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posted by martyb on Wednesday May 15 2019, @11:57PM   Printer-friendly
from the Storks-on-Strike? dept.

CNN:

The report, published Wednesday, showed that birth rates declined for nearly all age groups of women younger than 35 but rose for women in their late 30s and early 40s.

From 2017 to 2018, the birth rate dropped 7% among teenagers aged 15 to 19; 4% among women 20 to 24; 3% among women 25 to 29; and 1% among women 30 to 34, according to the report.

The birth rate rose 1% among women aged 35 to 39 and 2% among women 40 to 44. The rate for women 45 to 49, which also includes births to women 50 and older, did not change from 2017 to 2018.

On the other hand, there have been recent studies that indicate children born to older women enjoy better long term academic and professional success.


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  • (Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:04AM (26 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:04AM (#844029)

    That salon.com article is a perfect example. Not only is life economically more difficult across the board along with ecological disaster looming over us, but the people supporting these tragedies are also busy spewing their hatred for all things not-them.

    • (Score: -1, Troll) by NPC-131072 on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:33AM (25 children)

      by NPC-131072 (7144) on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:33AM (#844042) Journal

      Hello fren,

      Not everyone has the moral integrity of those of us on the left who want to both end white supremacy and support women's rights. [thepublicdiscourse.com]

      • (Score: 5, Informative) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:01AM (24 children)

        by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:01AM (#844049)

        Moral integrity? Leftist? This is from your link:

        About the Author

        Arthur Goldberg is Co-Director of the American based Jewish Institute for Global Awareness (JIFGA), former Co-Director of JONAH, Inc. JIFGA sponsors www.fundingmorality.com, a crowd-funding site for those committed to Biblical values. He has authored Light in the Closet: Torah, Homosexuality, and the Power to Change. You can contact him at Arthur@jifga.org.

        Biblical Values? Anti-abortion? Pray away the Gay? Trifecta!

        • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:09AM (4 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:09AM (#844056)

          Don't even bother, just mod the NPC idiots down. "Sadly" for them their bullshit is pretty quickly outed, "fren" is code for "I'm a racist twat." Most amusing is the idea that "fren" is supposed to indicate someone who only repeats a scripted narrative. So because the majority of the world doesn't agree with their hateful bigotry then the majority of people are simply Non Player Characters who don't think for themselves.

          It is just another way for them to feel superior even though they are hateful bigots that no one wants to be around. Their hatred is the definition of unthinking scripted behavior. "Person is immigrant with darker skin, must be waste of space come to destroy my country."

          Just downmod the fren-boi and move on.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:37AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:37AM (#844120)

            Great oversimplification. We’ll see how magic dirt theory works for Europe. Sweden is so racist over half of them don’t want more immigrants. Bigots!

          • (Score: 2, Redundant) by Phoenix666 on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:17PM (1 child)

            by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:17PM (#844259) Journal

            Let's be equal opportunity and do likewise for the snark that is the identitarian left's weapon of choice. But let's be sparing in our downmods, because good information and well-earned challenges to our own assumptions can be lost through excessive zeal.

            That's my preference. I read it all at -1, reserving the mute button for those most egregious like the white supremacists who keep posting holocaust denial comments (luckily even EF here is not that dull).

            --
            Washington DC delenda est.
            • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:14PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:14PM (#844443)

              Uh, the Jews had already used the 6 million number in previous "stories" prior to ww2. They are full of shit. The Jews that died in the prison camps died of starvation and disease due to the allies bombing supply lines, not some BS psyop about ovens and gas chambers.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:15PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:15PM (#844504)

            The amazing amount of irony here is *stunning*

        • (Score: 4, Informative) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:23AM (18 children)

          by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:23AM (#844057) Journal

          NPC is a transparent troll, and I hope it's obvious from the content of his posts. He also has a sockpuppet account (see my journal for this...). He's here purely to stir shit. Downmod his ass on sight and move on.

          --
          I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
          • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:57AM (15 children)

            by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:57AM (#844126) Journal

            Now you are getting it - thank you.

            • (Score: 0, Offtopic) by aristarchus on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:46AM (14 children)

              by aristarchus (2645) on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:46AM (#844161) Journal

              If only unborn aristarchus submissions were given the same chance . . .

              • (Score: 5, Insightful) by janrinok on Thursday May 16 2019, @07:04AM (13 children)

                by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @07:04AM (#844169) Journal

                If only unborn aristarchus submissions contained something new worth discussing.

                • (Score: 5, Interesting) by c0lo on Thursday May 16 2019, @09:55AM (10 children)

                  by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @09:55AM (#844201) Journal

                  Mate, I had big troubles of stopping myself shouting a FU aloud in your direction.
                  Not only would have been useless but would have annoyed the respectable co-commuters on the train.

                  And the reasons for this:
                  - TFA on social issues (political or not) attract more participation on S/N
                  - here's an example of ari/azuma submission that went viral [soylentnews.org], but lingered in the S/N queue until rejected (I can bet, without reason).
                  Guess what? Instead of discussing it on S/N, I'm reading it on hacker news [ycombinator.com].
                  Can you imagine something more idiotic than still staying on S/N under these conditions?

                  --
                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
                  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by janrinok on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:40AM (8 children)

                    by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:40AM (#844230) Journal

                    If a story about dogs attracted more interest than other stories should we then concentrate on dog stories? There are other sites that cover such material, but dogs are not SN's raison d'etre. We stick to those topics that we were established to discuss although we often stretch that to edge cases too. Publishing a story about racism or the alt-right on the front page would have the majority of our community shouting to have it removed. Even a story about falling birthrates attracts extremists of all colours and persuasions who seem incapable of holding an intelligent discussion.

                    here's an example of ari/azuma submission that went viral

                    By viral, you mean 59 comments - so fractionally more than yesterday's discussion on the Linux Kernel or the EU's introduction of SCA, but much less than the discussion on generic drug prices that went out on Monday.

                    Yet it was discussed on this site without changing the emphasis on topics on which this site concentrates. That is why we have journals. That is exactly why, when I personally reject a story, I advise the submitter to put it in their journal if I feel it is worth discussing. However, not every story deserves to be on the front page. That is a choice that we have to make every day with every story. You have been with this site from the very beginning - you of all people will remember why this site exists and what we concentrate on. Yet you and others also argue about the wisdom of publishing stories that you believe favour the political right, but advocate other stories stating the opposite views. None of them have a right to a place on the front page but they are welcome in journals where the community can discuss them to their heart's content.

