The bulk of our issues lie in the hubris of modern businesspeople who deny that what comes up, must come down. We have artificially raised the "highs" and ignored the "lows" in a way that makes any drop in our economy seem like a disaster, when in fact contracture is necessary for growth. Uncontrolled unsustainable growth on an organism is known as cancer; uncontrolled unsustainable growth in our economy is seen as a win.
The wealthiest people need to lose massive amounts of wealth in order for anything to change, but that will never happen. So until then, we get socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor, and economic measures that mean nothing for the average person. The ponzi scheme will continue until "demographic collapse", which is actually just economic contracture that cannot be shown numerically because of our global system of debt, inflation, and overspeculation.
Hi Stephen -- just watched your film Birthgap on YouTube. Thanks so much for this important work. Something I wish the film had spent more time on was the lack of a program in any country (apparently?) to teach teens and young adults about what it's like to date, to be in long-term relationships, to work out problems, and what it's like to actually be a parent. Without a generationally integrated culture, how will they go through these dramatic passages in life and grow as people? It's so easy with things like social media to just sink into the comforts of your own cohort without thinking ahead and imagining your life could be different -- more challenging, but more fulfilling. I believe the much-maligned older generations, rather than being shunned and blamed and isolated, should be put to work just talking to young people about the relationships in their lives. Young people have to be brought along in these things with role models and friends to turn to. In the US we used to have corny classroom films from the 1950s about "how to go on a date" or "how to make friends" or "the responsibilities of adulthood"... we laughed at them, but now I see the point! We seriously need something like that now. How many of these people are saying, "I never found anyone"? It takes work to be people worth finding. Again, thanks for the film, from San Francisco.
Hi Jen - I agree that this is a conversation that needs to start in High School - or even younger... one of the most striking comments for me in the documentary is the young Japanese woman who says "We have no role models". Teen education is an area I am currently focusing on - more information in the months ahead!
This is why I teach the demographic transition model. Teens can understand that when people have choices, they tend to choose the easier route. When you offer the choice to have children, only people who want children will choose to have them.
Just a thought, if the economy also impacts how many children people have, is it possible the economies of the world will reach a point where people won't have almost any kids at all? If this happens the nations will probably just die from an overstressed workforce due to taxation.
For sure, in fact, knowledge of this makes me worried about having kids myself - while I will definitely have them (and hopefully many), it's concerning to think that in an economy, they might be forced to bear a hefty weight of taxation to support the ageing population, and dwindling economy and its debt - in part due to fewer consumers (again, driven by lower birth rates).
Although, considering not having kids due to the potential for them to suffer is an anti-natalist argument, so I try to mentally shut it down when it comes up, as it will only accelerate the cycle!
The bulk of our issues lie in the hubris of modern businesspeople who deny that what comes up, must come down. We have artificially raised the "highs" and ignored the "lows" in a way that makes any drop in our economy seem like a disaster, when in fact contracture is necessary for growth. Uncontrolled unsustainable growth on an organism is known as cancer; uncontrolled unsustainable growth in our economy is seen as a win.
The wealthiest people need to lose massive amounts of wealth in order for anything to change, but that will never happen. So until then, we get socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor, and economic measures that mean nothing for the average person. The ponzi scheme will continue until "demographic collapse", which is actually just economic contracture that cannot be shown numerically because of our global system of debt, inflation, and overspeculation.
Hi Stephen -- just watched your film Birthgap on YouTube. Thanks so much for this important work. Something I wish the film had spent more time on was the lack of a program in any country (apparently?) to teach teens and young adults about what it's like to date, to be in long-term relationships, to work out problems, and what it's like to actually be a parent. Without a generationally integrated culture, how will they go through these dramatic passages in life and grow as people? It's so easy with things like social media to just sink into the comforts of your own cohort without thinking ahead and imagining your life could be different -- more challenging, but more fulfilling. I believe the much-maligned older generations, rather than being shunned and blamed and isolated, should be put to work just talking to young people about the relationships in their lives. Young people have to be brought along in these things with role models and friends to turn to. In the US we used to have corny classroom films from the 1950s about "how to go on a date" or "how to make friends" or "the responsibilities of adulthood"... we laughed at them, but now I see the point! We seriously need something like that now. How many of these people are saying, "I never found anyone"? It takes work to be people worth finding. Again, thanks for the film, from San Francisco.
Hi Jen - I agree that this is a conversation that needs to start in High School - or even younger... one of the most striking comments for me in the documentary is the young Japanese woman who says "We have no role models". Teen education is an area I am currently focusing on - more information in the months ahead!
This is why I teach the demographic transition model. Teens can understand that when people have choices, they tend to choose the easier route. When you offer the choice to have children, only people who want children will choose to have them.
The crisis to and all crises . . .
I just watched the documentary. It is beyond sobering.
What was missing in the docu:
They have invented pods where old people can lie down in to die a peaceful death.
I'm asking myself now at what age I'll see myself pressured into using that pod.
I never thought the reality of the movie "Children of Men" would become true — now it is becoming true, slightly different but with the same result.
Born in Germany, I'm 45 now and childless. Partly by choice and partly due to naivety.
I thought I'm the odd exception. Apparently I'm not.
Lifespans have doubled in the past 100 years. It used to be rare to see a 60 year old.
Just a thought, if the economy also impacts how many children people have, is it possible the economies of the world will reach a point where people won't have almost any kids at all? If this happens the nations will probably just die from an overstressed workforce due to taxation.
For sure, in fact, knowledge of this makes me worried about having kids myself - while I will definitely have them (and hopefully many), it's concerning to think that in an economy, they might be forced to bear a hefty weight of taxation to support the ageing population, and dwindling economy and its debt - in part due to fewer consumers (again, driven by lower birth rates).
Although, considering not having kids due to the potential for them to suffer is an anti-natalist argument, so I try to mentally shut it down when it comes up, as it will only accelerate the cycle!