GenZedong

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Birth rate and hedonism? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 week ago by orc_princess@lemmy.ml to c/genzedong@lemmygrad.ml

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Hi everyone, I'm only interested in hearing from comrades so that's why I thought this could be a good community to post, but if you think this is the wrong community please direct me somewhere else!

Today I was talking to someone somewhat close to me, he mentioned countries like Germany have an aging population and a falling birth rate and I pointed out that I believe it's connected to the cost of living crisis (especially with the expensive energy imports and with governments happily destroying the welfare state) and my friend said that he doesn't buy it and that in his opinion it's hedonism (?).

I find that kind of argument unprovable and moralistic, but it caught me off guard and I figured I'd take this as a learning opportunity. Have you heard this kind of argumentation? Am I right to assume it's just a reactionary thing? Is this worth engaging with, even if it's just for criticism, and if so how? Or should I just move on? I can't cut contact with him but I can just change the topic again if it comes to that lol.

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[–] qba@lemmygrad.ml 0 points 1 week ago

It's an idealistic argument to believe that hedonism, a symptom, is the primary cause. It individualizes a structural problem that stems from the material base, since it doesn't question the fundamental causes: real estate speculation, which makes it almost impossible (unless you're saddled with debt for life) to access housing, and therefore impossible to settle down and form a family. Unemployment, precarious, almost slave-like working conditions. Geopolitical tensions and economic blockades that scarce resources and increase their price, thus increasing the price of services and the cost of living.

Before blaming people for prioritizing immediate pleasure, which becomes a cultural problem (superstructure), we must examine how decadent the material base truly is.