                    Why don't you ask Aristarchus and Azuma why they don't publish more stories like the one you referred to in their journals?

                    Instead of discussing it on S/N, I'm reading it on hacker news

                    There is nothing to say that you cannot read other sites. If they are printing stories that interest you by all means read those too. The team that manages this site is not responsible for what is published on Hacker News.

                    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:35PM (7 children)

                      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:35PM (#844244) Journal

                      If a story about dogs attracted more interest than other stories should we then concentrate on dog stories

                      Better than STEM stories with no comments [soylentnews.org] after more than half a day after publishing, any time. Yes, bring in the dogs!

                      By viral, you mean 59 comments
                      By viral I mean viral on all the other internet [reddit.com] places [boingboing.net] that [ycombinator.com] people [twitter.com] congregate [google.com].
                      Even the subhumans were mildly interested [4chan.org].
                      Not S/N, no, Jan the man knows better, he is there to protect the insipid silence or promote STEM stories in which STEM NPC-es are trolling to disperse the boredom [soylentnews.org].

                      Yet it was discussed on this site without changing the emphasis on topics on which this site concentrates. That is why we have journals.
                      No, it was not discussed there, because it was not posted as jurnal entry, it was submitted (and died) in the queue. I mentioned [soylentnews.org] it there as a way to gauge the editors reaction.

                      God, you are dense or just fake one perfectly (if you do the latter, beware, you may be stuck in the state). It would have taken you 3 clicks to get to a link to one of the original [soylentnews.org] submission that was silently rejected. I lost ari's submission, not saving a link to it.

                      Why don't you ask Aristarchus and Azuma why they don't publish more stories like the one you referred to in their journals?

                      Ok, I'm at home now, I can afford a "FUCK YOU" without annoying anyone!!!
                      If you persist on this position, I have absolutely no reason at all to dwell on S/N anymore.

                      There is nothing to say that you cannot read other sites.

                      So, you are aware of it. Good, I get it, you are doing on purpose.

                       

                      --
                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
                      • (Score: 4, Informative) by janrinok on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:26PM (3 children)

                        by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:26PM (#844262) Journal

                        Jan the man knows better

                        You seem to think that I alone rejected the story. All the editors rejected the story. Not one of them picked it up to publish it. I am not responsible for the editors - I stepped down from that post last year. Each editor can make his or her own decisions. I just come on here to give my opinion, which I couldn't do as EinC. We are all volunteers but I certainly didn't volunteer to spend my time on political rants or stories explaining how extremists recruit young teenagers. The entire team is still following the directions made 5 years ago that were decided by the community.

                        No, it was not discussed there, because it was not posted as journal entry

                        And I replied "Why don't you ask Aristarchus and Azuma why they don't publish more stories like the one you referred to in their journals?" But if you look in both Ari's and Azuma's journals the story was mentioned but it failed to gain any traction as a topic. And, as you yourself have just pointed out, it was widely discussed elsewhere - why should we repeat it here when it has already been covered and is off topic for this site? We are not competing with those other sites. They do not have the same emphasis as we chose to have back in 2014. Why is this a surprise to you now?

                        Do you not remember the heated discussions between Barrabas and NCommander. Do you not recall the extensive discussion that was held regarding the form and direction this site should adopt, and how the entire community got to vote?

                        How about you write a journal entry about how this site must change direction, how you propose that we get feedback from the whole community on your suggestion, and then identify the people who are prepared to help achieve that goal?

                        • (Score: 3, Informative) by c0lo on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:00PM (2 children)

                          by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:00PM (#844318) Journal

                          You seem to think that I alone rejected the story. All the editors rejected the story. Not one of them picked it up to publish it.

                          Thanks, good to know.

                          I am not responsible for the editors - I stepped down from that post last year... I just come on here to give my opinion, which I couldn't do as EinC

                          Something [soylentnews.org] doesn't [soylentnews.org] fit [soylentnews.org] in the picture - as an example of 3 stories posted by janrinok.
                          Doesn't "posting" imply "approval to publish a submission on the main page"?

                          How about you write a journal entry about how this site must change direction

                          How about I stop wasting my time on S/N - after I'll grant you one last +Informative mod for "All editors rejected the story".
                          Clearly, is the minimal change in the order of this world that will restore the balance and let you and the editors to enjoy the company of NPC-es.

                          --
                          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
                          • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:15PM (1 child)

                            by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:15PM (#844354) Journal

                            I am still an editor but I am no longer Editor in Chief. I have no influence over what other editors do or do not do.

                            • (Score: 2, Informative) by c0lo on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:25PM

                              by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:25PM (#844358) Journal

                              I am no longer Editor in Chief

                              Bottom line? Makes no difference to me.

                              --
                              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
                      • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:18PM

                        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:18PM (#844508)

                        First One [soylentnews.org]
                        Second One [soylentnews.org]
                        Follow up article submission [soylentnews.org]
                        Boing-boing Sub [soylentnews.org]
                        Stealth submission [soylentnews.org]

                        I Think that's all. Haruki's sub was much better, though.

                      • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday May 17 2019, @12:25PM (1 child)

                        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 17 2019, @12:25PM (#844674) Journal

                        Better than STEM stories with no comments [soylentnews.org] after more than half a day after publishing, any time. Yes, bring in the dogs!

                        The problem with most of these STEM stories, comment-wise, is that there's not much to say about them, much less disagree about. The most drama is typically small sample size, the indefinite 10-20 years to market, and attaching say story to some fad of the day (like attributing everything to climate change - which from my experience is one of the few current sources of drama generation in STEM stories).

                        I don't see a reason to drop them, because we're more than just comments. But don't expect commenting on most of those stories to match political stories with more interest and vastly more disagreement.

                        Sure, it'd be nice to get some other metrics of interest than comments (like how many distinct IPs read a story would be a good metric), but we come across another problem here. Supposedly, the political stories are due to people with non-STEM interests joining the site. If that continues, then you're stuck with something of a problem - namely, that the new readers prefer to read and comment on things different from the old readers.

