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Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

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Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#91

Post by derektank »

losteric wrote: post #70
nradov wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's hardly any place which is really "friendly" towards professional families with infants. For safety reasons, daycare centers have to maintain staffing ratios so it's always going to be extremely expensive (unless you're poor enough to qualify for subsidies). As for safety, for some reason those big tech employees keep voting for progressive politicians whose failed policies have ruined their cities. I guess vo…

1. Seattle is quite safe. Friendliness is different than safety 2. It all comes back to housing density/supply. As you say, daycare costs are dominated by staffing ratios/wages - which are a function of cost of living. The surge of high income earners + housing supply deficit = pricing out daycare workers (and daycares).

Seattle has a higher homicide rate than New York or LA and it is running well above its own historical rate; in 2014, the entirety of King County had fewer homicides than the city of Seattle did in 2024. It is safer than many other US cities, but US cities are quite dangerous by first world standards which is why many people opt to raise kids in suburbia.

Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#92

Post by danielktdoranie »

The incel problem is now an epidemic, I feel very sorry for the young men of late millennial era and Gen Z. From what I have seen dating for these generations has become incredibly difficult. When I was a young man (I am the last of Gen X) relationships were never “easy” but dating was. There are young men out there in their 20s who are still virgins, I had a son at 18.

Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#93

Post by betaby »

seaourfreed wrote: post #80
betaby wrote: post #65

Marriages in the western world is a clear example of the 'overregulation'. And further marriage rate falls, more regulations are added. To the point that in Quebec various forms of cohabitation are considered as a marriage in court. That makes a relationship a serious liability.

Who made that happen in Quebec? I'm asking an honest question as an outsider. Trying to understand. Did 51% of the population want that? Did the government force it, even through 51%+ of the population didn't want it? I'm just curious. Your insights would be greatly appreciated. Which group wanted it and made it happen?

The most recent changes were proposed (and accepted) by Coalition avenir Québec for example.

> Did 51% of the population want that?

No. But that doesn't matter. Unpopular laws are passed all the time.

> Which group wanted it and made it happen?

Such laws have support from both sides of the political parties (not really from the grand public). CAQ party sees broad government interventions as a form of 'traditionality' while PLQ party sees them as 'protection of XYZ'.

Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#94

Post by trollbridge »

pfdietz wrote: post #50
inglor_cz wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See also "The Global Collapse of Coupling and Fertility" https://www.ggd.world/p/the-global-collapse-of-coupling-and I wonder if the ultimate cost (in lives never born) of technologies like smartphones and Tinder will be. If a significant part of the entire youth cohort never learns to interact with the other sex in the real world, we might be looking at a pandemics of loneliness - and at subsequent global birth defi…

I've come to a conclusion that the solution may be somewhat radical. If coupling is reduced, it should become the norm for women to have and raise children alone, or at least without a male partner. This increases the burden on women, so at the same time the number of children they must support would have to decrease. This could be achieved technologically, by filtering sperm to remove Y chromosome carrying gametes.…

You don’t need science fiction to imagine this; simply look at societies that just got through a brutal war that cost them a lot of their young men, although I suppose you could watch Dr. Strangelove for some inspiration.

Raising children is a lot of work. It’s twice as much work without a partner, not to mention not having the extra income. (I don’t imagine men in a 2:1 society will be interested in paying much child support.)

The number of children in advanced societies (particularly in cities) has already plummeted. And I don’t think many women are going to want to sign up to be single mums.

As far as sperm selection goes… that’s already an option popular in China and India, along with sex selective abortions. The preference is for males, though, for various reasons. I am not convinced the end result of this is wholesome.

Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#95

Post by WillPostForFood »

losteric wrote: post #70
nradov wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's hardly any place which is really "friendly" towards professional families with infants. For safety reasons, daycare centers have to maintain staffing ratios so it's always going to be extremely expensive (unless you're poor enough to qualify for subsidies). As for safety, for some reason those big tech employees keep voting for progressive politicians whose failed policies have ruined their cities. I guess vo…

1. Seattle is quite safe. Friendliness is different than safety 2. It all comes back to housing density/supply. As you say, daycare costs are dominated by staffing ratios/wages - which are a function of cost of living. The surge of high income earners + housing supply deficit = pricing out daycare workers (and daycares).

