Abe’s push for native births over integration of foreigners always struck me as deeply racist. Especially knowing the background reasons why birth rates are so low.
Low salaries and culturally long working hours, plus the cultural tradition for women to abandon their jobs to take care of their children (which they can’t afford to do in this economy, so most just postpone child rearing)
That only works for 1 or 2 generations, when the immigrants’ descendants find out what the pre-existing citizenry already has found out: that it’s too expensive and difficult to have children, particularly when you’re overworked all the time.
Plus, immigrants are usually only brought in for jobs that are shittier, harder, lower-paying, and with fewer benefits than the current population of native born citizens already have.
I’m a children of immigrants in the USA who is childless (hell, most of my cousins are too) and I live around immigrants of every nationality, and most either want to wait until 30 to have kids (and generally only like 1 kid at that) or want to have no kids.
It’s like that in a lot of western nations with birthrate problems. It doesn’t take long for new people to start acting like the old people if the conditions are bad enough, and they are.
I don’t think that people having children in their 30s is a bad thing. In fact, there’s a lot of misconceptions about when a woman should have a child, and it’s safe to have children even into your 40s. I think young women don’t want to start birthing kids in early adulthood when there isn’t a strong family support system in their life. Also, to be honest, most people are still trying to figure out so much about who they are and what they want in their 20s, I’d rather see more people waiting to have kids than people having kids without a thought of how they’re going to provide
I don’t know if this will change your mind, but I think people exaggerate how difficult it is to have a kid. It’s pretty hard for the first year, but it gets easier. I had my son when I was 19. I haven’t thought about having another until recently, my son is 9 now, so it’s been 10 years or so. It’s a pretty big sacrifice at first but it does get easier with time… Then they got school and after school activities. I spend a lot of time with my son and enjoy spending time with him, so it’s not like it’s a drain. I also managed to get a solid career without a college degree by wit and effort. People who weren’t going to accomplish anything with their lives love to blame their children for their own shortcomings. I’m not saying it wasn’t without sacrifice, but don’t listen to naysayers. A child is not the end of the world.
Anything except bringing in immigrants
Abe’s push for native births over integration of foreigners always struck me as deeply racist. Especially knowing the background reasons why birth rates are so low.
Yeah he is right wing afterall.
What are the background reasons for low birthrate?
Low salaries and culturally long working hours, plus the cultural tradition for women to abandon their jobs to take care of their children (which they can’t afford to do in this economy, so most just postpone child rearing)
I mean that’s definitely the best move in the short term, but they still need to cultivate an environment that encourages having children.
True. People have barely any time to build a family
That only works for 1 or 2 generations, when the immigrants’ descendants find out what the pre-existing citizenry already has found out: that it’s too expensive and difficult to have children, particularly when you’re overworked all the time.
Plus, immigrants are usually only brought in for jobs that are shittier, harder, lower-paying, and with fewer benefits than the current population of native born citizens already have.
I’m a children of immigrants in the USA who is childless (hell, most of my cousins are too) and I live around immigrants of every nationality, and most either want to wait until 30 to have kids (and generally only like 1 kid at that) or want to have no kids.
It’s like that in a lot of western nations with birthrate problems. It doesn’t take long for new people to start acting like the old people if the conditions are bad enough, and they are.
I don’t think that people having children in their 30s is a bad thing. In fact, there’s a lot of misconceptions about when a woman should have a child, and it’s safe to have children even into your 40s. I think young women don’t want to start birthing kids in early adulthood when there isn’t a strong family support system in their life. Also, to be honest, most people are still trying to figure out so much about who they are and what they want in their 20s, I’d rather see more people waiting to have kids than people having kids without a thought of how they’re going to provide
My wife and I are just kinda sorta getting to a place where we could consider having a kid. But we are getting a little old to have a kid.
Also, a kid at this point would tank out ability to save and slow down our career progress.
So by the time people get to a financial place to have a kid, they are too old to do it. Or they have to sacrifice too much.
You’ll be old when you’re dead. Go have a kids and teach them everything you know
I mean like we are biologically getting too old to have kids.
I don’t know if this will change your mind, but I think people exaggerate how difficult it is to have a kid. It’s pretty hard for the first year, but it gets easier. I had my son when I was 19. I haven’t thought about having another until recently, my son is 9 now, so it’s been 10 years or so. It’s a pretty big sacrifice at first but it does get easier with time… Then they got school and after school activities. I spend a lot of time with my son and enjoy spending time with him, so it’s not like it’s a drain. I also managed to get a solid career without a college degree by wit and effort. People who weren’t going to accomplish anything with their lives love to blame their children for their own shortcomings. I’m not saying it wasn’t without sacrifice, but don’t listen to naysayers. A child is not the end of the world.
Same. We’re just gonna adopt once things slow down a bit and we feel ready
My sister-in-law want her first child to be adopted and if she decides for a second one she will possibly have her own.
I think my wife and I decided to stay kid free, but we will be a big part of our niece and nephews life.
That’s why you take a steady stream. Also, the culture changes, hopefully for the good, as immigrants bring in new perspectives