                        • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Sulla on Friday May 17 2019, @06:51PM

                          by Sulla (5173) on Friday May 17 2019, @06:51PM (#844808) Journal

                          I often post on these low comment articles to say that even though they do not get much discussion I love seeing them on the site. I don't read any one specific news source, although I go to google news and drudge to see the spin from both directions and see what the headlines are. I like that SN acts as an aggregator for tech and science related things. Although i would like discussion on these topics, as you said there tends to not be much to say about them. Highly commented stories do not mean its of higher value.

                          --
                          Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
                  • (Score: 0, Interesting) by khallow on Friday May 17 2019, @12:45PM

                    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 17 2019, @12:45PM (#844680) Journal

                    - here's an example of ari/azuma submission that went viral [soylentnews.org], but lingered in the S/N queue until rejected (I can bet, without reason).

                    Umm, I saw crap there. Why was the submission supposed to be worthy of getting on the Front Page. For example, the Salon story was about someone who supposedly fell out of the libertarian religion, but could never articulate why libertarianism was supposed to be so bad in the first place. For example:

                    My sobriety from libertarianism did not result from a dramatic rock bottom moment, merely an awakening back into the reality I had earlier accepted; a fresh, but familiar realization that individuals myopically pursuing their own interests have no solution to ecological catastrophe, thousands dying for lack of health insurance, lethal disparities in the public education system, and the unending terror and devastation of racism. I could not align with any political ideology that did not instinctively, and deliberately, side with the victims of unjust police shootings, the poor children in dysfunctional schools, or the families drinking poison in Flint, Michigan.

                    How is his current belief system doing any better on that? For example, do individuals myopically pursuing their own interests have a better outcome in his newer belief system? Libertarianism isn't the belief that we should all do such, but rather an attempt at a solution to that problem (mostly by advocating viewpoints and societal infrastructure that makes most of that harmless or even possibly beneficial).

                    Basically, what happened was that the person got married and changed their beliefs - perhaps to maintain marital harmony. Happens all the time and doesn't usually require multipage rambling to describe nor a place on SN's front page.

                • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @08:11AM (1 child)

                  by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @08:11AM (#845450)

                  If only unaccepted janrinock submissions, . . . but then they would be, eh? This is what we are on about. Censorship on The SolynetNews: Tacit censorship, mild censorship, down-low censorship. But it all protects the alt-right, and its broad-brush cousin, the TMB. Admit it, JR, you are protecting the snowflacke alt-right! The Buzzard just cannot take it! What a pathetic bird, and a mediocre editore. I expected better.

                  • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Monday May 20 2019, @11:16AM

                    by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Monday May 20 2019, @11:16AM (#845473) Journal

                    If only unaccepted janrinock submissions, . . . but then they would be, eh?

                    The language in use on this site is English, If you use it perhaps I will understand what you are trying to say. If only unaccepted janrinok submissions what? There are a few missing parts to your sentence structure.

                    Censorship on The SolynetNews: Tacit censorship, mild censorship, down-low censorship. But it all protects the alt-right, and its broad-brush cousin, the TMB.

                    We do not stop anyone from saying whatever they wish - that would be censorship. But we do not do that. You have just proven that fact by displaying whatever you are rambling about here.

                    However, the entire team does manage a website that produces an aggregated summary of interesting stories that are on-topic for this site. We do not have to include low quality stories or submissions that do not comply with our submission guidelines, or are not in the topics of interest that this site is established to cover, or are repetitive attempts at expressing your own political views. Such expressions of extreme views are unwanted here. If you want to discuss the alt-right, either for or against it, I suggest that you visit a site that discusses such topics. There are plenty around - but we are not one of them.

          • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:11PM

            by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:11PM (#844256) Journal

            NPC is a right-wing meme that means to mock left-wing reliance upon talking points. It's a little surprising, given the robust cadre of right-leaning Soylentils, that it doesn't pop up more here.

            It is interesting though, that it represents an inversion of what was said of right-wing people who relied upon talking points during Bill Clinton's presidency. Then the label was not "NPC" but "dittohead," which referred to fans of Rush Limbaugh who spoke and acted in lockstep with his opinions without any critical thought.

            It was a smear then, as "NPC" is now, but one that contains a grain of truth: we would all do better to think for ourselves instead of letting passion sweep us away into deleterious conformity.

            --
            Washington DC delenda est.
          • (Score: 3, Informative) by fyngyrz on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:28PM

            by fyngyrz (6567) on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:28PM (#844361) Journal

            Downmod his ass on sight and move on.

            Even more effective...

            Set your account up this way:

            1. Go to any comments page, set your Threshold/Breakthrough to 0
            2. [✓] Save and then click [Change]
            3. Go to your user preferences
            4. Assign a moderation of -6 to foes
            5. Either:
              • Assign a moderation of +2 to anons (they end up always visible at 0...5), or...
              • Assign a moderation of -6 to anons (they end up at -1, invisible)
            6. Assign a moderation of +1 all other users
            7. Save your preferences

            Once the above is done, then you can:

            1. Click on the "face" at the top of any logged-in troll/shitpost
            2. Add problem user(s) to your "foes" list
              • Repeat these two steps as needed over time

            If you choose the first option under the above set up account, step 5, this means anons post like normal users, and everyone lands at 0 or above, so you will see anons even if they are modded down. But foes will always be set to -6, which means no matter how high they get modded up, or mod themselves up with sockpuppets, they'll be at -1.

            So due to the 0 threshold, those foe posts will be mostly automatically collapsed.

            The only exception is when they are not replies but instead top-level comments, which is a serious bug / malfeature in the Soylent code which will hopefully be fixed some day. In the interim, yes, click the [-] button to collapse them.

            This does leave the problem of trolls and shitposters using the "anon" mechanism to break through.

            If you don't want that to happen, apply -6 to anons as well as shown in the second option under the above set up account, step 5. Then you'll only see posts from logged-in users. This is how I presently have my account set up. It's been a great relief, though sadly, I do miss some good anon posts. However:

            The pseudonymity provided by a logged-in account can be just as good as an anon post if that's what someone is after. Because of this, I'm comfortable expecting users to log in — and to post reasonably. If they can't be bothered, then I can't be bothered to read what they write, either.

