quote:

Originally posted by esdunbar:

And congrats Blaze!

Thank you! But...

quote:

Originally posted by SigM4:

Oh boy. This isn’t your first though is it?

Will be our third. I'm a little more nervous than usual though with everything going on. Anyway, it's very early, so as far as we're concerned, nothing is official yet.

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
Exactly!
My older son called last week to let us know that they are expecting their first child!
We are extatic!

Congratulations to you and your family!

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Well, the OP is a timely post considering the news my wife just gave me this morning...

Balzè Halzè that is awesome news, congratulations! Really nice to get some good news like this during these times. Really happy for you and your family!

To be clear, I didn't post this story as an example of "sky is falling" doom prophecy. There are many factors affecting birth rates with some that can be predicted with past and current trends based on actual data...but there are unforseen future events which can influence current trends, some that would cause further declines and others acting to cause an increase in average birth rates.

The current prevailing narrative has been the doom and gloom of overpopulation, which could, indeed, have far reaching negative impacts, but declining average birth rates may come with their own set of negative impacts.

Homosexual relationships on the rise, birth rate in decline.
Go figure .....

Wife and I are doing our best but at 61 and 62....

quote:

Originally posted by Appliance Brad:
Wife and I are doing our best but at 61 and 62....

"If at first you fail, try, try, again ".

You're still young uns Brad...no effort is too small so keep on trying and I'm sure you'll get the hang of it sooner or later.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:

quote:

Originally posted by Appliance Brad:
Wife and I are doing our best but at 61 and 62....

"If at first you fail, try, try, again ".

You're still young uns Brad...no effort is too small so keep on trying and I'm sure you'll get the hang of it sooner or later.

Maybe he dont have her right side up..

My take: most should have fewer children, less often.

The world was better with fewer humans, in pretty much every conceivable way.

I wish it were harder, somehow. Easy enough to survive and prosper, mind you, but harder.

Not that I wish for government intervention or anything... but fewer would be better. Slower rates, too.



(Congratulations,Alan)

quote:

The world was better with fewer humans, in pretty much every conceivable way.

Yeah... I kind of agree. I think we were better off when this planet was less crowded. I'm not an advocate of genocide or anything but lower birth rates for several generations wouldn't be a bad thing, IMO.

The biggest problem though is a debt fueled economy with fewer participants and more debt per participant.

Socialism, and the resulting increased cost of living/schooling/housing etc collapse birth rates.

Low birth rates, and high suicide rates - like most of Europe - indicate a depressed society, devoid of hope.

Drug use is just another form of suicide, for these purposes.

Humanity is an asset, if viewed properly. Statistically, we now always have an Einstein, Mozart, Newton, etc on the planet. The key is to ensure they have access to education, and the opportunity to flourish.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

Yeah... I kind of agree. I think we were better off when this planet was less crowded.

Except all evidence seems to point to the contrary.

We're more populated than ever before yet we currently have less poverty, less hunger, more technological advances than ever before in human history...seriously, where is the evidence that we are any way in danger of overpopulation the likes of which Bill Gates is proselytizing?

Having driven across this country, flown across Australia and ridden trains all over Scandinavia I can say we are not close to being overpopulated. I laugh when people claim something so stupid like we are running out of space on this planet. This planet is HUGE and we are always advancing and finding new, better ways to do things like grow food. All you have to do is open your eyes and travel a bit to realize they are full of shit.

To claim we have overpopulated the whole planet is incredibly ignorant, silly and in my opinion just FN stupid.

My MD daughter and MD son-in law are doing their part, and expecting their first on Labor Day - our first grandchild... it's a girl!

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
Socialism, and the resulting increased cost of living/schooling/housing etc collapse birth rates.

Low birth rates, and high suicide rates - like most of Europe - indicate a depressed society, devoid of hope.

Yep. I agree.

The quality of parenting also matters. Don't trust the government with your children.

Stickman, you're right: we aren't overcrowded in this country but we don't need to import a bunch of uneducated 3rd world "workers" just because our birth rates are down either.

quote:

Originally posted by aileron:
My MD daughter and MD son-in law are doing their part, and expecting their first on Labor Day - our first grandchild... it's a girl!

This is fantastic news...Congratulations to you and your family!

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
To claim we have overpopulated the whole planet is incredibly ignorant, silly and in my opinion just FN stupid.

Well , I guess that I'm in that "just FN stupid" category.....

If you want to see what a declining birth date bodes for a society, look at Japan. They have a severe workforce shortage because of an aging, shrinking, population.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
If you want to see what a declining birth date bodes for a society, look at Japan. They have a severe workforce shortage because of an aging, shrinking, population.

Excellent point, and one that I've made in past such discussions. I haven't checked recently, but as of maybe 6 or 7 years ago, at the current rate of Japan's declining average birth rate, not to mention the younger generation's current trend of moving away from the country to other parts of the world, Japan was projected to be virtually deserted in 200 years.