Do It For Denmark No one has solved Denmark's falling birthrate. Until now.

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Re: Do It For Denmark No one has solved Denmark's falling birthrate. Until now.

#21

Post by Cyph0n » Thu, Mar 27, 2014, 4:42 PM UTC

dingaling wrote: post #19

Cyph0n wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Declining birth rate is not actually a problem? OK then. Also, referring to children as "financial drains" makes them look much worse than they really are. I wonder if you've ever had children..

Yes, and we've stopped at one because children are a financial drain. As an example: if we both continue to work, weekday childcare will consume 70% of my wife's income. Add to that all the other costs of raising children, and the potential income lost through not being able to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise, and I understand the Danish situation.

I guess I forgot an important thing inherent in Western society: children leave home and never come back, in most cases. From that perspective, I understand your decision, and I think it's logical in many ways. Your investment is an near-guaranteed loss, so why make it, right?

Where I'm from, things are different. It's the responsibility of the children to take care of their parents, especially during old age. In some cases, all of the children decide to live with their parents along with their families. I know it sounds weird, but it works in practice. This, I believe, makes raising children worthwhile, because there is a chance, even if it isn't that large, that your children will return the favor when you become old.

Sorry for the long rant by the way. I wish you and your wife good luck :)

Re: Do It For Denmark No one has solved Denmark's falling birthrate. Until now.

#22

Post by joshreads » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 1:33 PM UTC

Cyph0n wrote: post #17

joshreads wrote: post #15

Nobody has solved the "problem" of a falling birthrate in a culture where there's easy access to birth control and general overall prosperity in an economic system where children are financial drains rather than financial assets, and they will continue to not solve it because it's not actually a problem?

Declining birth rate is not actually a problem? OK then. Also, referring to children as "financial drains" makes them look much worse than they really are. I wonder if you've ever had children..

I mean obviously children are much more than financial drains in terms of emotional and spiritual fulfillment. I don't think anyone's arguing that. But it is true that for most of human history children were economic boons from a very young age: most people were farmers, and very few people went to school, so kids could contribute economically by doing farm chores when quite young. This is untrue in modern society, obviously. It doesn't mean people don't have children or love their children, but it does mean that people are satisfied with having one or two kids rather than the four or five or more common in agricultural societies, which puts us below replacement rates.

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