When I became a pediatrician, my goal was to help \u200cparents care for their sick children. Little did I know \u200cthat I would spend a significant amount of time teaching adults \u2064how to use a diaper. But with fewer people having children, it’s becoming more common\u2064 for adults in \u2062their\u2064 30s to encounter their first baby \u200dup \u200cclose when it’s their own.<\/p>\n

What used to be the stuff of ’80s\u2064 comedies about clueless single men or frigid career women is now the reality for a small number of children \u2062who escape the infertility-spreading medical establishment.\u2062 These kids face numerous challenges, including fewer friends, siblings, and child-friendly spaces. And if current\u2063 birth rate trends continue, they may even face the\u200d potential collapse of civilization as we know it.<\/p>\n

Last week, Alex Berenson, a former New York Times reporter\u200d and award-winning novelist<\/a>, wrote \u2063the first in a series about declining birth rates worldwide. He believes that \u2063the future of humanity is at stake. Berenson’s interest in the topic was sparked by concerns about\u2062 the effects of the \u200dCovid \u200dmRNA vaccine on fertility. However, he sees this issue as something much bigger than divisive debates about immigration or vaccines. It’s about humanity’s \u200dfaith in itself.<\/p>\n

Demographers and pundits have been \u200bwarning about this crisis for decades, and now it’s\u200c finally here. Mark Steyn’s bestselling book, “America Alone,” highlighted the declining birth rate<\/a> nearly 20 years \u2063ago. When Christopher Hitchens asked then-UK Prime Minister Tony Blair about \u2064Steyn’s warnings, Blair acknowledged that it was part of the conversation among world leaders, albeit a\u200b subterranean one.<\/p>\n

So why isn’t this existential crisis \u2062receiving the same level of attention as other\u200b crises? Jordan Peterson, in a discussion with feminist Camille Paglia, pointed to the\u200c chaos of the sexual revolution as a \u200dmajor factor. According to Paglia, it has become taboo for \u2064women to prioritize motherhood over their careers due to the influence \u200bof feminism, which has championed abortion and downplayed the importance of being a mother.<\/p>\n

These topics remain off-limits as long \u2062as feminists\u2062 and \u2062their allies control the cultural conversation. Brad Wilcox, a defender of marriage and the\u2064 family, echoes Paglia’s assessment, stating that too many liberals have bought into the false narrative that\u200c happiness lies in independence,\u200c freedom, and work, rather than in marriage and \u200cfamily life.<\/p>\n

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The problem facing liberals, then, is that too many\u200c of them have embraced the false narrative that the path to happiness runs counter to marriage\u2062 and family life, not towards it. They think\u200d independence, freedom and work will make them happy, which is why significant portions of the popular media\u2064 are \u2062filled these days with stories celebrating divorce and \u200csingleness. [\u2026] The \u2063secret \u2063to happiness, for most\u200b men and women, involves marriage\u2064 and a \u2063life based around the family.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
It seems that our joy and the\u200d survival of our civilization’s demographics are being held hostage by a \u200cfalse narrative perpetuated by \u2062misguided ideologues. This narrative, though untrue,\u200c is fiercely defended.<\/p>\n
Berenson, in his\u2063 pursuit of important stories that are overlooked by the mainstream \u2063media, believes that the declining birth rate\u200d is a global crisis. He points out that East\u2063 Asian countries \u200clike Japan and South Korea \u200dare \u2063particularly\u2064 affected, as they \u200dhave low \u200cbirth rates and \u200cminimal immigration\u200d to replace\u200c their aging populations.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on a wedding he didn’t attend\u2064 because children\u200b were\u2063 not welcome, Berenson realized the bleak reality of our\u2064 demographic decline.\u2063 Child-free weddings are becoming increasingly popular, emphasizing the bride’s desire for an uninterrupted celebration. However, a wedding is not just an \u2063extravagant party; it’s a celebration of the birth of a\u2062 new family and the \u200dhope for future generations.<\/p>\n
Secularism \u200cis a significant factor contributing to the decline in birth rates, as Dennis Prager explains in his commentary on Genesis. Without prayer or a belief in a higher power, many people prioritize their own desires over the responsibility of raising children. The world we now inhabit is one where Edmund Spenser’s fervent \u200bprayer for a large posterity \u200cwould be seen as outdated.<\/p>\n
As the saying \u2064goes, the future belongs to those who show up. It remains uncertain who will inherit the lands \u2064when our society has fewer and fewer children. But one\u200d thing is\u2064 for sure: they will know how to change diapers.<\/p>\n
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What are the potential consequences of declining birth rates on the economy, healthcare system, and social structure?<\/h2>\n
Declining birth rates.<\/p>\n
But\u2062 the reality is\u2063 that our society cannot thrive without \u2063a healthy birth rate. \u2062As Berenson points out, declining birth rates have \u2062serious consequences for the economy, healthcare\u2062 system, \u200dand social structure. With fewer children being born, there will be fewer future\u2063 workers to support \u2062an aging population. This will put strain on social security systems and healthcare resources. Additionally, a decline\u2063 in the number of children means fewer \u2063opportunities for social interaction and development, leading to a potential collapse of civilization as we know it.<\/p>\n
It’s time to address this issue head-on and start prioritizing\u200d the importance of\u2064 family life and parenthood. We need\u200c to create a\u2063 culture that values and supports parents in \u200craising their children. This\u200d means providing affordable childcare options<\/a>, paid parental leave<\/a>, and flexible\u200b work arrangements. It also means challenging the prevailing narrative that happiness lies solely in independence \u2063and career success.<\/p>\n
Feminism \u2062has made great strides<\/a> in advancing women’s rights and opportunities in the workforce. However, it’s important to recognize that\u200d prioritizing career over motherhood should be a personal choice,\u200b not a societal expectation. Women should be able to pursue both if they \u2063so\u2064 desire, without feeling guilty or pressured to sacrifice\u200d one for the other.<\/p>\n
It’s \u2063also crucial to address the underlying factors that\u200d contribute to declining birth rates. Economic uncertainty, rising costs of living, and \u2064the burden of student\u200c loan debt all make it \u2064more \u200ddifficult for young adults \u200bto\u200c start families.\u200b By advocating for policies that\u2064 promote economic stability and \u200dalleviate financial burdens, we can create \u200dan environment that is conducive to parenthood.<\/p>\n
The decline \u2063in birth rates\u2062 is a complex issue that requires a\u2063 multi-faceted approach. It’s not \u200cenough to \u2062simply acknowledge the problem; we must take action to reverse this trend. Our future depends on it.<\/p>\n
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The\u200c end of the world as we know it? <\/p>\n
\u2014 Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) December \u206431, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n