            --
            Eschew Obfuscation.

  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:08AM (38 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:08AM (#844030)

    This is probably due the risk of child support payments that aren't possible and lead to incarceration = fewer births

    • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by aristarchus on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:43AM (28 children)

      by aristarchus (2645) on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:43AM (#844044) Journal

      Found the incel! I blame video games. It is the instant gratification that makes boy-men these days incapable of dealing with a project as long term as raising a child. College students these days can not hang on during a sixteen week long semester, they fade and disappear after only a few weeks. Now Universities are looking at 5-week terms? Life is not a game, gamer-boy, and your pasty-white privilege will not take you very far.

      • (Score: 1, Offtopic) by JoeMerchant on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:57AM (12 children)

        by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:57AM (#844047)

        dealing with a project as long term as raising a child

        I don' kno' what 'hood you from, but man-boys 'roun' here don' need no long term project to make no baby.

        --
        🌻🌻 [google.com]
        • (Score: 5, Insightful) by aristarchus on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:37AM (11 children)

          by aristarchus (2645) on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:37AM (#844085) Journal

          "Raise", not "make". Scientists in a lab can do the "make" part of babies, but making a person, a whole, complete, moral, non-incel person, takes years

          • (Score: 2) by MostCynical on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:41AM (10 children)

            by MostCynical (2589) on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:41AM (#844111) Journal

            Only a few minutes' work for the male, though.

            --
            "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
            • (Score: 4, Informative) by janrinok on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:58AM (9 children)

              by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:58AM (#844128) Journal

              No, I disagree. You both have an obligation to raise the child as best you can.

              • (Score: 0, Offtopic) by aristarchus on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:39AM (2 children)

                by aristarchus (2645) on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:39AM (#844135) Journal

                Janrinock is right! Proclaim this to the highest mountains! Janrinok is correct! Now if only he would accept some aristarchus submissions that support his position. And, we need to cut the balls off these slacker sperm donors. They give men a bad name.

                • (Score: 1) by NPC-131072 on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:51PM (1 child)

                  by NPC-131072 (7144) on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:51PM (#844270) Journal

                  we need to cut the balls off these slacker sperm donors. They give men a bad name.

                  You want to castrate black men? [afro.com] I respect your commitment to ending white supremacy and after careful consideration must concede that your radical action could have the effect of further reducing the race gap [nih.gov] for single parent families.

                  Aristarchus is the kind of genius those of us on the morally superior left should all applaud. #FreeAristarchus

                  • (Score: 1, Flamebait) by aristarchus on Thursday May 16 2019, @10:55PM

                    by aristarchus (2645) on Thursday May 16 2019, @10:55PM (#844499) Journal

                    Got NPC's hanging off my truck hitch. He don' need 'em, ever since he took an arrow to the 'nads.

              • (Score: 3, Informative) by MostCynical on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:12AM

                by MostCynical (2589) on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:12AM (#844150) Journal

                Alas, taking responsibility for one's actions is ... uncommon

                --
                "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
              • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:47AM (2 children)

                by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:47AM (#844235)

                No, I disagree. You both have an obligation to raise the child as best you can.

                The article is talking about actual population numbers, not philosophical wishful thinking about how things should be, in your opinion.

                --
                🌻🌻 [google.com]
                • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:59AM

                  by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:59AM (#844239) Journal

                  True, but the comment [soylentnews.org] I was responding to wasn't, it was suggesting that the male's responsibility lasted only a few minutes. Of course, this is my opinion.... and I'm allowed to have one just as much as anyone else.

                • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 17 2019, @09:02AM

                  by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 17 2019, @09:02AM (#844647)

                  Personal responsibility, or we'll have your balls! Fucking Incels! I want to fuck them is the ass, for no good reason.

              • (Score: 0, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:57PM (1 child)

                by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:57PM (#844289)

                problem is the male can bugger off anytime leaving the woman to bear the result of a few minutes of fun

                • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 17 2019, @09:06AM

                  by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 17 2019, @09:06AM (#844648)

                  Not if I have their ball-sack in my grasp! You are mine, you pathetic excuse for a man!

      • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:00AM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:00AM (#844048)

        Found the gender studies grad -- this knucklehead spent $$$$ just to learn a few extra words to try to insult people with

        • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:43AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:43AM (#844138)

          Fuck you in your barren intestinal track, you wanna be homosexual who can only manage to be an incel! Why do you think women reject you? It is the same reason other men reject you! You are a pathetic, self-absorbed ego-maniac that cares nothing about others. So we will ostracize you, imprison you, and lend you out for the Gladitorial Games, soon to be re-instituted. Gives you a fighting chance. "He reneged on his child-support! Now he will fight to the death!" I like this idea.

      • (Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:41AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:41AM (#844067)

        You triggered them in their safe space! For shame Ari, have you no sympathy?? They just want to protek thur kulture!

      • (Score: 4, Interesting) by RamiK on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:56AM

        by RamiK (1813) on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:56AM (#844072)

        College students these days can not hang on during a sixteen week long semester, they fade and disappear after only a few weeks.

        We had a video linked here the other day [soylentnews.org] where Ken Thompson was telling about his own pro-student undergrad days... Make sure to watch it.

        --
        compiling...
      • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by crafoo on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:58AM (4 children)

        by crafoo (6639) on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:58AM (#844097)

        The article isn't about raising babies, it's about making them.
        Men decide when marriage happens. It's their decision. But, women decide when babies happen. Men really have no say in that part. So no, video games aren't the issue. Women are deciding not to have babies. Why? As always, look to the economics. People put self-interest first (not a judgement, just the reality).

        • (Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:03AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:03AM (#844145)

          Crafoo, you are a total idiot. I will not have babies with you, and I doubt that any other human being will. Real people, the ones who become parents, do not put self-interest first, only psychopaths like yourself and CEOs do stuff like that. When you die, no one will miss you, and probably no one will remember you.

        • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Magic Oddball on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:08AM (2 children)

          by Magic Oddball (3847) on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:08AM (#844221) Journal

          Unless something major has changed in our society, both the man and woman decide when/whether they're going to get married and when/whether they're going to procreate. One person can insist all they want; the other person still has the option of refusing to participate.

