Hi everyone, I’m only interested in hearing from comrades so that’s why I thought this could be a good community to post, but if you think this is the wrong community please direct me somewhere else!
Today I was talking to someone somewhat close to me, he mentioned countries like Germany have an aging population and a falling birth rate and I pointed out that I believe it’s connected to the cost of living crisis (especially with the expensive energy imports and with governments happily destroying the welfare state) and my friend said that he doesn’t buy it and that in his opinion it’s hedonism (?).
I find that kind of argument unprovable and moralistic, but it caught me off guard and I figured I’d take this as a learning opportunity. Have you heard this kind of argumentation? Am I right to assume it’s just a reactionary thing? Is this worth engaging with, even if it’s just for criticism, and if so how? Or should I just move on? I can’t cut contact with him but I can just change the topic again if it comes to that lol.
Your opponent’s argument is not a very good one, because the issue isn’t millenials/genz not having enough kids, it goes back to our parents and grandparents not having enough kids, etc. The cost of living argument is also suspect because like others have said, richer countries are having less kids while underdeveloped ones are having more. So, I don’t have an answer either.