> Clearly our non-silly non-antiquated ideas about relationships have
> resulted in mostly short-duration relationships and single-parented,
> dysfunctional kids (not enough of them too boot, so to keep our
> demographics from completely keeling over we're importing them from places
> with mostly silly and antiquated ideas).
>
> At least from the viewpoint of demographics sustainability and
> counterpressure to gerontocracy and resulting innovatiophobia we're doing
> something wrong.
There was a fascinating article in the Economist 1-2 weeks back (the issue
with a pregnant-looking Statue of Liberty on the Front) that stated that
even for the native US population, fertility had jumped in the last decade
and a half. I think the current figure for the US is a little over 2, but
not quite the ~2.1 of replacement rate. Combined with the very fertile
non-native population, the article implied the US was going to have a
significant increase in population over earlier predictions. As well, the
population would overall be more youthful, with associated implications for
being able to fund social programs, military spending, consumer spending,
etc.
Europe did not show the same increase in fertility.
Some actual data for the US are here:
http://www.census.gov/population/pop-profile/2000/chap04.pdf
Part of:
http://www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/profile2000.html
- Jim

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