          • (Score: 0, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:06PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:06PM (#844437)

            Unless something major has changed in our society, both the man and woman decide when/whether they're going to get married and when/whether they're going to procreate. One person can insist all they want; the other person still has the option of refusing to participate.

            In theory, yes. But Alabama lawmakers seem intent to change all that. [cnn.com] Even Pat Robertson thinks they have gone too far this time. [cnn.com]

          • (Score: 1, Flamebait) by crafoo on Friday May 17 2019, @01:18PM

            by crafoo (6639) on Friday May 17 2019, @01:18PM (#844686)

            I wish reality was as you see it. It would be cool. But it's not. Women choose when to have children, or if to have them. They have many options other than a lifelong mate. For whatever reason they are choosing not to. Maybe it's a lack of what they consider reasonable mates or maybe they have other priorities. But if there is a shortage of children, it's because women have decided that is their best option.

      • (Score: 2) by shortscreen on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:58AM (3 children)

        by shortscreen (2252) on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:58AM (#844098) Journal

        By "blame video games" you mean that the solution for countries experiencing exploding populations and crushing poverty might be greater access to video games?

        • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:16AM (2 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:16AM (#844104)

          Yes! Well I'm not the OP but yes.

          We need people to pursue non-procreative activities. Video games and contraceptives are an excellent solution. Only the people who truly want children should have them, that will solve so very many of society's problems.

          I recall the author who created http://freakonomics.com/ [freakonomics.com] and specifically the essay on abortion and crime. http://freakonomics.com/2005/05/15/abortion-and-crime-who-should-you-believe/ [freakonomics.com]

          Unloved and unsupported children will do worse in life. It isn't like robotic surgery. The child of a pre-teen or rape victim is very unlikely to have a good life, and the misunderstood negative emotions they receive will likely manifest in hatred and violence.

          Long story short, those who don't WANT to be parents can spend their time in virtual worlds or other pursuits. We don't NEED procreation, in fact as a species we could survive for quite a while with ridiculously low birth rates. Lower the population and the planet does better, we can funnel more resources to fewer people, win fucking win. MOAR VIDEO GAMES!

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:43AM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:43AM (#844136)

            Only the people who truly want children should have them, that will solve so very many of society's problems.

            That depends on why they want children. A few people want children for the extra money in the welfare check. A few want a child to "trap" their mate in a marriage, or to get child support payments after their planned divorce. A few want children because they feel they have to "carry on the family name", or because a parent demands grandbabies, or as a vehicle to live out the dreams their own life failed at, etc.

            People who want children for the child's sake, not for their own, should have children. Those with other reasons should probably just buy a dog.

            • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:35PM

              by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:35PM (#844245) Journal

              Or, it could be, you know, because it's instinctual? You know, that biology, science-y stuff?

              Maybe you have not yet experienced women whose biological clocks start ticking, but after you have you will not dismiss those urges so lightly.

              --
              Washington DC delenda est.
      • (Score: 2, Troll) by fyngyrz on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:23PM (1 child)

        by fyngyrz (6567) on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:23PM (#844389) Journal

        I blame video games.

        I blame multiple things:

        Yes, video games, but also fast food, overnight/sameday delivery, etc., All these things reenforce low patience thinking. It should be obvious, but quality romance and relationships in general both require the investment of significant time and energy. If one doesn't know how to apply those things, that's really not good. People who are mindful of this almost always do better, relationship-wise, than those who are not.

        Financial expectations are lower: home, job and security not as easy for many now. This works against long-term planning, and certainly doesn't lead to thinking "sure, I can afford children."

        Earbuds / headphones: a person isolates themselves when using these. People aren't sharing listening with each other (or to each other.) Music is much more powerful when shared; but one shouldn't let it become all there is, or a replacement for conversation. The best thing you can do with earbuds is only use them when you're alone. Then if someone shows up, they should come off immediately.

        Those cellphones... if their face is in a cellphone, they're not learning how to interact with a person, they're learning how to interact with a device. If people don't learn to put those things away, the odds are much reduced for quality relationships. Along these lines, if one is engaged in a conversation, they should either not answer texts or ring-ins until the conversation is over, or if one must answer (perhaps there are child or job responsibilities), make it quick, efficient, and then apologize and re-establish the conversation ASAP. And for crying out loud, put them away and keep them there during meals with other people.

        People are not engaging in quality conversational interaction. One of the fundamental errors I have been observing more and more often follows the following pattern...

        • Person A says "this happened to me" or "I feel this way."
        • Person B, instead of addressing that, also says "this happened to me" or "I feel this way."

        ...that pattern is a recipe for social failure and isolation. Where's the empathy? That's not interaction, they're not listening to each other, that's just like two parrots squawking at one another. People need to learn to respond with some form of "I feel this way about what you've just told me" or "tell me more" or "I have this relevant question" about what they were just told.

        Television. Two people engaged in a video presentation is not going to advance a relationship. Video is the devil when it comes to romance and relationship development. Two people like Game of Thrones? They can't base a quality relationship on that. Step Away From The Television.

        Erosion of distinctive sensual plumage fashion on the female side. Dresses, hose, lace, etc. are much sexier and considerably more mysterious than pants, for instance. If a woman dresses like a guy, they can reasonably expect to be treated like a guy. IMHO, that's definitely not the "equality" a woman ought to be pursuing if they're a heterosexual female. Reasonable equality is about equal pay, equal opportunity, equal rights, control over one's own reproductive system — not presenting as a male-analog. If a woman won't embrace her own femininity, there's little reason to expect to be treated as if they are female. More likely they'll be treated essentially as "some dude." The number of guys who want to have kids with "some dude" isn't all that high, near as I can tell.

        Related to the former point, an over-sensitivity to male advances. Many fellows are now reluctant to make an initial advance, because the consequences are all too often outrageously over-severe. Either the females need to learn to make a lot more advances themselves, or they have to learn how to politely and kindly deal with unwanted advances. And they also need to stop freaking out if someone whistles at them or similar... FFS, it's a complement. Females need to learn to deal, and males need to get comfortable with complements, conversational sallies, etc. Which of course won't happen as long as today's vicious responses are socially acceptable.

