The Population Crash

America is facing a crisis in its birth rate – in just 200 years, the number of children born has plummeted from around 7- 8 children per woman to only 1.5. But is it still desirable to have multiple children today?

Despite our modern age’s wealth and prosperity, people are intentionally having fewer children. American economist and mother of eight, Dr. Catherine Pakaluk, is here to break down why.

Catherine’s book – Hannah’s Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth – looks at the research in a whole new light by exploring the reasons why real-life American women choose to have 5 or more children.

[aizensama]

This narrative that, "We are the wealthiest we've ever been" has to stop. It's the top 8% that hold all the wealth. The gap between the wealthy and the poor is the worst it's ever been.

[africanelectron]

I'm 35 and have no have never been on a vacation and I work a lot....I can't afford kids.

[anthonygood]

"Obviously we can afford children."
I think she might be making huge assumptions. From what I can tell, lack of housing affordability is one of the most significant reasons for the decline in birth rates.

[jammmy]

”We are so Much Richer than our parents” (q.) ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! The ration of money you need to buy a house compared to wages is FOUR times now, compared to the 70’s ! College has become Crazy expensive and yet it does Not guarantee you a good job as it use too. And the prices of insurance are just Insane! Please, 🙏 PLEASE STOP say that we are richer than our parents. That is simply NOT true!

[izzyci]

GOOD! I never ever thought we need more people and cars out and about. I want there to be wide open spaces filled with nature, not pavement and concrete everywhere. This should be celebrated

[DaFooling]

My parents had 6 and every attitude you’ve described about large families is true, we were constantly told children are the greatest blessing.

And we lived in a 2 bedroom home until the 6th was born, so we were not wealthy.

[tastyfrzz]

So the people who rent property might have to reduce their prices. Oh, the horror.

[KJSvitko]

Focus needs to be on quality of life not quantity of life.
There are too many unloved, hungry and homeless children in the world.
Trees, flowers, birds, butterflies, bees and humans are all part of the ecosystem.

[AnselLindner]

Great episode. I have 4 kids, and am also an economist trying to tackle this issue. I've written several blog posts on the issue and a recent one soecifically on the affordability argument.

We're the wealthiest ever, fertility rates go down with income (until the uber-wealthy $1M/yr or so), and rich countries have fewer kids. IDK how many different angles people need to show its not an affordability problem.

Really liked the conversation at the end about policy direction. It's a pretty novel approach I haven't heard discussed elsewhere.

[Gidget-bs]

The world has just gotten so crazy these days with wars and conflicts overseas and worldwide poverty and starvation. It hurts my soul to think about every day and I don't think it's right to put that on any children I could have.

[viking]

Negative growth can be a good thing. For example, for Serbia, where I live. If we didn't have that for the last thirty years, as well as immigration, we would have 50% unemployment. We wouldn't have anything to eat, like in Africa. Now we even bring people from abroad India, Bangladesh, Nepal to work.

[kaybrown]

We're not paying to subsidize your religion. If people want their kids to go to religious school, you pay for it. The state can not endose or promote your religion! It's literally the First Amendment.

[jessa]

Why isn't this "economist" discussing housing and childcare???? We live in a 1 bdrm apartment in NYC for $3000, and have no car. In order for us to get a 2 bdrm, it would cost another $1000-1500 a month. Daycare is $1500. We're going to have our baby in our current place and then get something bigger when we need it. How can you expect us to have lots of babies when there are almost no 3 bd apartments and daycare is $1500 on the very low end? Kids aren't expensive but staff and space sure is.

My grandparents got to have lots of kids because when they did it, young teachers could buy 3 bd houses.

This isn't about vacations. Stop calling us frivolous and selfish when boomer homeowners cranked the price of housing up to where young people can't afford space for their children.

[herbayum]

Its unbelievable listening to these middleclass christian ladies...they seemed unable to think outside their circle...what about the cost of living, houseprices, childcare...the dilemma women face after having a collegedegree at age 25 to start a career and reduce their debt or starting a family..the ladies went to church..met a nice well educated christian white male with a stable high income and with a desire to marry and to take care of you and your beautiful healthy kids for the rest of your on ladies...

[PaulDickson-yivw]

One thing she ignores inequality, yes we are richer now The only problem is that wealth is with a few people.

[Misuci]

And this woman is an economist.... wow... her diploma was issued by a famous village pub...

[dogsandyoga]

Had 2 and got snipped. Each additional child would have gotten diminishing time and resources...

[gergelykollar]

I watched at least 10 videos on declining population and they could never explain why lower population is bad except for there won't be people to take care of the old ones. Why would it be bad for younger people?
"2 kids are hard, because it's too few." Yeah because if you have more kids you can just use them to take care of the little ones you wanted. Seen it so many times. Mom and dad going out, having fun and the bigger kids have to be the parents all the time.
There are multiple reasons why people are nit having kids. Way more money needed to give a proper education and upbringing to kids, young people can not afford housing, we have so much ro do instead of raising kids, hard to find a stable partner.

[everythingisfine]

If i make "a lot" of money while "increasing" my availability to parent, i will have more kids. I want to be able to provide the resources and emotional support to raise leaders. I want them to be happy and have dignity in this world. They will *NOT* be a servants to oligarchs

[judeel]

Is any talking about endocrine disruption. Is fertility going down? Are there more unviable pregnancies? Is sperm count down?