and financial difficulty that a child involves really? Who's gonna make me?
My reasons for not having children has absolutely NOTHING to do with evolution. I'm my father's only child. I'm the last one in his family bloodline. His family name will die with me. My husband is the only son and his father was an only child. My husband's family name will also die when he dies. The world will somehow survive. Every single person on earth is within 50 steps so there's not this crazy massive evolution chain.
But, what if many follow your footsteps. Europeans are diminishing in numbers and hence need to import migrants.
No, it's terrible for society, it surely results in lowering of standards because the people opting out of parenthood are the smartest, best educated, most stable and ironically best suited to giving a kid a good start. To the detriment of all levels of society. But on the other hand... **** it, **** society, I'll be dead one day anyway, why should I make my currently enjoyable existence about the responsibility, obligation, stress, lack of free time and financial difficulty that a child involves really? Who's gonna make me?
No one will make you have children if you prefer free time and more money in your pocket. The discussion is not about the individual; we are discussing humanity as a whole.
The discussion is not about the individual; we are discussing humanity as a whole.
That is the inherent problem with your topic. People are individuals, not some monolithic 'whole.' What will be right for the individual will never make sense for humanity as a whole.
But on the other hand... **** it, **** society, I'll be dead one day anyway, why should I make my currently enjoyable existence about the responsibility, obligation, stress, lack of free time and financial difficulty that a child involves really? Who's gonna make me?
I am here now. I will live for today (and the few decades I have left). Three or four generations into the future is totally irrelevant.
Taking care of elderly parents is a difficult job. I was blessed with parent that were healthy. Now that you are a widow and childless---------do you ever wonder what it would be like to have children at this stage of your life? You helped your parents. Who will help you?
There was never any guarantee, even from well-off families that kids will always be able to take care of their parents.
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