        Political correctness has nearly killed off office flirting, innuendo, and romance. There goes a large portion of almost everyone's social day into the shitter. This is probably so far gone it can't be fixed. This is a huge loss for starting quality relationships. Really, really unfortunate.

        --
        What if there were no hypothetical questions?

        • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:28PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:28PM (#844513)

          Related to the former point, an over-sensitivity to male advances. Many fellows are now reluctant to make an initial advance, because the consequences are all too often outrageously over-severe.

          Roy Moore? That you? Or some other creepy man?

          And they also need to stop freaking out if someone whistles at them or similar... FFS, it's a complement.

          Like having their skirts lifted, or being fondled? Are you a rapist?

          Political correctness has nearly killed off office flirting, innuendo, and romance. There goes a large portion of almost everyone's social day into the shitter. This is probably so far gone it can't be fixed. This is a huge loss for starting quality relationships. Really, really unfortunate.

          Just how OLD are you, fyngrober? People do not date like this anymore. Men no longer consider such actions acceptable.

    • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:31AM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:31AM (#844061)

      Once you have a kid, you are at risk of child support. You might as well have more kids. Do this as quickly as possible. For example, I got 5 in about 7 years.

      Once you have a half dozen kids, you are fairly safe. She knows that child support would be inadequate and that few other men would take her.

      Keep going! For example, I'll be having my twelfth kid soon. My wife knows that other than me, the only people who'd want her would be pedophiles. There is no escape, and that is how I like it.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:41AM (2 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:41AM (#844089)

        Congrats! You found one of the good ones plus having a big family is fun during the holidays

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:46AM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:46AM (#844139)

          plus having a big family is fun during the holidays

          Unless its Mormon, where Dad is just planning to establish his own Kolob and rule over all us kids like some old Testament God, or Joseph Smith.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:03PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:03PM (#844435)

            Unless its Mormon

            You're just jealous that you don't get to wear magic underwear or have your own planet.

    • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:47AM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:47AM (#844070)
      Perhaps men do not want to deal with women who can rob them blind as soon as they find a larger d*k. Many women start looking a few years after the birth of a child, and the government is happy to make the old husband pay for it.
      • (Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:06AM (2 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:06AM (#844074)

        Hate to break it to you, but dick size is not actually all that important. Insanely more important is putting in the time to make your partner orgasm which can be done in a variety of ways. Put in that effort and you solve your sexual performance problems. Go down on a girl till she gets a good orgasm and she'll gladly let you thrust away for a few minutes and not care whether you made her come twice.

        Now, aside from sexual performance you also have to not be a shit heel misogynist that says shit like you just did. Most women want decent partners they can build a life with and they aren't looking for the next sugar daddy with a big dick. Some are, but then again some men are dogs who'll cheat on their wives and give them STDs.

        Dig yourself out of the incel lifestyle, it doesn't lead anywhere nice. Worried about them leaving you and taking your money? Get a pre-nup. Seriously, your gripes have many solutions that don't require hating all women.

        • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:08AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:08AM (#844147)

          Short version: Found the Micro-penis!

        • (Score: 2) by crafoo on Friday May 17 2019, @01:29PM

          by crafoo (6639) on Friday May 17 2019, @01:29PM (#844690)

          I'd let this comment go as just generally uniformed and written from an inexperienced person, but that last bit advice about a pre-nup is so bad it's borderline malevolent. Prenuptial agreements hold 0.001% weight in family court when the divorce rolls around. All of them. All of them ever written.

    • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @09:04AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @09:04AM (#844185)

      It might also be due to the fact that pregnancy, childbirth, and raising children are fucking wretched endeavors, and more people have access to the gory details of it all and choose to avoid it.

  • (Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:54AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:54AM (#844045)
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @09:11AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @09:11AM (#844190)

      If that actually succeeds, it will just result in women dying, more unwanted children in the foster system, more child abuse of unwanted children, and just generally more misery all around. So... win?

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:55AM (2 children)

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:55AM (#844046)

    With carrot-top in the White House, optimism for the fate of future offspring hits an all-time low.

    --
    🌻🌻 [google.com]
    • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:29AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:29AM (#844227)

      If that's the carrot, I don't want to know what the stick would be.

      • (Score: 3, Funny) by JoeMerchant on Friday May 17 2019, @03:35PM

        by JoeMerchant (3937) on Friday May 17 2019, @03:35PM (#844746)

        Ronnie called it trickle down - one can only guess what it's trickling out of.

        --
        🌻🌻 [google.com]
  • (Score: 0, Flamebait) by realDonaldTrump on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:09AM (4 children)

    by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:09AM (#844053) Homepage Journal

    It's known as The Great Replacement. Also known as, the "Mathmatical Theory" that The U. S.A. White Majority Will Soon Disappear -- FOREVER. Don't worry. Don't worry about that one. Because we're working very hard on it. Building the Big Beautiful Boarder Wall. To keep out the Mexican Rapists. Keep out the Iranian Terrorists. And, keep out the Vezenuelan Socialist Drug Runners. That have been invading our fabulous Country. And, we're moving very strongly to cut the "legal" Immigration. The folks that come here on a tourist visa to do terrorism. Known as Terror Tourism. Kill so many of our fine people. And, stay in our Country having Anchor Babies. Which many constitutional law "scholars" say is 100% illegal. These babies are not American citizens. NOT COVERED by 14th. Amendment. You don’t need a new amendment. All we have to do is go back to Congress. It’s been fully vetted now. I was right on the anchor babies. You don’t have to do a constitutional amendment. You need an act of Congress. I’m telling you, you need an act of Congress. Everybody thought you needed a constitutional amendment. You don’t need that. And we won overwhelmingly in the midterm elections. So we're moving very quickly on that one. MAGA!!!

    • (Score: 4, Touché) by http on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:24PM (3 children)

      by http (1920) on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:24PM (#844307)

      What's the problem with whites not being a majority? Are minorities not treated equally?

      --
      I browse at -1 when I have mod points. It's unsettling.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:19PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:19PM (#844447)

        What's the problem with whites not being a majority?

