The recent fretting about fertility rates seems silly to me. Population never goes up in a linear fashion, until recently. It’s just starting to decline. We have many more pressing issues.
The recent fretting about fertility rates seems silly to me. Population never goes up in a linear fashion, until recently. It’s just starting to decline. We have many more pressing issues.
You're obviously entitled to your opinion, but I have to disagree. The West's entire economic and social systems are based on the idea of growing populations—from pensions and healthcare to economic growth and innovation.
A lot of Europe's current problems, for instance, like the gilets jaunes protests in France, economic instability and rising debt in Italy, and uncontrolled immigration across the continent, stem from this demographic reality. Governments are scrambling to maintain their workforce and tax base through immigration because their native populations are shrinking. This is, of course, shortsighted as we've seen that when large numbers of newcomers are brought in, they don't integrate but create parallel societies that are often hostile to their hosts.
But when politicians spend like there's no tomorrow and their electorate demands more freebies, they think they only have two options—raise taxes and/or increase immigration. And both hurt the productive class. It will never occur to them that they’re the problem, so they’ll never get out of their own way (which would go a long way in fixing these problems).
Also, population collapse is linked to the breakdown of the traditional family unit, which has historically been the foundation of stable societies. The fallout from this goes beyond demographics, affecting things like mental health, social cohesion, and cultural continuity. So no, it's not silly at all IMO.
I understand that but it’s still silly. You can’t badger people into having more kids, and mass immigration (which is really an invasion and is not supported by the majority of people in America, Europe or Japan) is a horrible way to solve this “problem.” Intelligent people can sense that having a large family is not practical in the current environment, and we don’t need more unintelligent people. Hence, eventually populations will decline to a more productive level. Are there problems associated with this? Sure, but it will likely lead to lower housing costs, which is a good thing for young adults. Older people will likely live with their families and it will be more affordable. It’s also going to lead to productivity enhancing technology; doing more with less. Look at the bubonic plague; horrible thing that led to higher wages and urbanization. We’re talking about a very gradual decline in population and people are freaking out over it. Ridiculous. Finally, even Doug Casey - a highly intelligent man who could well afford children - doesn’t have kids. Why not?
The administrative state is in a panic because their life blood of innovation, surplus, taxes and expropriation is rapidly dwindling to zero as the productive man sees no advantage to produce beyond his immediate needs.
As one of the productive class in the extreme for the past 37 years, and victim of western courts divorce rape, I refuse anymore to contribute beyond what enables my basic existence from returns on my investments. I will not build anything again that will provide surplus to the parasite, which can be taxed or otherwise expropriated.
Thus, I watch with a clear conscience as they become increasingly panicked and their edifices crumble.
They are naked and powerless to change this demographic trend and they know it.
The recent fretting about fertility rates seems silly to me. Population never goes up in a linear fashion, until recently. It’s just starting to decline. We have many more pressing issues.
You're obviously entitled to your opinion, but I have to disagree. The West's entire economic and social systems are based on the idea of growing populations—from pensions and healthcare to economic growth and innovation.
A lot of Europe's current problems, for instance, like the gilets jaunes protests in France, economic instability and rising debt in Italy, and uncontrolled immigration across the continent, stem from this demographic reality. Governments are scrambling to maintain their workforce and tax base through immigration because their native populations are shrinking. This is, of course, shortsighted as we've seen that when large numbers of newcomers are brought in, they don't integrate but create parallel societies that are often hostile to their hosts.
But when politicians spend like there's no tomorrow and their electorate demands more freebies, they think they only have two options—raise taxes and/or increase immigration. And both hurt the productive class. It will never occur to them that they’re the problem, so they’ll never get out of their own way (which would go a long way in fixing these problems).
Also, population collapse is linked to the breakdown of the traditional family unit, which has historically been the foundation of stable societies. The fallout from this goes beyond demographics, affecting things like mental health, social cohesion, and cultural continuity. So no, it's not silly at all IMO.
I understand that but it’s still silly. You can’t badger people into having more kids, and mass immigration (which is really an invasion and is not supported by the majority of people in America, Europe or Japan) is a horrible way to solve this “problem.” Intelligent people can sense that having a large family is not practical in the current environment, and we don’t need more unintelligent people. Hence, eventually populations will decline to a more productive level. Are there problems associated with this? Sure, but it will likely lead to lower housing costs, which is a good thing for young adults. Older people will likely live with their families and it will be more affordable. It’s also going to lead to productivity enhancing technology; doing more with less. Look at the bubonic plague; horrible thing that led to higher wages and urbanization. We’re talking about a very gradual decline in population and people are freaking out over it. Ridiculous. Finally, even Doug Casey - a highly intelligent man who could well afford children - doesn’t have kids. Why not?
You are exactly correct Lau.
The administrative state is in a panic because their life blood of innovation, surplus, taxes and expropriation is rapidly dwindling to zero as the productive man sees no advantage to produce beyond his immediate needs.
As one of the productive class in the extreme for the past 37 years, and victim of western courts divorce rape, I refuse anymore to contribute beyond what enables my basic existence from returns on my investments. I will not build anything again that will provide surplus to the parasite, which can be taxed or otherwise expropriated.
Thus, I watch with a clear conscience as they become increasingly panicked and their edifices crumble.
They are naked and powerless to change this demographic trend and they know it.