America Doesnt Want More Children

[durangodawood]

America Doesnt Want More Children.

Thats the impression I get. If you have children, will they get a good education with small class sizes, access to health care, a reliable housing situation? Maybe, maybe not, unless youre rich. Its a lot of maybe and doesnt sound like the right environment for having kids. Apparently a lot of people agree.

 

[Fantine]

Some facts:

• In 2023, there were 3,596,017 live births in the United States.
• The fertility rate in the United States in 2023 was 54.5 per 1,000 women ages 15-44.
• Of all live births in the United States during 2021-2023 (average), 25.3% were Hispanic, 50.5% were White, 13.9% were Black, 0.7% were American Indian/Alaska Native and 6.2% were Asian/Pacific Islander.

Almost half the babies born were of Hispanic, Asian, or Black descent.

Percentage of births by race/ethnicity: United States, 2021-2023 Average

Sustained low birth rates may indicate that the population is aging; sustained high birth rates may predict a younger population. Birth rate data and trends can tell a story.

www.marchofdimes.org

The average family size among Hispanic Americans is approximately 3.66 to 3.87 people, which is larger than the national average of 3.15 to 3.2 people. This indicates that Hispanic families tend to be larger than non-Hispanic families in the United States4.

The young adults I know, who are almost all progressive, don't have much hope that their children will grow up free. They don't know if climate change will make our planet uninhabitable. They don't know if AI will rob future adults of employment opportunities.

I think "freedom" is the most important concern of those. They cannot believe that our generation was more than willing (at least 49.9% were) to plunge our government in such irresponsible power-hungry hands.

And we (a collective we, certainly not myself) are deporting the group most likely to have larger families with haste.

 

[durangodawood]

....The young adults I know, who are almost all progressive, don't have much hope that their children will grow up free. They don't know if climate change will make our planet uninhabitable. They don't know if AI will rob future adults of employment opportunities....

I think theres a certain amount of sheer climate panic.

But I also think that even for very even keeled people, a cold look at the issue reveals an awful lot of uncertainty. Not just for the frequency of high impact of acute weather related disasters, but just for the everyday background quality of life.

And no one thinks "the humans are going to die out if I dont have kids."

 

[Paulos23]

I think theres a certain amount of sheer climate panic.

But I also think that even for very even keeled people, a cold look at the issue reveals an awful lot of uncertainty. Not just for the frequency of high impact of acute weather related disasters, but just for the everyday background quality of life.

And no one thinks "the humans are going to die out if I dont have kids."

It is not just climate panic, having kids is very expensive and time consuming for a family were both parents work, especially if one of them can't put their career on hold for a few years until the kids get to school.

If we had better programs to get families help so they can either stay at home more or get more daycare free or just affordable, I think we would see birth rates go up a bit.

 

[durangodawood]

It is not just climate panic, having kids is very expensive and time consuming for a family were both parents work, especially if one of them can't put their career on hold for a few years until the kids get to school.

If we had better programs to get families help so they can either stay at home more or get more daycare free or just affordable, I think we would see birth rates go up a bit.

Oh I completely agree. People are feeling the economics of having children quite explicitly.

I just mention climate because its a little less at the forefront of consciousness, yet it generates a background unease that underlies everything.

 

[ozso]

Some facts:

• In 2023, there were 3,596,017 live births in the United States.
• The fertility rate in the United States in 2023 was 54.5 per 1,000 women ages 15-44.
• Of all live births in the United States during 2021-2023 (average), 25.3% were Hispanic, 50.5% were White, 13.9% were Black, 0.7% were American Indian/Alaska Native and 6.2% were Asian/Pacific Islander.

Almost half the babies born were of Hispanic, Asian, or Black descent.

Percentage of births by race/ethnicity: United States, 2021-2023 Average

Sustained low birth rates may indicate that the population is aging; sustained high birth rates may predict a younger population. Birth rate data and trends can tell a story.

www.marchofdimes.org

The average family size among Hispanic Americans is approximately 3.66 to 3.87 people, which is larger than the national average of 3.15 to 3.2 people. This indicates that Hispanic families tend to be larger than non-Hispanic families in the United States4.

The young adults I know, who are almost all progressive, don't have much hope that their children will grow up free. They don't know if climate change will make our planet uninhabitable. They don't know if AI will rob future adults of employment opportunities.

I think "freedom" is the most important concern of those. They cannot believe that our generation was more than willing (at least 49.9% were) to plunge our government in such irresponsible power-hungry hands.

And we (a collective we, certainly not myself) are deporting the group most likely to have larger families with haste.

That's no surprise with the 'the world is coming to an end' scenario white liberal progressives have adopted. That and a loss of family values. Their distain towards the nuclear family structure. Hispanic culture is like what white American culture used to be. When you go to a park it's mostly Hispanic families outside playing games and having barbeques. While childless white people stay at home on their computers.

