this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2023
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Yay for Korea! A constantly growing population is not sustainable.
This isn't a Children of Men scenario, so there's no need to fear intentional low birthrates.
Except
Koreans are having a low birth rate because they are destroying their youth
Those points seem to all be a result of rapid growth, which will (eventually) have to correct itself.
The only people who should worry about low birth rates are corporations who know that won't be selling their garbage to as many people as they forecasted for shareholders. 😁
Low Birthrates aren't the problem
The problem here is low birthrates are caused the despair and hopelessness of the young
It's a cycle, too. It's rough out there, especially if you aren't lucky enough to have generous and wealthy parents. Schooling only does so much if the jobs in the field are still taken. Degrees aren't the guarantee that they used to be for a stable income. It's tough to even support yourself.
There are poor social supports. If you do have a kid while you're struggling, you get a lot of anger over not being able to provide for them, regardless of if it was your choice to have children. You see this happening almost everywhere. You don't want your possible kids to suffer or go without necessities, either. The current easiest solution to that problem is to just not have them, if at all possible. Of course, people complain about that too.
I would love to see articles about industries failing that don't blame young people. Many of us don't have the excess funds to really even make that choice ourselves, tbh. If I'm struggling to pay bills, of COURSE I'm not going to spend it on menial things that aren't necessary.
Edit: Don't even get me started on the backlash that happens any time someone tries to help young people earn adequate money. Not doing anything is more comfortable, so people don't care to voice for their own wages to also increase. Instead, they prefer for other people to struggle to afford even the bare minimum. Of course many of us feel hopeless.
Also universities will have declining enrollment, and pension funds will have declining contributions.
Naturally. Fewer people = fewer students. A smaller country would have fewer students, and a larger country would have more.
Enrollment rates matter more than how many are going, and universities will adjust.
There will also be fewer pensioners to look after, so not as many contributions are needed.
The real problem with pensions is that people are living longer, so they get money over a longer period of time. Adjustments to pension contributions are more likely to reflect that fact.
But we are talking about a lower birthrate, not a zero birthrate. These "problems" are happening a percent at a time over decades... society would have no issue adjusting.