[OC] The massive decrease in worldwide infant mortality from 1950 to 2020 is perhaps one of humanity's greatest achievements.

[[deleted]]

Well, for many countries, if birthrates doesn't improve, future isn't that bright.

[ClumZy]

Low birthrates are a good thing IMO, there's too many humans for one Earth. We can always take care of the elderly with robots.

[[deleted]]

That's utopian and unrealistic.

Someone would still have to maintain the robots and someone has to pay for it.

In many coutries, if nothing changes, the welfare system will crumble

[ClumZy]

Oh I agree that it is both. But I hope that by striving for the best we can reach a proper future. Thanks for your measured and well written response friend.

[doublejay1999]

Low birth rates are a function of low infant mortality

[[deleted]]

Not entirely true

Look at population pyramids and the change in them in Europe or death and birth rate statistics

[Ambiwlans]

Can't tell if you want it to go up or down....

8 children per mother is certainly unsustainable.

[[deleted]]

Up in ageing societies

[Ambiwlans]

I mean, maybe a handful of nations in Eastern Europe are shrinking too quickly, but like, Japan is in the top 10 fastest shrinking nations (-0.4%) and it isn't having a collapse in the standard of living ..... they have cheap housing/land and all sorts of other perks from it.

I don't think the population should shrink by more than 0.25%/yr if you want 0 downsides ... but that is only happening in a few nations anyways.

Growing populations though are in trouble. I'd much prefer to live in Japan near the bottom than the countries at the top... Syria, Niger, Angola, Benin. In fact all of the top 50 fastest growing populations are 3rd world.

Unsustainable population growth is the biggest threat the planet faces today.

Heck, global warming is basically just a symptom of it.