The coming Population Collapse

"95% of it sounds like a never-ending nightmare - the pregnancy itself, the constant sleepless/low sleep nights, the constant crying, cleaning up vomit and shìt several times a day, not being able to do anything with friends, the cost - all for the odd moment of happiness. It seems like a pretty terrible trade-off."

All down to what you want out of life, while the above is all true, in the great scheme of things that period is over in a flash...if you only have one kid anyway.
As far as cleaning up the vomit & s**t....just cut the drinking down a bit.

 

Judging by some of the folk I've met, it's a shame they never got into geography more!
And don't get me started on English. And yes, I know, that baby was compulsory.

 

Very true, the irony is not lost on me.

 

I’m 34, childfree and scheduled for a vasectomy next month. Among my circle of friends at the same age 60% have kids or have pregnant partners.

My partner recently fell pregnant. We were careful but clearly not careful enough. She had been told by numerous doctors the chances of her conceiving were extremely low without a prior minor surgical operation, so we opted to use cycle tracking information during some phases of her cycle rather than always using more effective forms of contraception.

Prior to this happening both of us were absolutely certain that we did not want children. It was an extremely difficult and emotionally intense period and both of us considered parenthood in a way we were unable to until then. We felt the magic and love of having created the potential for life together and how beautiful that is and could be, but ultimately decided once and for all that it is not the life we want. We want freedom and independence and to live our own lives loving each other without the responsibility, stress and burden of children. We see the lifestyles our friends with children (both the happy ones and the unhappy ones) and don’t wish that for ourselves for a single second. We considered the possibility that we were not being imaginative enough, that parenthood did not need to look or be that way. Or that things would get better as they get older. But even then we couldn’t resonate. The only positives we saw was that it would bond us in a way that nothing else could and that we’d be more likely to have family, care and companionship in old age, but those alone are not enough to bring a child into this earth.

There will be downsides. I already feel distanced from my closest friend group from back home, all of whom have children and the chat now revolves around their kids and family life. But I feel more comfortable and sure of my decision than ever before and am grateful to live in a society that allows for this level of autonomy over our own bodies and life decisions. While I am obviously fearful of the snip next month, i see it as doing my bit to avoid putting my partner and I in that situation ever again.

We’re not alone, either. I think those who believe financial and economic circumstances are the main reasons for declining birth rates are way off the mark. For the most part, I think it’s due to lifestyle choices.

 

We've not had kids and neither of us had any desire to at any point. In more recent times, given the climate catastrophe, we feel even more strongly that we're happy not adding another carbon life form to add to the planets woes.

Yes, the rich consume more. Ironically, the poor in less wealthy countries are decimating their native habitats for western convenience and tastes. From Madagascar tearing up baobab land for the hope of a diamond to eat that week, or the culling of swathes of jungle in Indonesia to grow vast amounts of palm or the water intensive boom in avocado production.

I read only this morning that a report cited 500 birds at genuine risk of extinction within the next 100 years. Given bird numbers have dropped by around three quarters in the last 50 years, it's little surprise. Yesterday that we've likely irreversibly passed several natural environmental tipping points that will speed climate change.

People have done this. Our population will reduce at some stage, either by our own design, or the counter balance to our actions (and inactions) as our home fights us and becomes inhospitable.

The planet is overpopulated based on what we build, consume and how we move and interact. We've given up the ability to make things slightly less comfortable, it's over to nature to show us in time how misguided we were.

 

All fair comment, but we're also told we're not having enough children, and that our future prosperity and sustainability will be at risk with a falling population. Are we doomed either way?

 

Nothing to worry about mate. I wouldn't ride a bike for a month after though...

 

Capitalism is based on forever more. A falling population is a terror to capitalism.

 

However for the the UK mainly due to net migration according to ONS

ONS forecast 72.5 million by 2032, 7.3% increase since 2022. Then 76.6 million by mid 2047.

The projected growth of 7.3% over the next 10 years is higher than the 6.1% increase experienced between 2012 and 2022

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...to our latest national population projections.

 

Not to be pedantic but should the title be ‘the Population coming Collapse’

 

I think all most of the male population have had the collapse after coming!

 

A very well reasoned and thought out viewpoint.

What saddens me a lot about the resources of the planet it is widely held that Ten billion people living in sustainable harmony with nature is theoretically possible. Seven billion living like the average American is already a disaster. So overconsumption, not sheer numbers, is the root cause. Population growth is slowing or reversing in most developed nations already.

 

I think we have to look at what is and not what ideally could be.

We’ve known for decades that warming is occurring and our climate changing from human endeavours. We know what consumes most and we ignore it. There are political parties the world over denying climate change is even a thing. And many lapping it up because change might be a bit inconvenient.

We’ve fired more polluting rockets into space for pure folly and hubris, celebrating as they explode in our outer atmosphere. Countries are spending billions in hope some machine can extract carbon from our atmosphere and we can just carry on regardless. And many households have decided the rational action to increased energy costs is to install a device that emits carbon and increases carcinogens in their homes.

On top of this, war is raging in numerous places. More bombs, explosions, rockets. More consumption, more devastation.

Mankind just isn’t serious enough. There aren’t enough people who care. Our primitive thoughts are self and evolved convenience. Greed, hubris, laziness.

I read earlier that it’s likely at current levels that the UK could reach 45 degree temperatures. It’s not that long ago that 30 was exceptional. In the South it’s expected to be 30+ for several days running. I think the 5th or 6th times this summer already.

In another timeline maybe humans could live in synchronicity with the planet we inhabit. From the evidence so far, I just don’t think it’s this timeline.

 

I always wanted a big family and loads of kids. Unfortunately I find it difficult to attract the right women and spent 13 years of my prime year's with the wrong one.

Haven't given up hope but I'm 40 on Friday and haven't got the gift of the gab or game anymore. Come to think of it. I'm more reclusive than ever before even allowing for meeting up with mates for matches once a month.

So to cut a long story short. I struggle with the social aspect and putting myself out there.

 

I often feel fortunate that I met my now wife when we were 18/19, committed to one another early, and avoided all the dating scene and app devastation in the decades that followed.

My advice, for what it’s worth, to anyone who might still be looking, is to be and work on yourself, do things you enjoy, avoid trying to use online to substitute for real human connection, and to find someone you like for who they are and what you have in common more than simply what they look like.

This said, if my wife ever gets fed up of me, I wouldn’t be prioritising a replacement, and would probably die alone.

 

I've thought about that. I like football, horse racing and rail travel etc. Ideally I'd like a woman that likes going to the races, football and likes trains.

 

I reckon your best chance of finding one of those is at the races, at the football, or somewhere in the vicinity of a train.

 

Joking aside. I get what you mean about not being bothered about finding someone else if your wife left.

Part of my problem is other than walking and trying to look after myself a bit better. Although I'd like to meet someone it isn't the be all and end all.

 

My mum has been married three times.

My dad has been married twice.

My uncle has been married twice.

I met my wife through her roommate, specifically because I was in bed with her when my now wife came home late from a night out.

Point is there’s someone for everyone, and even unlikely avenues can be the tale of your ultimate success.

 

I think that will help you massively. You’ve always come across a bit strong and like finding a woman was the most important thing going on in your life (I can only base things on your posts on here of course). Being happy being yourself will make you a much more attractive person to be with. At 40, people have their own lives and want someone to share that alongside, they’ll be looking for someone who has their own life too to coexist together.