Breitbart on 2-23-2015 carried a The Wall Street Journal article written by Austin Ruse. It was on the work of economist Nicholas Eberstadt. Eberstadt says the future is bleak because people are selfish now unwilling to marry at all, let alone stay married. People want the convenience of pleasure and freedom from commitment to grow up and raise children.
Many familes have no father in the house. Many children do not live with their biological parents. Many people all over the world choose never to marry or remain childless if they do.
The first demographic transition was in the 1800s when birth rates and death rates declined, resulting in aging populations.
Eberstadt is quantifying the second demographic transition in which adults remain childless voluntary, never marry, or divorce easily. There is no stable society to care for the young and the isolated elderly.
My reaction: First, selflessness is selfishness, and selflessness comes from self-interest. People are more groupist as adults, so they will not act as responsible, kind, healthy, mature, take-charge adults that do their duty: find a married partner, have children, and stay with that partner for life.
Lowering birth rates around the country and the world is a smart move. but the majority, not just a smattering of adults in the future need to individuate, and then lower birth rates, pursuing pleasure, and doing one's own thing will be accompanied by getting married, having kids, raising kids, caring for the elderly and orphaned without the welfare state doing it--these steps can and will take place.
Mavellonialism is the value system to help us get there.
The Eberstadt complaint is an important piece of research that should be heeded.
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