Existential Threat to Human Populations?

[ronandannette]

https://www.aol.com/news/male-fertility-crash-accelerating-worldwide-222355062.html
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/ot...-what-might-it-mean-for-fertility/ar-AA147Z6v

Inspired by the "Listening to the Radio" thread this morning, this is the most interesting thing I heard, and was surprised to find a whole bunch of sources documenting the same issue when I googled it.

Apparently male fertility, specifically measured by sperm-counts, have plummeted alarmingly (60%) over the past 40 years, at consistent levels in all 53 countries that report findings on such things. All of them now site environmental contamination as the main causes, as opposed to research a generation ago that specified life-style issues (obesity, smoking, lack of exercise). In the few minutes I spent on it, I didn't find any good studies directly linking this to lower birth rates but logically, you'd think it must.

A few questions/points of discussion come to mind. Why do we not hear much about male fertility issues? The entire topic is very sensitive but it's WAY more common to hear of all the extreme measures taken when the mother's fertility is the issue. Do you feel this a serious, world-wide health crisis or is it more of an what-we-don't-know-doesn't-hurt-us issue?

Overall, how interested are you when you hear/read/see information of this sort?

 

[CapnNemo]

Young people these days don't even want kids. They are basically too selfish to bother with them. Having a kid would cramp their lifestyle. The fact that male fertility is dropping is a bonus for them. If there was a pregnancy, it would get aborted anyway. No one cares - yet.

 

[sipnride]

Young people these days don't even want kids. They are basically too selfish to bother with them. Having a kid would cramp their lifestyle. The fact that male fertility is dropping is a bonus for them. If there was a pregnancy, it would get aborted anyway. No one cares - yet.

I think that's kind of an unfair assessment of young people. Affordable housing has been out of reach for most young people for over a decade, so if they're going to have a child they'd have to bring that child into their parents home and their parents would have to be cool with that arrangement for a good number of years. Also have to consider that a lot of people in their 20s and 30s have parents in their 60s, as a lot of boomers waited until later to have kids. In many cases those young people are taking care of elderly parents with varying degrees of disability.

Are there some young people who are too self centered to have children? Yup, and that's always been true. The difference is that it's easier than ever to avoid having unwanted children, and honestly we're probably all better off now that self centered people are bringing fewer unwanted babies into the world.

 

[leahgoogle]

Young people these days don't even want kids. They are basically too selfish to bother with them. Having a kid would cramp their lifestyle. The fact that male fertility is dropping is a bonus for them. If there was a pregnancy, it would get aborted anyway. No one cares - yet.

I always tell my kids not to have kids unless they are ready for the responsibility and really want them. I don't think it is selfish not to have kids. I think it is the responsible thing to do if you really don't want kids.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Are there some young people who are too self centered to have children? Yup, and that's always been true. The difference is that it's easier than ever to avoid having unwanted children, and honestly we're probably all better off now that self centered people are bringing fewer unwanted babies into the world.

There's also the fact that some people just don't want to be parents. Doesn't have to do with money or housing situation. Some people have different goals and priorities in their lives. I'm one of those people. I don't think it's selfish and even if it is, who cares? Each kid should be wanted by their parents.

 

[DLgal]

Young people these days don't even want kids. They are basically too selfish to bother with them. Having a kid would cramp their lifestyle. The fact that male fertility is dropping is a bonus for them. If there was a pregnancy, it would get aborted anyway. No one cares - yet.

Wow, you know ALL the young people? That's amazing.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

https://www.aol.com/news/male-fertility-crash-accelerating-worldwide-222355062.html
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/ot...-what-might-it-mean-for-fertility/ar-AA147Z6v

Inspired by the "Listening to the Radio" thread this morning, this is the most interesting thing I heard, and was surprised to find a whole bunch of sources documenting the same issue when I googled it.

Apparently male fertility, specifically measured by sperm-counts, have plummeted alarmingly (60%) over the past 40 years, at consistent levels in all 53 countries that report findings on such things. All of them now site environmental contamination as the main causes, as opposed to research a generation ago that specified life-style issues (obesity, smoking, lack of exercise). In the few minutes I spent on it, I didn't find any good studies directly linking this to lower birth rates but logically, you'd think it must.

A few questions/points of discussion come to mind. Why do we not hear much about male fertility issues? The entire topic is very sensitive but it's WAY more common to hear of all the extreme measures taken when the mother's fertility is the issue. Do you feel this a serious, world-wide health crisis or is it more of an what-we-don't-know-doesn't-hurt-us issue?

Overall, how interested are you when you hear/read/see information of this sort?

Sweet mercy, this is exactly how The Handmaid’s Tale started.

I think there’s a disproportionate focus on women’s fertility because it’s long been engrained in our society’s psyche to protect the male ego. Even as attitudes change, we’re left with gaps in our knowledge as a result and there’s a lingering general attitude that women are the ones responsible for all things having to do with reproduction. For instance, there’s evidence that a father’s alcohol consumption can cause fetal abnormalities but I’m pretty sure just about everyone considers it the mother’s responsibility to stop drinking when she’s trying to get pregnant, not his.

And yes, I find this exceptionally interesting, particularly as it relates to how badly we’re poisoning our environment and what that’s doing to our health.

Young people these days don't even want kids. They are basically too selfish to bother with them. Having a kid would cramp their lifestyle. The fact that male fertility is dropping is a bonus for them. If there was a pregnancy, it would get aborted anyway. No one cares - yet.

As opposed to the selfishness of creating an entire human being and bringing them into existence because you want someone to love, someone to love you, someone to carry on your genes or family name, someone to take care of you in your old age…. What are the non-selfish reasons for having a kid, exactly?

Kudos to everyone out there who is caring and responsible enough to realize they wouldn’t be 100% committed or able to give a child the best life possible who therefore choose to opt out. That’s far superior to the old attitude of “kids are just something you do once you get married whether you’re competent to care for them or not.”

 

[pigletto]

Young people these days don't even want kids. They are basically too selfish to bother with them. Having a kid would cramp their lifestyle. The fact that male fertility is dropping is a bonus for them. If there was a pregnancy, it would get aborted anyway. No one cares - yet.

Good lord .. you need an award for all the gross generalizations in this post. That’s like some Olympic level stereotyping right there.

 

[MillauFr]

Wouldn't a drop in the population of people running around and labeling others as "selfish" be considered a huge positive?