I’m not disagreeing with your other points, but I really dislike the last one. I’m uncomfortable with the idea that we’d try to implement social pressure/coercion to restrict people’s freedom to date who and when they like on the basis of some abstract, top-down perception of trying to maintain the “stock” of humans or whatever. Also, far as I’m aware, the main issue with birthrates isn’t desire or timing but that people feel unable to support kids, which is mostly an economic and policy problem.
I never mentioned coercion - my point was just that the existing way we date doesn't work. As for feeling unable to support kids, a key part of that is having somebody to share the parenting with. Few policies or economic subsidies would be an adequate substitute for that.
I don’t think that’s actually true. I think the largest issue with single parenthood is that children are expensive, so it’s hard to support them on only one income and be left with time to raise them. While single parents will always be at a disadvantage in that sense under our economic model we could, for example, just give them some money for their child’s necessities. Matter of fact I think we oughta do that for any parents and see how that affects the birthrate in 20 years.
Have you spoken to any single parents? Money does not easily substitute for e.g. the ability to cook food while somebody else changes the nappy, or to leave the house on your own for five minutes.
My mother was a single parent. Of course it’s better to have two parents in the house, but if you can’t get that you can still get a lot of improvement out of having some money.
