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We need to start talking about population decline

792 replies

user4567890754 · 02/06/2023 22:15

The first signs of it are starting to show in the UK, with primary school closures. Secondary school closures will follow.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/11158f12-0133-11ee-a364-04e704863f75?shareToken=5ef47b2b4776be376153089146c8bacf

Italy is a few years ahead of us.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/01/plunging-birthrate-threatens-italian-schools

Japan shows where every country is headed - towards a crisis where they are on the brink of being unable to maintain social functions.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/13/asia/japan-population-decline-record-drop-intl-hnk/index.html

And yet there are still people who think that we have a problem with overpopulation. It’s the opposite.

The school with one pupil: how falling birthrates are killing village primaries

Four generations of Ruby Booker’s family have been educated at Skelton Newby Hall, an idyllic village primary school in North Yorkshire.It was the autumn of 194

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/11158f12-0133-11ee-a364-04e704863f75?shareToken=5ef47b2b4776be376153089146c8bacf

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
Thesharkradar · 07/06/2023 19:36

I found this discussion on the subject interesting:
https://podcasts.google.com/subscriptions?sa=X&ved=0CAEQ6tUFahgKEwjg1fCOz7H_AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ6QE
The Economist Podcasts
Not born yesterday: the world’s ageing population
Fertility rates are falling to worrying levels, and an older, smaller, global population is bad news for economic growth.

Sign in - Google Accounts

https://podcasts.google.com/subscriptions?sa=X&ved=0CAEQ6tUFahgKEwjg1fCOz7H_AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ6QE

Ferona · 28/07/2023 11:32

Longtimelutker2019 · 05/06/2023 11:38

Population reduction is why LGBTQ (and all the other letters/symbols) is being pushed so hard - Have a generation sterilize themselves!

Utterly batshit.

Longtimelutker2019 · 31/07/2023 15:32

Ferona · 28/07/2023 11:32

Utterly batshit.

Batshit? If you don’t think this ten fold increase in same sex relationships will decrease the population maybe you need a lesson in biology…..

pointythings · 31/07/2023 16:35

Longtimelutker2019 · 31/07/2023 15:32

Batshit? If you don’t think this ten fold increase in same sex relationships will decrease the population maybe you need a lesson in biology…..

You do know that same sex couples can and do have children, don't you?

Also what does 'pushed so hard' even mean? So yep, batshit. The impact of women choosing to be childless will be far greater.

Ferona · 31/07/2023 16:39

Longtimelutker2019 · 31/07/2023 15:32

Batshit? If you don’t think this ten fold increase in same sex relationships will decrease the population maybe you need a lesson in biology…..

Ten fold? Where do you get that figure from? And how donyou know what percentage if them have children vs straight couples? And how exactly do you push people into being in same sex relationships anyway?

Ferona · 31/07/2023 16:40

Oh wait, I just realised your the poster who advocates hitting autistic children. So yeah your opinion is worth shit.

wetwing · 31/07/2023 16:48

Population decline is necessary if humans are to ever live within their means. The population boom of the past 100 years has only been possible due to us burning through the earths resources in a totally unsustainable way. Look up overshoot, that is where we are now.

Population decline is an issue if you want to keep society as it is demanding more and more growth and more and more workers and taxpayers but that path is already leading us to environmental collapse.

If there was the social and political will it would be possible to do things differently to lessen the pain of population decline and to limit the already awful effects of climate change and to learn to live in a way that didn't destroy the planet and its finite resources but so far everyone just wants to pretend that driving and electric car and recycling will do the trick. It won't.

RoyalImpatience · 31/07/2023 16:56

I am can't understand this because in down south and we are absolutely rammed here. Can't get school places, always issues and doctors full etc?

RoyalImpatience · 31/07/2023 16:58

We drive abroad alot today France, Belgium and Netherlands and always notice when we hit the continent the roads are completely clear.
Unlike our absolutely chokka roads here.

WakeMeUpWhenGoodOmensIsBack · 31/07/2023 19:06

RoyalImpatience · 31/07/2023 16:56

I am can't understand this because in down south and we are absolutely rammed here. Can't get school places, always issues and doctors full etc?

What you're seeing is population momentum.

Women in their twenties and thirties are having far fewer than two babies each. In the long term that will lead to population decline (if you ignore immigration).
But there are far more women in their twenties/thirties than there were in their grandmothers' generation, because their grandmothers had almost three children each on average (and almost of them survived, because they had access to fairly modern healthcare). And those grandmothers are the generation who are mostly dying at the moment and being replaced by their granddaughters babies.

A fertility rate of 1.61, which was the England and Wales calculated figure for 2021, will lead to significant population reduction, but not for a few years yet.

