<story><title>U.S. Birthrates Fall to Record Low</title><url>https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-birthrates-fall-to-record-low-11589947260</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>ZitchDog</author><text>You could also be spawning the person who solves the problem of climate change.</text></item><item><author>WhompingWindows</author><text>In this case, it&amp;#x27;s a good thing, because the birthrates declined most for women 24 and younger. Creating another person is one of the most carbon-intensive actions anyone can do, you&amp;#x27;re literally spawning a lifetime of energy use. Best to do that when you&amp;#x27;re SURE they will have all the resources they need to be a productive and helpful member of society...not when you&amp;#x27;re 16 and can&amp;#x27;t care for them properly.&lt;p&gt;I do think there is value to having a balanced aged pyramid, however. We don&amp;#x27;t want a China or Japan situation, where there are far too many old people, which would crush the younger members of society under the burden of caring. The one way to counteract that would be immigration, which has been a hot-button issue and is not a given or perfect remedy for population pyramids.</text></item><item><author>iandanforth</author><text>Curious how many people share this opinion, but I think this is extremely good news. I would love to see birth rates drop below replenishment across the globe. We simply don&amp;#x27;t need billions of humans. We have done, and continue to do major damage to our environment and historically a tiny minority has benefited from the labor of the majority. The people who benefit most from an increasing population are those who exploit people to increase their quality of life in clean sanctuaries while distancing themselves from the effort and waste required to maintain those lifestyles.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>js8</author><text>I heard this argument many times. Has anyone ever actually done that? IMHO it&amp;#x27;s just a generational procrastination.</text></comment>
<story><title>U.S. Birthrates Fall to Record Low</title><url>https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-birthrates-fall-to-record-low-11589947260</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>ZitchDog</author><text>You could also be spawning the person who solves the problem of climate change.</text></item><item><author>WhompingWindows</author><text>In this case, it&amp;#x27;s a good thing, because the birthrates declined most for women 24 and younger. Creating another person is one of the most carbon-intensive actions anyone can do, you&amp;#x27;re literally spawning a lifetime of energy use. Best to do that when you&amp;#x27;re SURE they will have all the resources they need to be a productive and helpful member of society...not when you&amp;#x27;re 16 and can&amp;#x27;t care for them properly.&lt;p&gt;I do think there is value to having a balanced aged pyramid, however. We don&amp;#x27;t want a China or Japan situation, where there are far too many old people, which would crush the younger members of society under the burden of caring. The one way to counteract that would be immigration, which has been a hot-button issue and is not a given or perfect remedy for population pyramids.</text></item><item><author>iandanforth</author><text>Curious how many people share this opinion, but I think this is extremely good news. I would love to see birth rates drop below replenishment across the globe. We simply don&amp;#x27;t need billions of humans. We have done, and continue to do major damage to our environment and historically a tiny minority has benefited from the labor of the majority. The people who benefit most from an increasing population are those who exploit people to increase their quality of life in clean sanctuaries while distancing themselves from the effort and waste required to maintain those lifestyles.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>derwiki</author><text>.. or the one who ruins the climate forever? Not sure this how you should be thinking of spawning :D</text></comment>