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Original poster

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:
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13
Nicecow · 03/06/2023 03:33

Nothingisblackandwhite · 03/06/2023 02:31

Oh you will be having lots of “ we are overpopulated as it is “ crap . The planet is not over populated it’s wrongly distributed and overpopulated in regions .
funny enough the sane people perpetuating this myth will be the ones screaming they have no pensions or help in old age .
Tye reason why its in decline is obviously the cost of living . People just can’t afford more children . Governments will soon realise this and hopefully bring in incentives

The planet is not over populated it’s wrongly distributed and overpopulated in regions

Semantics. People will live near the resources, thats whats happened since people existed.
The entire model is wrong, each person should be able to pay for themselves until they die, we shouldn't need to create more people basically to be cash cows. It's actually a horrible way to think about thing, let's hope governments give incentives to people so they don't have children. We literally have people having children only to put them into nursery at a young age to go out to work to make money to survive and pay taxes. Each generation has a worse and worse quality of life as well as destroying the planet. We live to make money and consume, consume, consume. It's actually very messed up if you think about it.

TinySaltLick · 03/06/2023 03:39

PrrrplePineapple · 02/06/2023 22:28

"On the brink of being unable to maintain social functions"? Come on, now. We have more people then ever before on this planet, and we've been maintaining social functions for centuries with much smaller populations thean we have now. Get a grip.

Also, if you cannot understand that the planet has limited and finite resources and the impending threat to significant swathes of humanity is that we're running out of food production capabilities and clean water, and that the effects of that are going to be nothing short of devastating, a quick Google will give you tons of reading materials to give you a new perspective. Start with a book called Ten Billion, then come back and let us know if you still think population decrease is the thing to be worried about right now.

It ie about the demographic profile, not the total number of people - you have misunderstood the discussion

This is not about overpopulation per se, it is about the number of healthy, working age citizens versus the total elderly who need care in old age

Jemandthehologramsunite · 03/06/2023 03:56

TinySaltLick · 03/06/2023 03:39

It ie about the demographic profile, not the total number of people - you have misunderstood the discussion

This is not about overpopulation per se, it is about the number of healthy, working age citizens versus the total elderly who need care in old age

Show quote history

That's an easy one to solve with migration. In fact maybe we should ship the elderly to cheaper countries, I think that could actually be a winning idea.

merderforlife · 03/06/2023 04:09

I think my next door neighbour is trying to single handedly solve this problem - they have 8 children!

MrsMikeDrop · 03/06/2023 04:15

merderforlife · 03/06/2023 04:09

I think my next door neighbour is trying to single handedly solve this problem - they have 8 children!

Well I wonder who is paying for that 🤔 (assuming they're not mega-wealthy of course!)

Tallcurves · 03/06/2023 04:47

@user4567890754

what nonsense
what we need is a government that deals with immigration is a sensible way as the world population is growing hugely.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:05

I always find it ofd that people go on about having too many babies, it's not a thing here. Overpopulation is caused by people living longer

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:06

Unfortunately governments just want taxpayers, so keep encouraging people to breed, breed, breed!

see! who is breeding? 😆

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:08

Yes lower population is good but why don't people understand a lower population heavily weighted towards older people isn't particularly sustainable.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:09

And Japan have actually planned for it better than we have...

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:10

I'm sure people will start to realise the gravity of the situation in 2/3 decades when there'll be no retirement age, or pensions or any sort of adult social care as there won't be a good enough working population to support it.

It's bizarre people can't join the dots.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:12

But again people moaned (and still do) about families being paid child benefit

Why do proof moan about this? My parents got the equivalent & it wasn't means tested then.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:17

Also, Japan is very different to the UK. For example they have very low immigration rates, in the UK if the birthrate fell we could easily repopulate with younger people through immigration.

I found this view a little uncomfortable. My parents are immigrants who came here for opportunity but it's naive to think immigrants will keep coming. Remember the rest of the West will be fighting for them too.

And the UK birth rate has fallen...

Phoebo · 03/06/2023 05:17

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:05

I always find it ofd that people go on about having too many babies, it's not a thing here. Overpopulation is caused by people living longer

No it's not. People living longer costs more. Overpopulation is something completely different. Where I live is overrun by developers, no one has a decent garden anymore, houses are built right next to each other and schools are busting at the seams. We want to attract more people because we want the taxpayers but we don't have the physical space or the infrastructure to support it.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:18

because breeding isn't a thing, I assume those who want controls on number advocate for euthanasia?

Viviennemary · 03/06/2023 05:20

The population of the UK has increased dramatically from 50 m to over 60m. How you can say that's population decline beats me. It's nonsense.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:21

There are more elderly people requiring care than younger people who are working or will work. I roll my eyes at the ‘but climate change’ people. I hope you don’t have children, pets, use a car, use an aeroplane or eat imported/out of season food. If you do then you are a hypocrite.

Yep particularly those that wrong their hands about the number of babies in certain regions of Africa, you really think their carbon footprint is anything close to yours?! 🙄

Tots678 · 03/06/2023 05:22

I imagine that Japan is still pretty patriarchal, if childcare was equally shared women might choose to have more children. Also they prefer a pure race and never wanted immigration.
They probably still eat more healthily than most countries so live longer.
We have immigration and don’t live as long so not a good comparison.

IAmTheWalrus85 · 03/06/2023 05:26

It’s a problem that can be addressed by encouraging migration though isn’t it - 40% of Africa’s population is under 15 years old I believe?

I assume that’s why this government maintains a hardline stance on immigration while presiding over record net migration figures. Or perhaps I’m giving them too much credit.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:28

n Europe and US the problem is imbalance, not quantity, inpopulation

Why don't people understand it? I mean look at the NHS & social care now, the fact we have the highest tax burden in 70 yrs, low unemployment. I also think you will see more younger people with the means & opportunity going abroad for a better life which will compound the issue. Why should a doctor work here for pay that struggles to afford housing, go abroad.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:31

DfE estimate pupil numbers will fall by 900,000 in next 10 years

And because funding is based on headcount's it's going to do massive damage.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:33

That's an easy one to solve with migration. In fact maybe we should ship the elderly to cheaper countries, I think that could actually be a winning idea.

Dystopian but I can see that becoming a thing

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 05:34

@Phoebo sorry what are you disagreeing with? I will repeat, people in the UK are not over breeding. Population growth here has been driven by people living longer & migration. What don't you understand?

Viviennemary · 03/06/2023 05:37

The heading is misleading. This is not population decline. Anyway robots van take over the care of the elderly eventually.