        Congratulations! You've just stumbled upon the (not so) hidden bigotry of some posters to SN. Of course, they could "solve" this problem by having more <sarcasm>genetically superior</sarcasm> white Caucasian babies but that would mean a desperate search for women who would want to procreate with them. But then they would find out the awful truth: everyone hates them and can't stand being around them long enough to make babies with them.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:29PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:29PM (#844451)

        You probably don't see the problem, but that is because you take the whole world's advances for granted. These were not realized by some gods or aliens. These were imagined and built by white men.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:53PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:53PM (#844459)

        They're doing great in South Africa.

  • (Score: 3, Funny) by NewNic on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:09AM (16 children)

    by NewNic (6420) on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:09AM (#844054) Journal

    We need immigrants to make up for the shortfall!

    The birthrate has fallen below that required to sustain the population.

    --
    lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
    • (Score: 2, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:06AM (15 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:06AM (#844073)

      I remain convinced that Congress is well aware of Dr. Ehrlich's "The Population Bomb", and has done all in their power to implement birth control - without directly legislating it.

      They are quite clever in passing law to make it extremely financially risky for the males to engage in mating rituals. While simultaneously implementing social support systems to make what used to be the male's function in the family redundant to governmental family redundant support programs, paid by the existing tax base.

      So, we now have jailfulls of unwanted superfluous men. And lots of kids knowing no other way of life but being good so they won't be dropped off the welfare rolls.

      With our resources, we can build lots of jails.

      • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:34AM (5 children)

        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:34AM (#844084) Journal

        They are quite clever in

        About as clever as the robin that keeps attacking my windows. Don't attribute to competence that which can be readily explained by incompetence.

        • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:40AM (4 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:40AM (#844088)

          And do not attribute to khallow the ability to recall Hanlon's razor. My God, man! Epic fail!

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:03AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:03AM (#844099)

            Ah yes, the rare instance of defending khallow. He is right, though I wouldn't call it incompetence so much as greed. The "population bomb" is marching along just fine and after the last few years I simply can not fathom that the desecration of humanity is anything other than unadulterated greed.

            Short sighted ignorant fools given too much power; they think they are better than every other human due to their good fortune and greed. Sadly they are the four horsemen, riding long and hard to bring doom to us all.

            Will it be nuclear holocaust caused by a vain fool simply trying to distract from his own follies? Or will it be the long slow boil of stupid humanity destroying the very things which bring them life?

          • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:04AM (2 children)

            by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:04AM (#844100) Journal

            And do not attribute to khallow the ability to recall Hanlon's razor.

            I was employing subtle sarcasm. With a sixteen foot mallet. It's good that my efforts are appreciated.

            • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:51AM (1 child)

              by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:51AM (#844142)

              Yeah, sure, right! Or, you are just an idiot, khallow, incapable of reproduction.

              • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:17PM

                by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:17PM (#844507) Journal
                Given that I brought up the play on Hanlon's razor in the first place, I think I'll go with the scenario that I'm not the one being the idiot.
      • (Score: 4, Insightful) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:56AM (8 children)

        by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:56AM (#844096)

        I was unaware of Dr. Ehrlich's "The Population Bomb" so I did a bit of a search for it.

        The Population Bomb is a best-selling book written by Stanford University Professor Paul R. Ehrlich and his wife, Anne Ehrlich (who was uncredited), in 1968.[1][2] It predicted worldwide famine in the 1970s and 1980s due to overpopulation...

        Oh

        After explaining the domestic policies the US should pursue, he discusses foreign policy. He advocates a system of "triage," such as that suggested by William and Paul Paddock in Famine 1975!.

        Wow, Famine 1975! that sounds bad...

        Famine 1975! America's Decision: Who Will Survive? is a best-selling[1] 1967 book by William and Paul Paddock. The brothers describe the rapidly growing population of the world, and a situation in which they believe it would be impossible to feed the entire global population within the short-term future. They believed that widespread famine would be the inevitable result, by 1975.

        Oh.

        So maybe Congress is well aware of Dr. Ehrlich's "The Population Bomb" and have dismissed it because it's wrong.

        • (Score: 5, Insightful) by deimtee on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:25AM (7 children)

          by deimtee (3272) on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:25AM (#844107) Journal

          The timing is wrong mostly because technology made huge differences that they didn't take into account, but as long as world population keeps growing, eventually you catch up to Malthus.
          If you go with nuclear power, small apartments stacked high, and a pretty bland subsistance level existence, that point may be up in the hundreds of billions. But you get there in the end.

          --
          If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
          • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:24PM (6 children)

            by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:24PM (#844511) Journal

            The timing is wrong mostly because technology made huge differences that they didn't take into account, but as long as world population keeps growing, eventually you catch up to Malthus.

            "But". Everybody's fertility and birth rates are dropping. Not just Japan and Germany.

            If you go with nuclear power, small apartments stacked high, and a pretty bland subsistance level existence, that point may be up in the hundreds of billions. But you get there in the end.

            Unless, of course, your population doesn't actually grow indefinitely.

            • (Score: 3, Interesting) by deimtee on Friday May 17 2019, @01:17AM (5 children)

              by deimtee (3272) on Friday May 17 2019, @01:17AM (#844549) Journal

              Unless, of course, your population doesn't actually grow indefinitely.

              If a population doesn't grow until it hits its resource limits, it will be replaced by a population that does. This is simple evolution.
              There is a current blip in the chart because resources have had a huge technological jump, and because humans have not yet evolved around contraception. They will soon, there are already women who desire many children. If that desire is in the slightest way heritable, then they will replace people who do not desire children.

              I personally think that this is at least part of the Great Filter (the Fermi paradox). There is a slight chance that we might break out because we advanced so fast, but if history or the human race had been only slightly different we would be keeping 20 billion people alive down here with no resources to spare for an expensive space program.

              --
              If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
              • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday May 17 2019, @12:09PM (4 children)

                by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday May 17 2019, @12:09PM (#844672) Journal

                If a population doesn't grow until it hits its resource limits, it will be replaced by a population that does.

                Hasn't happened yet in the developed world. Instead more of the world has become developed world.

                There is a current blip in the chart because resources have had a huge technological jump, and because humans have not yet evolved around contraception. They will soon, there are already women who desire many children. If that desire is in the slightest way heritable, then they will replace people who do not desire children.

