For the most vocal about this, probably true. But much of Western Europe, South Korea, Japan all facing tough numbers on future of social safety net for retirement age people because of past birth rates, and number of workers per retired person. See France retirement age riots. It’s a bad situation
Big part of reason US not in as bad a place is because of openness to immigration! Birth rates for last 10-20 years higher than those places, but also better net migration. Anyone concerned about US birth rates shouldn’t be trying to get people out of the country!
Take 10 minutes of your time and do "your own research" on this topic, you will be amazed at how different the situation is now, we are on track for a reduction of global pop this century
Spot on. The population of the world has doubled in the last 50 years. The US population has doubled since about 1960. Anyone worried about falling birth rates is absolutely a great replacement scumbag.
Strangely if I say that I think less human population in the world would be good for things like the environment, I'm apparently a super racist eugenicist.
up to a point, they’re a SIGN of good things. the problem is you don’t want your population to be too top-heavy in age, or it’s hard to maintain. but that can be addressed via social services and immigration
People aren't having because they can barely afford to take care of themselves. I guess the wealthy white supremacists didn't fucking think of that as they were robbing us blind the last 50 years.
Absolutely fucking wild how not one person “concerned about falling birth rates” ever suggests making healthcare/childcare more accessible and affordable as a possible solution
Making healthcare/childcare more accessible and affordable is a good thing to do, but from here in Europe, I don't think there's good evidence that it does much for birth rates.
It’s not a catch all solution - really it’s a bare minimum starting point - but that the people “concerned” about this “problem” are never willing to even consider advocating for it is 100% a massive tell that they’re completely full of shit and not acting in good faith
And that’s before you get into the housing market/cost of living. My parents bought their 3/2 house with a big yard for $40k in the 80s. My grandparents bought a 3/2 and raised a family on one blue collar income. Both of those things are such distant memories they seem more like myths or fables
Good healthcare does mean that the survival of those babies doesn't dependon parental income, so the population replacement rate is lower. Also, since Roe vs Wade fell, healthcare for pregnant folk in parts of the US has been gutted, which combined with the cost is a disincentive to having kids
And that's before you even get to the impact of being able to access childcare. I would 100% not have been able to find childcare to start within weeks of giving birth, but lots of American parents have to go back to work almost immediately
It's like that meme why someone complains about being "censored" for "conservative" views, but it's not about national defense, or lower taxes, but some another belief of "you now the ones"that they suspiciously refuse to actually say.
Peter Zeihan absolutely does this -and- says we should encourage far more immigration to cover the gaps that falling birth rates make in our work force.
Also, childcare is a smaller birthrate issue in this country than housing at the moment. If we want more kids to keep the American machine moving throughout the upcoming decades we need affordable housing for people who want to have kids. You can't have 2.5 kids in a tiny ass apartment.
Concerned about falling birth rates? Encourage immigration, reduce housing costs, reduce the cost of child care, supply -lengthy- maternity leave, and don't make the country such a scary shithole that people would be afraid to bring a child into it via immigration or birth.
In some countries though, like South Korea... different matter. Although the people who are now talking about birth rates tend to be the ones who caused this issue to happen to begin with (corporatism, masculinism, elitism, individualism ...)
If you are concerned about birth rates (even in South Korea or Japan or wherever) and you are not also pro-immigration, then probably still yes.
Immigration is a perfectly fine solution to the reasonable concern of an aging population, so if it doesn't ease your fears then you're being dishonest.
Now, I don't oppose immigration, but I think this is just a bandage. Low birthrate in itself isn't the issue, it is the symptom of a fucked up society. SK has a shit ton of pressure on people, workers, families, students, etc...
If all you do is bring in new people from elsewhere, then you're just kicking that can down the road.
The issue, imo, is that immigration by itself isn't a solution, it's a way to avoid rethinking the system that led to the low birthrate in the first place.
And considering the culture that led to the low birthrates in the first place, then immigration will just pose its own issues, with immigrants poverty, a refusal for society to integrate them, them being used as scapegoats, etc...
Comments
Now all of a sudden we're worried there aren't enough babies?
No danger of running out of humans.
It's not a white supremacy thing for many people.
https://bsky.app/profile/fragnificentkw.bsky.social/post/3lmn5mtlo4s2w
Not a politician anymore but still does 'the pro-natalist' circuit. One to watch (for all the wrong reasons.)
Problems solved.
In some countries though, like South Korea... different matter. Although the people who are now talking about birth rates tend to be the ones who caused this issue to happen to begin with (corporatism, masculinism, elitism, individualism ...)
Immigration is a perfectly fine solution to the reasonable concern of an aging population, so if it doesn't ease your fears then you're being dishonest.
The issue, imo, is that immigration by itself isn't a solution, it's a way to avoid rethinking the system that led to the low birthrate in the first place.
Obv as I said I don't oppose it
But if there is no massive amount of work dedicated to reforming society, then it's just pointless
In other parts of the world, it's a serious concern for everyone