What happens when fewer people choose to have children? | The Ethical Life podcast

kAmkDEC@?8mtA:D@56 achik^DEC@?8m u@C >@DE @7 9F>2? 9:DE@CJ[ DE2CE:?8 2 72>:=J H2D D66? 2D 2 ?@C>2= A2CE @7 25F=E9@@5] %@52J[ E92E 2DDF>AE:@? :D 492?8:?8] p4C@DD E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 2?5 >F49 @7 E96 H@C=5[ k2 E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A@542DED]2AA=6]4@>^FD^A@542DE^E96\8=@32=\76CE:=:EJ\4C:D:D\:D\H@CD6\E92?\J@F\E9:?<^:5`dhccf`_abn:l`___fefhbg`daQm3:CE9C2E6D 2C6 72==:?8k^2m[ 72>:=J D:K6D 2C6 D9C:?<:?8[ 2?5 >@C6 25F=ED 2C6 564:5:?8 E92E A2C6?E9@@5 :D ?@E A2CE @7 E96:C 7FEFC6]k^Am

kAmx? E9:D 6A:D@56[ 9@DED #:492C5 zJE6 2?5 $4@EE #252 6IA=@C6 H92E >2J 36 5C:G:?8 E92E D9:7E 2?5 H92E :E 4@F=5 >62? 7@C D@4:6EJ] pC6 4@?46C?D 23@FE 9@FD:?8 4@DED[ A@=:E:4D[ 4=:>2E6 492?86 2?5 64@?@>:4 F?46CE2:?EJ 42FD:?8 A6@A=6 E@ 56=2J @C 2G@:5 A2C6?E9@@5n ~C :D D@>6E9:?8 566A6C 92AA6?:?8 2D >@56C? =:76 364@>6D >@C6 :?5:G:5F2=:DE:4 2?5 =6DD 46?E6C65 @? 72>:=J 2?5 4@>>F?:EJnk^Am

kAm%96 4@?G6CD2E:@? 6I2>:?6D 9@H 2EE:EF56D E@H2C5 49:=5C6? 92G6 6G@=G65 @G6C E96 A2DE 76H 564256D] {2C86 72>:=:6D E92E @?46 D66>65 @C5:?2CJ ?@H @7E6? 2EEC24E 4FC:@D:EJ] !2C6?E9@@5[ @?46 H:56=J 6IA64E65[ :D :?4C62D:?8=J G:6H65 2D @?6 @AE:@? 2>@?8 >2?J] pE E96 D2>6 E:>6[ 4@>>F?:E:6D 2C6 8C2AA=:?8 H:E9 28:?8 A@AF=2E:@?D[ 564=:?:?8 D49@@= 6?C@==>6?ED 2?5 E96 =@?8\E6C> 67764ED @7 92G:?8 76H6C J@F?8 A6@A=6 E@ DFAA@CE 7FEFC6 86?6C2E:@?D]k^Am

kAm%96 9@DED 5:D4FDD H96E96C >@56C? D@4:6E:6D 92G6 364@>6 =6DD H6=4@>:?8 E@ 72>:=:6D[ ?@E E9C@F89 9@DE:=:EJ 3FE E9C@F89 2 8C@H:?8 6>A92D:D @? 4@?G6?:6?46[ :?56A6?56?46 2?5 A6CD@?2= 7F=7:==>6?E] %96J 2=D@ 4@?D:56C E96 C@=6 @7 AF3=:4 A@=:4J[ :?4=F5:?8 49:=542C6 DF3D:5:6D 2?5 A2:5 72>:=J =62G6[ 2?5 H96E96C 8@G6C?>6?E AC@8C2>D 42? >62?:?87F==J :?7=F6?46 72>:=J 7@C>2E:@? @C :7 E96 :DDF6 :D F=E:>2E6=J 4F=EFC2=]k^Am

kAmp=@?8 E96 H2J[ E96J C67=64E @? E96 492==6?86D 2?5 C6H2C5D @7 C2:D:?8 49:=5C6?[ E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 :?E6C86?6C2E:@?2= 4@??64E:@?D 2?5 E96 H2JD 72>:=J =:76 42? 3C@256? A6CDA64E:G6D 36J@?5 @FC @H? :>>65:2E6 :?E6C6DED]k^Am