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Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

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Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#101

Post by itsdrewmiller »

Funes- wrote: post #72
timr wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> previous generations are leaving them a burning hellscape full of toxic forever chemicals and microplastics that the kids will need to clean up Please , folks, take a step back and realize that most of what you've read about this stuff in the pop media is based on extremely speculative data, usually from weak, observational studies, or small laboratory experiments in non-human animals. The threat to your life, indi…

>You are far more likely to die of eating too much and getting too fat than whatever microplastics are supposedly doing to you. Funny how you can imply that we are still in the dark about how microplastics and other toxins or chemicals (in our food or water supply, for instance) actually affect our health, and, at the same time, assert with such confidence that something else is more likely to kill you. You don't kno…

I agree you can worry about two or more things, but the delta in world quality 50 years ago vs. now is not tremendous and not obviously negative; microplastics play a very small part in it either way. If one shouldn’t bring kids into the world now one probably should also believe their own birth was a mistake.

Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#102

Post by Brian_K_White »

LeanderK wrote: post #98
CalRobert wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It depends on the neighbourhood but at least when I was a kid in Stockton, California everyone in my school was driven, and that was the 90's.

So the school bus-system is not a major thing?

The bus driver is the guardian, the kids are not unescorted.

What's no longer a thing is the kids going any further than eyesight of their front door to a pickup location on their own. Their parent can see them at the corner of the block, or goes with them.

Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#103

Post by max-ibel »

fragmede wrote: post #87
ffsm8 wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First time I hear that claim as well. The only "peak" I'm aware of is coal burning for electricity. that is expected to go down going forward, but that's not peak CO2, as coal engines are just one source of CO2 and not even the biggest contributer. Misinformation is big with everything related to climate change as usual, so I kinda doubt we're anything close to peak CO2, but I'll keep checking the global CO2 averages…

With China having brought 47.4 gigawatts (GW) of new coal power online in 2023, why is is expected to go down going forwards?

My understanding is that they may not exactly be baseload, but will run only some of the time. Not ideal, but better than the worst case.

Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#104

Post by LeanderK »

Brian_K_White wrote: post #102
LeanderK wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So the school bus-system is not a major thing?

The bus driver is the guardian, the kids are not unescorted. What's no longer a thing is the kids going any further than eyesight of their front door to a pickup location on their own. Their parent can see them at the corner of the block, or goes with them.

that's insane! Even if they are 12 or even 15? (I assume something around 16 is the legal age where you can then drive?) Or are we only talking small kids like 6? I assume the bus stop is only max 10 min away?

For the context, here in the UK the streets are full of children walking from and to school every day. And in germany there's the discussion about making the cities safe enough so that every 6 year old can walk to school. Are you really saying that 14 year old kids can not walk alone to a local bus stop nearby? Because you don't trust them to navigate a street on their own and need a guardian? Or was it implicitly about children around 6-8?

Tbh I really enjoyed my walks to school. These were my first little moments of independence, I could pause a little bit and enjoy the summer atmosphere or rush home when my mom cooked my favourite meal. Maybe a small detour to buy some sweets at a small corner shop if I saved some money.

Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#105

Post by LeanderK »

Brian_K_White wrote: post #100
LeanderK wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is very far removed from my experience growing up. How do kids even get to school? Can't they walk, cycle or take the bus (I assume that must be possible but they still have to get to the bus stop)? My first experience of being able to do something on my own was walking to school. It's always the same way, so it must be possible, right? I think I must have been 6-7 years old?

It's very far from my experience too. But that was in the 70s & 80s, and in small town.

how can your local environment be so hostile, it just doesn't sound pleasant. It also seems to be quite isolating from your neighbours and local neighbourhood. It sounds like everything after your yard is death and children need to be driven in some safety-cage to the next appointment. Next up is giving them bullet-proof vests and a gps tracker.

Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#106

Post by Brian_K_White »

LeanderK wrote: post #104
Brian_K_White wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The bus driver is the guardian, the kids are not unescorted. What's no longer a thing is the kids going any further than eyesight of their front door to a pickup location on their own. Their parent can see them at the corner of the block, or goes with them.

that's insane! Even if they are 12 or even 15? (I assume something around 16 is the legal age where you can then drive?) Or are we only talking small kids like 6? I assume the bus stop is only max 10 min away? For the context, here in the UK the streets are full of children walking from and to school every day. And in germany there's the discussion about making the cities safe enough so that every 6 year old can walk…

It is insane I agree. And it's not 100%. There are obviously still a full spectrum of parenting styles so some kids still get a little independence. And I don't know at what ages most kids start finally getting a little. Maybe by 14 they are on their own, but even in that case remember they all have tracking devices now.

Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#107

Post by LeanderK »

Brian_K_White wrote: post #106
LeanderK wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

that's insane! Even if they are 12 or even 15? (I assume something around 16 is the legal age where you can then drive?) Or are we only talking small kids like 6? I assume the bus stop is only max 10 min away? For the context, here in the UK the streets are full of children walking from and to school every day. And in germany there's the discussion about making the cities safe enough so that every 6 year old can walk…

It is insane I agree. And it's not 100%. There are obviously still a full spectrum of parenting styles so some kids still get a little independence. And I don't know at what ages most kids start finally getting a little. Maybe by 14 they are on their own, but even in that case remember they all have tracking devices now.

I just wanted to say they probably now have 24/7 GPS-enabled tracking devices on them :) [1] It seems so dystopian! And as if the whole world is extremely dangerous except your lawn, also at the same time there's zero trust in your kids and their friends.

[1] I seriously wonder about the legality. Don't kids have rights to? And some right to some privacy?

Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#108

Post by bryanlarsen »

silverquiet wrote: post #82
bryanlarsen wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Biggest impact is wind power replacing carbon sources. A close second is solar power. EV's are a distant but non negligible third. https://climateanalytics.org/comment/will-2024-be-the-year-e...

It is certainly worth hoping for, but I will not believe it until I see it. Until now, we have remained on a dire course.

You can see it in the Mona Lea CO2 measurements. We've gone from steadily increasing increases to constant increases. Soon it will be increases that get smaller every year

Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#109

Post by CalRobert »

LeanderK wrote: post #97
CalRobert wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a few things going on - (Also, I am indeed American but have lived in Europe for the last 11 years. I moved from Ireland to the Netherlands a year ago so our kids could have more independence, though even here is imperfect). For the US - and actually a good deal of Europe too - terrible urban and street (stroad, rather) design makes it dangerous and impractical to bike as a child. Having 3 inches of paint as…

> For the US - and actually a good deal of Europe too - terrible urban and street (stroad, rather) design makes it dangerous and impractical to bike as a child. Hmm, tbh. I would consider it impractical for a child then! Aren't they sort of trapped then? I grew up in the suburbs and then moved to the cities big and small and biking was always ok. I think it's generally easier in the city without adequate infrastructu…

Hi - glad you're interested! My email's in my bio if you want to drop me a line.

Yes, kids are effectively prisoners until they can drive.

Can I ask where you grew up (what country, or region, etc)?

That's really cool re: forest. We're near a nature preserve but I don't yet feel comfortable with my kids going on their own. When the 6 year old is 8 or 9 I might though. I see kids around 9 years old biking to school on their own here, but I live in Hilversum, which is on the crappier end of bike infra for the Netherlands.

And yes, it's an exhausting, soul destroying full time job (on top of your other full time job). It can be mom or dad playing taxi but usually it's mom. I've known wealthier parents who just got their kids Ubers too.

Stranger things is great, and one of the things that is remarked upon is how different the 80's were from now. This is discussed at https://www.freerangekids.com/why-its-hard-to-raise-your-kid... for instance.

Single parents (ones without a coparent, specifically) have it really, really, really hard.

Anyway you basically just described why having kids is so hard.

Re: Tokyo's Government Is Building Its Own Dating App to Combat Falling Birthrates

#110

Post by CalRobert »

LeanderK wrote: post #107
Brian_K_White wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is insane I agree. And it's not 100%. There are obviously still a full spectrum of parenting styles so some kids still get a little independence. And I don't know at what ages most kids start finally getting a little. Maybe by 14 they are on their own, but even in that case remember they all have tracking devices now.

I just wanted to say they probably now have 24/7 GPS-enabled tracking devices on them :) [1] It seems so dystopian! And as if the whole world is extremely dangerous except your lawn, also at the same time there's zero trust in your kids and their friends. [1] I seriously wonder about the legality. Don't kids have rights to? And some right to some privacy?

In the US even adults barely have any right to privacy. I'm horrified by the proliferation of facial recognition. Airline attendants are always shocked I don't want to smile for the camera. I'll happily use an old fashioned boarding pass...
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