What nobody seems to be aware of is that our elders biggest fear in life is not being able to take care of themselves. I say this as a 70 year old who’s still working. Some cultures look after their parents themselves either moving back to the family home or mothers moving into their children’s home (that’s because men die younger)
Our problem isn’t demographics it’s the reduction in family values not family size.
This comment may make some people angry, but what the hell, here it goes: if we're going to use immigration to solve some of these problems, maybe we should prioritize immigrants from cultures with similar values. Wouldn't that make native citizens more likely to accept them, less likely to cause ethnic conflict, and more likely to encourage having children with people who have similar values?
The words "The ramifications of these demographic shifts should be more widely and openly discussed" caught my eye.
I think they are discussed a great deal, at least in the publications that I read such as "The Economist." The reality is that almost everywhere in the world apart from sub-Saharan Africa, fertility rates are either hovering at just about replacement levels, or well below the replacement level.
I see no danger of human extinction or societal collapse. However our societies do need to adapt to being much older, and we need people to work until much later in life.
I think the author is far too pessimistic about technological progress when writing "Robotics - Similar to AI, we are still a generation or so away from complex robots being utilised as carers."
I am aged 74, and consider that my hope to stay fit long enough that my carer when I need one is a robot is realistic.
Finally, many countries have tried pro-natalist policies, without success. They are much harder than the author implies.
We need to begin to change the perception of family life in society. Why is it that every TV show on these days, or movie or commercial show families with only one or two children? Let us start by showing family life as a healthy and normal thing and become accepting of big families.
We need to begin to change the perception of family life in society. Why is it that every TV show on these days, or movie or commercial show families with only one or two children? Let us start by showing family life as a healthy and normal thing and become accepting of big families.
What nobody seems to be aware of is that our elders biggest fear in life is not being able to take care of themselves. I say this as a 70 year old who’s still working. Some cultures look after their parents themselves either moving back to the family home or mothers moving into their children’s home (that’s because men die younger)
Our problem isn’t demographics it’s the reduction in family values not family size.
This comment may make some people angry, but what the hell, here it goes: if we're going to use immigration to solve some of these problems, maybe we should prioritize immigrants from cultures with similar values. Wouldn't that make native citizens more likely to accept them, less likely to cause ethnic conflict, and more likely to encourage having children with people who have similar values?
The words "The ramifications of these demographic shifts should be more widely and openly discussed" caught my eye.
I think they are discussed a great deal, at least in the publications that I read such as "The Economist." The reality is that almost everywhere in the world apart from sub-Saharan Africa, fertility rates are either hovering at just about replacement levels, or well below the replacement level.
I see no danger of human extinction or societal collapse. However our societies do need to adapt to being much older, and we need people to work until much later in life.
I think the author is far too pessimistic about technological progress when writing "Robotics - Similar to AI, we are still a generation or so away from complex robots being utilised as carers."
I am aged 74, and consider that my hope to stay fit long enough that my carer when I need one is a robot is realistic.
Finally, many countries have tried pro-natalist policies, without success. They are much harder than the author implies.
We need to begin to change the perception of family life in society. Why is it that every TV show on these days, or movie or commercial show families with only one or two children? Let us start by showing family life as a healthy and normal thing and become accepting of big families.
We need to begin to change the perception of family life in society. Why is it that every TV show on these days, or movie or commercial show families with only one or two children? Let us start by showing family life as a healthy and normal thing and become accepting of big families.