Greece Facing a Population Collapse

[bjl584]

Ghost towns show Greece's battle with falling birth rate, depopulation

[disneysteve]

It's quite a conundrum. Overpopulation is a huge problem and contributing greatly to environmental demise, but it's hard to go backwards. Once you've built a society to support a certain number of people, if that number shrinks significantly, you now find yourself overbuilt in every way. Schools, retail, public services, dining, entertainment, and more that you suddenly don't need anymore because there are no longer enough people to use and support it all.

I think this is the sort of thing that will take a few generations to sort itself out. And that might mean demolishing buildings and infrastructure that simply no longer serve a purpose to maintain. But overall, in the long run, a smaller population would be a good thing for the planet.

[srblanco7]

As noted the replacement birth rate is 2.1. FWIW, the US birth rate is 1.66 (2022). And the Census Bureau suggests that by 2035 older adults in the US will outnumber children for the first time in US history.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

The US was the last westernized country to drop below replacement rate births. I'm curious though how things will play out in the next 10 years. If we go back above replacement rate.

[kork13]

It does go in waves ... I haven't personally seen the data, but I heard that there was a period in the 1970s that the US dropped to around 1.7 .... But went back up for a while. I think the more concerning bit is WHY the birth rate is dropping. Social/family norms & values are being challenged on many fronts, and I'd argue it's not healthy for our society. Birth rate is just one of many symptoms of that problem.

[disneysteve]

I think the more concerning bit is WHY the birth rate is dropping.

Couples are marrying later and starting families later. This is in large part due to women gaining greater stature in society, attending college in greater numbers, and having vastly more employment opportunities available to them. Women now make up the majority of college students (about 60%) and the majority of the college-educated workforce.

The safety and availability of birth control has also contributed greatly to the lower birth rate. Women/couples can now largely control if and when they have children.

All of these are good things for society in my opinion.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Couples are marrying later and starting families later. This is in large part due to women gaining greater stature in society, attending college in greater numbers, and having vastly more employment opportunities available to them. Women now make up the majority of college students (about 60%) and the majority of the college-educated workforce.

The safety and availability of birth control has also contributed greatly to the lower birth rate. Women/couples can now largely control if and when they have children.

All of these are good things for society in my opinion.

In most westernized countries and asia the fact women are working is what's is attributed to decline in birth rate. Having options other than being a mother. In the US i'm curious if making abortion illegal will increase the birth rate or will it maintain because birth control will become more prevalent.

[disneysteve]

In most westernized countries and asia the fact women are working is what's is attributed to decline in birth rate. Having options other than being a mother. In the US i'm curious if making abortion illegal will increase the birth rate or will it maintain because birth control will become more prevalent.

Since Roe was overturned the number of pregnancy terminations performed has actually increased. So despite the efforts of a vocal minority to control women and take away their human rights, the majority will always prevail and the vast majority of Americans support women’s rights.