> You can see what our child-bearing aged children think of all this - they're not having kids. I don't think this is a short-term aberration. We're a population literally in decline.
I'm one of these folks. I think it's wrong to blame this solely on COVID. I won't have kids because my position in the United States is nowhere near guaranteed. I have survived three economic recessions, one of which I lost everything in and the course of my life was permanently altered. I watched as society adopted "the internet" and used it in terrifying detail. I've watched as social problems turned into vitriol, anger, and at times violence. I've watched as climate change was viewed as either "conserve", "don't believe", or "innovate" with the latter being the latest focus - none of which have worked and each took myopic approaches to a very broad problem. I've watched as society became polarized on such arbitrary lines as politics, missing any nuance that may occur across the spectrum; almost turned into a caricature of Star Wars. Home prices are higher than they've ever been, inaccessible to even moderately wealthy citizens.
I may not be on the money with each of my perspectives, though I also don't think I'm really that far off. So riddle me this: Why in the hell would I want to add one more responsibility while dodging and dealing with the bullets of life as-we-know-it today?
If you don't feel like taking on that responsibility, don't do it.
But understand: the vast majority of human history is colored by a desire to grow a family in order to provide strength to their progeny knowing that they, in turn, will face an unkind future and can be protected, in some degree, by their kin.
Sounds like you're at the end of a multi-billion year winning streak. Your ancestors did well.
I think you are misunderestimating the value that bringing a new life into the world offers you as a parent, and your community. The world in general, and especially the United States, has never been more peaceful and prosperous as it is now. Human civilization needs more people, now more than ever.
> I think you are misunderestimating the value that bringing a new life into the world offers you as a parent, and your community.
To me judging whether or not to have a child solely based on the value that it would have for you and your community, without evaluating whether or not your child will have [the possibilities of] a good life, seems cruelly selfish.
If you're not sure that there's a stable future to bring a child into, then it only makes sense to wait.
> The world in general, and especially the United States, has never been more peaceful and prosperous as it is now.
Nevertheless, there's a good case to be made that the next few decades will be "interesting times".
> Human civilization needs more people, now more than ever.
Why? For what? I mean, I like humans but there are billions and billions of us. What purpose do you see for which our teeming numbers would not already suffice?
You're under no obligation to have children but historically it has been very rare for anyone to have a "guaranteed" position. The norm of human existence has been brief periods of stability punctuated by wars, famines, epidemics, depressions, and disasters. Yet through it all our ancestors kept reproducing. Our problems today are minor by comparison.
I'm one of these folks. I think it's wrong to blame this solely on COVID. I won't have kids because my position in the United States is nowhere near guaranteed. I have survived three economic recessions, one of which I lost everything in and the course of my life was permanently altered. I watched as society adopted "the internet" and used it in terrifying detail. I've watched as social problems turned into vitriol, anger, and at times violence. I've watched as climate change was viewed as either "conserve", "don't believe", or "innovate" with the latter being the latest focus - none of which have worked and each took myopic approaches to a very broad problem. I've watched as society became polarized on such arbitrary lines as politics, missing any nuance that may occur across the spectrum; almost turned into a caricature of Star Wars. Home prices are higher than they've ever been, inaccessible to even moderately wealthy citizens.
I may not be on the money with each of my perspectives, though I also don't think I'm really that far off. So riddle me this: Why in the hell would I want to add one more responsibility while dodging and dealing with the bullets of life as-we-know-it today?