The required staffing at daycare isn't driven by "crime safety" but an overprotective sense of protecting kids from themselves and each other. These are the required ratios. As low as 1:4 for https://www.childcare.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Washingto...

Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#96

Post by realitysetin »

rileymat2 wrote: post #20
parpfish wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or maybe the porn gives them everything they need from a relationship and we’re seeing that there’s a larger segment that genuinely doesn’t need/want to be in a relationship.

This boggles my mind, porn only takes the place of a very small part of a healthy relationship.

[flagged]

Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#97

Post by jandrewrogers »

TriangleEdge wrote: post #54

I live in Seattle now, am married, and have an infant. I find Seattle not friendly towards families at all. The going rate for a daycare here is 3.5k per month for an infant. My wife and I are both ~7%ers? individually and we can barely afford our home (a tall skinny townhouse with no yard) and the cost of 1 baby. Having a family is hard here... Also, I don't find Seattle safe for infants and toddlers, or anybody rea…

The ~$21/hr minimum wage, 1:2 staffing ratio, etc required by law in Seattle puts a very high floor on the cheapest possible daycare. Just being a bare minimum legal daycare business has a cost floor of at least $2k/month per infant.

Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#98

Post by lowkey_ »

losteric wrote: post #70
nradov wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's hardly any place which is really "friendly" towards professional families with infants. For safety reasons, daycare centers have to maintain staffing ratios so it's always going to be extremely expensive (unless you're poor enough to qualify for subsidies). As for safety, for some reason those big tech employees keep voting for progressive politicians whose failed policies have ruined their cities. I guess vo…

1. Seattle is quite safe. Friendliness is different than safety 2. It all comes back to housing density/supply. As you say, daycare costs are dominated by staffing ratios/wages - which are a function of cost of living. The surge of high income earners + housing supply deficit = pricing out daycare workers (and daycares).

I would define Seattle as much more friendly than it is safe — same of other similar cities like San Francisco and Portland.

Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#99

Post by nullc »

jeffbee wrote: post #69
betaby wrote: post #65

Marriages in the western world is a clear example of the 'overregulation'. And further marriage rate falls, more regulations are added. To the point that in Quebec various forms of cohabitation are considered as a marriage in court. That makes a relationship a serious liability.

"Common law marriage" is ... common ... at least under ... common law. Canada, like America, is influenced by the uniquely bad English common law heritage. Even Quebec with its pretend Frankenlaw system that blends civil and common law can't escape the influence.

I don't know about other countries but it mostly does not exist in the US. Only 9 states allow one to be created, one of which requires it to be certified by a court. And in those states that do you must intentionally, openly, and conspicuously hold yourself out as married... so the urban legends about accidentally ending up married are just that-- urban legends-- at least in the US.

Re: Half the men in Seattle are never-married singles, census data shows

#100

Post by nradov »

fifilura wrote: post #81
TriangleEdge wrote: post #54

I live in Seattle now, am married, and have an infant. I find Seattle not friendly towards families at all. The going rate for a daycare here is 3.5k per month for an infant. My wife and I are both ~7%ers? individually and we can barely afford our home (a tall skinny townhouse with no yard) and the cost of 1 baby. Having a family is hard here... Also, I don't find Seattle safe for infants and toddlers, or anybody rea…

As a comparison, full time daycare in Sweden is $100/month for everyone. I think this is one important reason that marriage is not as common, since the society is aligned towards that is should be possible to manage on your own if you absolutely need to. I can't find a proper number but anecdotally I think maybe 50% of first time parents are married in Sweden. And yes obviously this is paid by higher taxes, but seen…

The birth rate in Sweden is low and falling. Whatever they're doing to keep demography sane doesn't seem to be working. Like most developed Western countries, their current approach relies more on high levels of immigration. Essentially they have outsourced the hassle and expense of having children.

https://population-europe.eu/research/policy-insights/why-ar...

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