this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2024
233 points (96.8% liked)

World News

39142 readers
2640 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 92 points 7 months ago (2 children)

I don't blame anyone for not wanting to have kids in this environment.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 71 points 7 months ago (5 children)

Not only that, but with the increasingly credible threat of automation looming, I don't think we should be looking to traditional economic wisdom for advice about labor shortages.

[–] NineMileTower@lemmy.world 21 points 7 months ago (2 children)

If we run out of resources, the rich will taste good.

[–] uis@lemm.ee 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Automation considered a threat is sad. What fucked up world we live in.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

It has to be deprivatised if it's going to be a positive for humanity, otherwise it's just another upward wealth transfer.

[–] uis@lemm.ee 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yep. Basically we already have answer to question "what if we had replicator?" and it is "DMCA". Technology is not enough for society to be better.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 7 points 7 months ago

Our modern rich think that with enough technology they can insulate themselves from our power entirely. The way I see it we either prove them wrong, or die.

[–] jmankman@lemmy.myserv.one 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Automation (eliminating work) only is a problem (eliminating jobs) in our shitty economic system.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago

The economic system (capitalism) only values AI for its ability to create problems for us (poor people)

[–] UltraMagnus0001@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

Dont forget climate uncertainty

[–] ZoopZeZoop@lemmy.world 27 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yes, my wife and I considered not for environmental reasons. My parents thought we were nuts citing the threat of nuclear war when they were kids and everyone continuing to have kids then. They've come around to understand our hesitation now, mostly, but it was distressing that they couldn't understand , if not agree, with hesitating.

Of course, the environment is just one thing that gives us pause these days. People are crazy. Politicians and the laws they create are (or the dissolution of certain laws is) crazy. Plenty of reasons to pause.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 14 points 7 months ago (4 children)

We did have a child, and I do not regret it, but we also have the means to support her and a way to escape the U.S. if things get much worse. Many Americans don't have either option, and no child should be neglected or abused and every child should have a robust support system. I wish we would encourage and educate people on contraception on a grand scale.

[–] wjrii@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

My wife travels a lot for work, and I dabbled in genealogy years ago to track down my own birth relatives. By combining the two, my wife and our daughter now have EU passports, and I'm eligible for a long-term visa.

Theoretically I could be eligible for Slovakian citizenship (which is not their EU country) based on my own DNA ties, but that would require some mental gymnastics and a very progressive interpretation of how closed infant adoption affects legal rights.

I am actually very fond of Texas, and I think the idea of it is worth fighting for, and that there's a strain of tolerance and hospitality and diversity here that could be compatible with a much more progressive worldview. I have hope that it can be better than it is. I think any place with people who love it is worth trying to make into the best version of itself, to say nothing of the people who couldn't leave even if they wanted to...

but we're also not going to be the last ones out if we lose that hope.

[–] ripcord@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Hmmm, what dna tiws do you need to be eligible for Slovakian citizenship?

[–] wjrii@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You need a grand-grandparent (or more recent) born in Slovakia. My biological great grandmother was born in a small town in the eastern half of what is now Slovakia, and immigrated to the US in the late 1920s. I was adopted as an infant though, so my legal family has no such connections, and while I could try to make my case, it would be both circumstantial and rather technical unless I could get help from my birth father, which is, shall we say, unlikely.

[–] ripcord@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Interesting. My grandmother was.

I've wondered what my options to get to the EU are if I really wanted. That...is interesting.

Edit: do you have a source by any chance? So far I only see rules allowing if parents were Slovakian citizens.

[–] wjrii@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

The Australian embassy seems to have updated their page more recently than the US or Canada, and they mention the grandparents and great grandparents thing. I'd check with the US embassy (assuming you're in the US) to confirm, but it looks like the long-discussed law change did happen. I kinda lost interest when I realized the doors I'd have to barge in to have a plausible chance of success. YMMV. :-)

[–] ZoopZeZoop@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago

Yes, the same here. We had 2 kids (and then a vasectomy). We're not rich, but we do have a house we could sell to aid leaving, and we have enough in savings to make it without selling the house, if we needed to leave right away. Of course, environmental issues will be a global problem, but the response to those will likely be better in some places as compared to others.

[–] ninjan@lemmy.mildgrim.com 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Quick note though, one child is still far below replacement rate. Though you didn't state if you're one and done or not.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago

True, and we were definitely one and done and now my wife is 46, so it would be way too risky. We wouldn't have been able to financially support a child and I didn't want to end up having a favorite, which sure happened with me and my brother who could do no wrong despite being a major asshole. I wouldn't want to have a favorite, but I wouldn't be able to prevent it either. And I wouldn't want to have more than one kid if it turned out I thought one was better than the other. That could lead to proper child care issues.

Also, raising just the one has been a herculean effort due to all sorts of things, so I don't regret it. I love her more than anything in the world and I don't regret any of the effort I've made, but I don't know that I would have been able to handle two such kids on a mental level.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

And you only need to escape Indiana.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 10 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Not if Trump is president. My daughter is queer, she and I are both Jewish, and my wife is a librarian. They either want us to be part of their genocide or, in my wife's case, in prison.

I have dual citizenship with the UK and also theoretically German citizenship. And I am sure as hell going to take advantage of that depending on what happens in November. I don't even care about me, I care about my daughter.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Well, as I've said before, Illinois is close, and probably easier to get to on short notice if necessary. I'm a ways north of you (in IL), but my home is available to you if you find yourself in danger.

Edit: And you'd be coming this way anyway to fly overseas out of O'Hare, right?

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

Honestly, I'd probably drive somewhere less prominent and fly out from there. No reason to attract attention if you're fleeing. But I appreciate the offer.