                Why would they "evolve" around contraception? Particularly since the populations doing the indefinite growing would also be the populations doing the dying should we get to any actual evolutionary bottlenecks of that sort.

                I personally think that this is at least part of the Great Filter (the Fermi paradox). There is a slight chance that we might break out because we advanced so fast, but if history or the human race had been only slightly different we would be keeping 20 billion people alive down here with no resources to spare for an expensive space program.

                A cheap space program on the other hand, would have access to plenty of resources.

                • (Score: 2) by deimtee on Friday May 17 2019, @03:40PM (3 children)

                  by deimtee (3272) on Friday May 17 2019, @03:40PM (#844749) Journal

                  Why would they "evolve" around contraception? Particularly since the populations doing the indefinite growing would also be the populations doing the dying should we get to any actual evolutionary bottlenecks of that sort.

                  Because that's how evolution works. Pick any measurable characteristic of any species on the planet. Lets call this characteristic 'wibbleness' It will have a range of possible values. Adjust your measurement scale so that 'wibbleness' ranges from 1 to 10.
                  Now sterilize every individual that has a value of 9 or 10 before they can breed. Sterilize 50% of the individuals that score a 7 or 8 before they can breed. Keep doing this every generation. Within a very few generations you are going to have a species with a 'wibbleness' range of 1 to 6. You may get occasional throwbacks, but they will be statistically insignificant.

                  Now replace 'wibbleness' with 'effectively uses contraception'. Failing to breed is the strongest evolutionary drive there is.

                  I think the disconnect here is that I am talking about more generations than you are. The effect is already starting, but it probably won't flood the planet for another dozen generations. We as a species have a pretty limited launch window to actually get off this planet and survive in space.

                  --
                  If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
                  • (Score: 1) by khallow on Monday May 20 2019, @01:41AM (2 children)

                    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday May 20 2019, @01:41AM (#845382) Journal

                    Because that's how evolution works.

                    Sorry, we're mostly beyond evolution. Sure, evolution still has some impact on what human traits will be around next generation. But my take is that what will influence human traits will be more based on technology and culture/knowledge than on what survives among human genes.

                    Now replace 'wibbleness' with 'effectively uses contraception'. Failing to breed is the strongest evolutionary drive there is.

                    Or "survives population die-offs".

                    • (Score: 2) by deimtee on Monday May 20 2019, @03:20AM (1 child)

                      by deimtee (3272) on Monday May 20 2019, @03:20AM (#845398) Journal

                      We are not beyond evolution until we have full immortality. Any reproducing species is still evolving.
                      At the moment, all we have done is changed the selection criteria. Current major evolutionary driver is "willing to have lots of kids".
                      Eventually it might be "able to survive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland and still have kids".
                      The only things that might avert that are strict population control as in Niven's ARM stories (not a pleasant society, but better than the alternative) or compulsory universal genetic engineering (also not a nice option, and likely to lead to nasty civil wars).

                      Sure, evolution still has some impact on what human traits will be around next generation. But my take is that what will influence human traits will be more based on technology and culture/knowledge than on what survives among human genes.

                      Read Dawkins The extended Phenotype for why this doesn't really matter in evolutionary terms.

                      --
                      If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
                      • (Score: 1) by khallow on Monday May 20 2019, @04:18AM

                        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday May 20 2019, @04:18AM (#845411) Journal

                        We are not beyond evolution until we have full immortality. Any reproducing species is still evolving.

                        How do ideas like say capitalism or artificial wombs evolve?

  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:34AM (10 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:34AM (#844062)

    There is weak demand for more native born kids, so there is weak supply too.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:43AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:43AM (#844068)

      I almost chuckled, but then I realized it probably isn't just dark sarcasm playing off the xenophobia lurking all over the US.

    • (Score: 5, Touché) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:21AM (3 children)

      by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:21AM (#844080) Journal

      You have to admit, there aren't many natives left to HAVE kids, what with the waves of violent, resource-hungry immigrants and everything. You would think there would be some kind of laws passed against that sort of thing, but invaders gonna invade.

      They should all just fuck off back to Europe!

      (That didn't go where you were hoping it would, did it?)

      --
      I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:57AM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:57AM (#844125)

        Wow, what do you have against Africans, you racist?

        • (Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:56AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:56AM (#844143)

          I think it was directed against people of alleged European Ancestry, like David Duke, the Duck call magnate. America, Love it, or Give it Back!

      • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:03PM

        by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:03PM (#844254) Journal

        The population of American Indians is 5.2 million. It's not much relative to the total US population, but then the population of American Jews is 5.7 million. American Muslims number 3.45 million.

        Are numbers the measure of a population's vigor?

        --
        Washington DC delenda est.
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:25AM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:25AM (#844154)

      What's with neckbeards and STEM.

      • (Score: 4, Informative) by janrinok on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:34AM (2 children)

        by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:34AM (#844158) Journal

        It is what this site was created for in 2014. It is what the community chose to have as their topics for discussion during 2014 and 2015. It is not a general discussion site but a news aggregation site for STEM. The addition of political stories was introduce during the run up to the 2016 elections because many of the 'promises' that were being made had an impact on STEM and related topics. If you have come to the wrong site you are free to leave and find another more suited to your own interests.

        • (Score: 3, Funny) by realDonaldTrump on Thursday May 16 2019, @09:26AM

          by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Thursday May 16 2019, @09:26AM (#844195) Homepage Journal

          RIP Tim Conway. Big STEM guy because, television (the "T" in STEM). And, RIP Luke Perry, another big STEM guy -- star of Beverly Hills, 90210. Burried in Mico Organism (Mushroom)Suit. Also known as the Green Burial!!!

        • (Score: 3, Informative) by Phoenix666 on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:58PM

          by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday May 16 2019, @12:58PM (#844251) Journal

          I would add that the community grew out of Slashdot, but even Slashdot from its beginning comprised such stories on occasion because it's "Stuff That Matters." This story is not even a stretch because it's demography, which is a discipline that uses statistics and numbers and modeling and everything and underpins a huge amount of the government policy surrounding the construction of roads, power lines, police stations, and everything else that most people take for granted.

          --
          Washington DC delenda est.
    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:26PM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:26PM (#844512) Journal
      Substitution goods. A woman no longer needs a bunch of kids in order to have a good life.
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