However it shows up in primary schools much quicker - a lot of people assume that their schools are full because that's what the local grapevine has always said, but a lot of them actually aren't. It depends on your area, but if you check the records then loads of formerly oversubscribed primaries are now open to anyone who wants a space. In inner London primary schools, and some secondaries, are being closed.

RoyalImpatience · 31/07/2023 20:33

I'm extremely happy that the next generations won't have fhe absolutely awful problem we did then.

Hospitals were actually closing theirs doors and wouldn't let in labouring women around here.

Sealover123 · 31/07/2023 20:35

Not concerned about a population decline in the slightest. We have more humans on Earth than ever before!

user4567890754 · 02/08/2023 13:08

Doctor shortages just now will be a lot to do with more sickness in the aging population. This is only going to get worse as there are fewer and fewer young people to work as doctors and a larger and larger proportion of the population who are older and requiring care and treatment.

We all need to be concerned about this, because it is going to happen and we all need to be planning for how we are going to manage our parents as they age and ourselves in later years.

OP posts:
user4567890754 · 02/08/2023 13:19

And it’s not just doctors we are lacking, and it’s not just in the UK.

There are unprecedented labour shortages in nearly every industry. The same thing is happening across the EU, in North America and Australia too.

We have to be a aware of this and plan for how we are going to adapt.

https://theconversation.com/what-is-driving-current-labour-market-shortages-and-how-older-workers-could-help-200873#:~:text=Many%20countries%20are%20struggling%20with,improve%20their%20work%2Dlife%20balance.

What is driving current labour market shortages and how older workers could help

A combination of a decline in workers under 35 and an ageing workforce is leading to labour shortages in many regions.

https://theconversation.com/what-is-driving-current-labour-market-shortages-and-how-older-workers-could-help-200873#:~:text=Many%20countries%20are%20struggling%20with,improve%20their%20work%2Dlife%20balance.

OP posts:
Thesharkradar · 02/08/2023 13:23

Sealover123 · 31/07/2023 20:35

Not concerned about a population decline in the slightest. We have more humans on Earth than ever before!

You don't see a problem in the fact that the elderly as a proportion of the population are increasing and fewer and fewer people are having babies?

Thesharkradar · 02/08/2023 13:24

Lots of us forget that population explosions and implosions both proceed in an exponential manner . . .

SiegmeyerOfCatarina · 02/08/2023 13:31

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Lilyhatesjaz · 03/08/2023 07:49

I am looking at the advances in the treatment of dementia with some hope.
There are many elderly people in care homes who have dementia but are otherwise quite physically fit.
If dementia could be held at bay they could live independently for far longer and need less care from younger people.

pointythings · 03/08/2023 08:05

@Longtimelutker2019 those are statistics for the UK and therefore irrelevant globally. You have also not acknowledged that gay people can and do have children.

pointythings · 03/08/2023 08:08

It is also the case that the increase in the number of people identifying as gay has increased because of acceptance, not because of 'promoting' being gay. These people were always gay. I really don't understand what you are trying to say.

SunnyEgg · 03/08/2023 08:11

user4567890754 · 02/08/2023 13:19

And it’s not just doctors we are lacking, and it’s not just in the UK.

There are unprecedented labour shortages in nearly every industry. The same thing is happening across the EU, in North America and Australia too.

We have to be a aware of this and plan for how we are going to adapt.

https://theconversation.com/what-is-driving-current-labour-market-shortages-and-how-older-workers-could-help-200873#:~:text=Many%20countries%20are%20struggling%20with,improve%20their%20work%2Dlife%20balance.

AI may be a big help with this, including Drs

Listening to report the other day on AI and breast cancer reducing workload. That’ll increase exponentially at some point.

SunnyEgg · 03/08/2023 08:22

We may have issues due to the change, but AI will be fairly intense in resolving shortages for many sectors

Olderandolder · 03/08/2023 08:24

HotSince82 · 02/06/2023 22:24

Don't be silly OP.

Decimating the fibre of society by demonising families with more than one child through the fear of climate change is really necessary.

We don't need children, families or society as we know it.

Now we have the advent of AI the whole structure is redundant; and we don't want cohesive, extended family units and societies to be around to think about things enough to throw a spanner in the works.

Stick to the plan. Children bad. Automation good.

Now go and shit yourself in the corner over there worrying about the climate crisis like a good little woman, won't you?

Thanks,

As you were.

Fabulous post

Olderandolder · 03/08/2023 08:26

We actually are worrying about it.

A large employer put out a study last week complaining that fewer older Brits work than other nations.

Apparently it’s not good that Brit’s can afford to retire.