I've read that countries that are more developed tend to have lower birthrates, so I don't think it's necessarily an east asian only thing.
Interesting perspective on weddings. I never considered it like that. After thinking about it more, I always thought of it more as a happy end result of a relationship (probably from all the media tropes where "and they got married and lived happily ever after")
Definitely - they're just ahead of the curve in that regard (and safer targets than Southern/Eastern Europe). KaiserBauch's channel covers a lot of that.
I agreed with you before all this, disagreed with you after, and then agreed with you again at the end (if for different reasons).
I really enjoyed this piece. You tied it together well. Funny, I was just talking with a group of people yesterday about the worldwide demographic crisis (only I didn't know that name for it.... we were just reflecting on the consequences of the generally first world nations who are seeing reduced birth rates). It is an issue that will need to be addressed on one way or another in the not too distant future. I read recently that even the programs that incentivize people to have more children are not currently working.
And I am one of those people who grew up in a large family. I have eight siblings (over a 19 year span). We were a working class family with limited income so things were tight but there was always simple food on the table. I very much enjoyed my big family and STILL enjoy it. Most of my siblings live w/i a three hour drive from my home and we routinely get together at least twice a year. I love my 25 or so nieces and nephews and have good relationships with all and close relationships with a few. I like the intergenerational stuff. I had only two children b/c who can afford more + kids = a lot of energy and focus. My own kids are likely to stop at one each so we are , indeed, part of the demographic crisis.
This: "The way things are now, I see getting married and raising kids as almost an act of defiance – a rising against the constant doom and gloom of slow-motion disasters. A sign and a celebration that despite everything, we will carry on." You are so right. I wonder if I would choose to have a child or two given the doom and gloom prophecies. I salute those younger people who choose to start a family. I will add that I love the energy of many of the Millennial generation. I seek those people out and enjoy convo with them. I think they are the hope of the world (as will likely be their children). Thank you for the thoughtful read.
Dare I call it the demographic crisis the "Baby Bust"?
I do think that part of is is natural - there are a lot more things for people to devote their lives to, and kids get bumped down the list. There's also education costing so much and being the gateway to everything, previously good industries becoming uneconomical, and so on, making it so that families usually spread farther away than before. There's also a social dimension to it to, where instead of traveling and having fun you buckle down and get to child rearing - with less help from the grandparents than in the past.
Also, parents want a better life for their kids, best done by concentrating resources on fewer potential winners. Social climbing is a lot easier when it's quality over quantity lmao.
I've read that countries that are more developed tend to have lower birthrates, so I don't think it's necessarily an east asian only thing.
Interesting perspective on weddings. I never considered it like that. After thinking about it more, I always thought of it more as a happy end result of a relationship (probably from all the media tropes where "and they got married and lived happily ever after")
Definitely - they're just ahead of the curve in that regard (and safer targets than Southern/Eastern Europe). KaiserBauch's channel covers a lot of that.
I agreed with you before all this, disagreed with you after, and then agreed with you again at the end (if for different reasons).
I really enjoyed this piece. You tied it together well. Funny, I was just talking with a group of people yesterday about the worldwide demographic crisis (only I didn't know that name for it.... we were just reflecting on the consequences of the generally first world nations who are seeing reduced birth rates). It is an issue that will need to be addressed on one way or another in the not too distant future. I read recently that even the programs that incentivize people to have more children are not currently working.
And I am one of those people who grew up in a large family. I have eight siblings (over a 19 year span). We were a working class family with limited income so things were tight but there was always simple food on the table. I very much enjoyed my big family and STILL enjoy it. Most of my siblings live w/i a three hour drive from my home and we routinely get together at least twice a year. I love my 25 or so nieces and nephews and have good relationships with all and close relationships with a few. I like the intergenerational stuff. I had only two children b/c who can afford more + kids = a lot of energy and focus. My own kids are likely to stop at one each so we are , indeed, part of the demographic crisis.
This: "The way things are now, I see getting married and raising kids as almost an act of defiance – a rising against the constant doom and gloom of slow-motion disasters. A sign and a celebration that despite everything, we will carry on." You are so right. I wonder if I would choose to have a child or two given the doom and gloom prophecies. I salute those younger people who choose to start a family. I will add that I love the energy of many of the Millennial generation. I seek those people out and enjoy convo with them. I think they are the hope of the world (as will likely be their children). Thank you for the thoughtful read.
Dare I call it the demographic crisis the "Baby Bust"?
I do think that part of is is natural - there are a lot more things for people to devote their lives to, and kids get bumped down the list. There's also education costing so much and being the gateway to everything, previously good industries becoming uneconomical, and so on, making it so that families usually spread farther away than before. There's also a social dimension to it to, where instead of traveling and having fun you buckle down and get to child rearing - with less help from the grandparents than in the past.
Also, parents want a better life for their kids, best done by concentrating resources on fewer potential winners. Social climbing is a lot easier when it's quality over quantity lmao.