 

[FAITH-IN-HIM]

That's no surprise with the 'the world is coming to an end' scenario white liberal progressives have adopted. That and a loss of family values. Their distain towards the nuclear family structure. Hispanic culture is like what white American culture used to be. When you go to a park it's mostly Hispanic families outside playing games and having barbeques. While childless white people stay at home on their computers.

I agree with most of your points, but I don't see how any of this relates to progressive liberalism. Are you blaming liberalism just because some people prefer other thing sin life over having children?

 

[BCP1928]

That's no surprise with the 'the world is coming to an end' scenario white liberal progressives have adopted. That and a loss of family values. Their distain towards the nuclear family structure.

The nuclear family is not "family values." It evolved relatively recently as the workforce changed from rural/agricultural to urban/industrial.

Hispanic culture is like what white American culture used to be. When you go to a park it's mostly Hispanic families outside playing games and having barbeques. While childless white people stay at home on their computers.

It looks like you have solved the problem.

 

[ozso]

I agree with most of your points, but I don't see how any of this relates to progressive liberalism. Are you blaming liberalism just because some people prefer other thing sin life over having children?

Well like I said it's being told and believing the world is coming to an end over that last 30 years. Who believing that wants kids living in a dystopian climate apocalypse? That's what fear mongering eventually brings about. A loss of hope.

 

[Fantine]

That's no surprise with the 'the world is coming to an end' scenario white liberal progressives have adopted. That and a loss of family values. Their distain towards the nuclear family structure. Hispanic culture is like what white American culture used to be. When you go to a park it's mostly Hispanic families outside playing games and having barbeques. While childless white people stay at home on their computers.

The nuclear family is not a historical model. Much more extended families, multi generational, community.

 

[Fantine]

Well like I said it's being told and believing the world is coming to an end over that last 30 years. Who believing that wants kids living in a dystopian climate apocalypse? That's what fear mongering eventually brings about. A loss of hope.

No. The current president brought about a loss of hope.

 

[BCP1928]

And there is the general principle in play across all societies that wealthy people tend to have fewer children than poor people.

 

[chevyontheriver]

No. The current president brought about a loss of hope.

He didn’t write Silent Spring or The Population Bomb. The loss of hope has been institutionalized at least since then, if not from the Duck and Cover nuclear war practices in schools. Trump was a mere boy back then.

 

[ozso]

Also the prolification of LGBTQQIP2SA+ has of course added to the decline.

 

[BCP1928]

Also the prolification of LGBTQQIP2SA+ has of course added to the decline.

I suppose there is a slight effect, In the past, some homosexuals would marry a person of the opposite sex and produce children. That is still the practice in some cultures today, but not so much here any more, though lesbian couples sometimes resort to a donor.

 

[FAITH-IN-HIM]

Well like I said it's being told and believing the world is coming to an end over that last 30 years. Who believing that wants kids living in a dystopian climate apocalypse? That's what fear mongering eventually brings about. A loss of hope.

If liberals have been expressing concerns for the past 30 years that the world is approaching its end, it is worth noting that conservative evangelicals have made similar predictions since the time of Jesus' ascension. Would it also be reasonable to consider whether conservative Christians contribute to discouraging people from having children by promoting the idea that the end of the world is imminent?

 

[FAITH-IN-HIM]

Also the prolification of LGBTQQIP2SA+ has of course added to the decline.

Less than 0.5% of the US population is transgender, so it is unlikely they are influencing the remaining 99.5% not to have children.

 

[johansen]

If liberals have been expressing concerns for the past 30 years that the world is approaching its end, it is worth noting that conservative evangelicals have made similar predictions since the time of Jesus' ascension. Would it also be reasonable to consider whether conservative Christians contribute to discouraging people from having children by promoting the idea that the end of the world is imminent?

Thats a bingo.

 

[ozso]

No. The current president brought about a loss of hope.

He's the current focus. But I've been hearing about the world coming to an end from the liberal progressive side for over 50 years. Unless things change, ie Democrats are put in complete control, the world is coming to an end soon. Who would've thought that would end up psychologically damaging the generations who grew up hearing and believing that?

 

[ozso]

If liberals have been expressing concerns for the past 30 years that the world is approaching its end, it is worth noting that conservative evangelicals have made similar predictions since the time of Jesus' ascension. Would it also be reasonable to consider whether conservative Christians contribute to discouraging people from having children by promoting the idea that the end of the world is imminent?

That has been a factor too. My apostate older brother said he didn't plan for his future because he had become convinced he wouldn't have one, since the rapture was right around the corner. Which of course is one of his grudges against Christianity. But I think most evangelicals see it as them and their kids being whisked into a glorious new earth, rather than impending doom for them.