Vexing over the birth rate decline
September 14th, 2023 | 
Author: 
Vexing over the birth rate decline? Well, Psychologist Amy Lim surmises the problem well. It’s not about the money, but the mindset. She presents the psychology behind this across-the-board reluctance to contribute to the birth rates. It is a psychology about having more, thereby allowing material possessions to gradually define us. That outweighs the intangible benefits of having babies.
“The quest for societal success need not eclipse the dream of a family; it’s a matter of fostering an environment where both aspirations can co-exist harmoniously,” said Dr Amy Lim.
Here’s the bite. “The intricate interplay between social status, resource competition, and family planning paints a comprehensive picture of the fertility dilemma.”
That’s the issue, and may just be the iceberg behind the watermark. The tip of it is, well, financial incentives, to address the high cost of living – BTO and car? As for the standard of living issue, we seems to have that never-enough mindset. We are striving for more, and this pursuit undermines the goal of family planning.
This pursuit of social status can be quite intense based on this academic research funded by MOE and other tertiary institutions. “Their revelation cast a new light on the baffling decline in birth rates. Beyond the prism of economic affordability, it was found that the critical factor revolves around the allure of social status.”
“Specifically, people believe that they need to go through intense competition in order to achieve higher social standing. People can prioritise acquiring this social status at the expense of their marriage and reproduction.”
I don’t think there’s anything new here. The world may be flat, but the rampant rise of inequality, especially in our garden state, may have generated many unintended effect that have thwart the sincere efforts of government policies to promote families here. This flat world has many unequal peaks, and it is this race up to achieve higher social standing that young couples are reprioritising the goals of starting a family; the later, the better, if ever.
Dr Amy said: “…research has consistently demonstrated that when it comes to gauging their social status, people look at it in terms of where they stand in relation to others and not in absolute terms – in other words, it is not about how much one has achieved, but about how this achievement compares with others.”
And what fuels this competition is largely a matter of perception, a scarcity (“kiasu”) mindset, where having enough is still not enough. This is made worse by social media, where the rich and famous, whether authentic or exaggerated, wantonly parade or strut their wealth and possessions for all to marvel. Our timeless values thus take a step back for the blinding glitters of mirage gold.
Lesson? Just one.
Krishnamurti once said: “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” I won’t go to the extent of saying that our affluent society is sick, but I sense a certain level of learned helplessness. And this attitude has come to accept how society has evolved, with the challenges it pose, and the limited ways we can address it, without tackling the one issue that is our sacred cow, prosperity. Mind you, that P-word has even revolutionised religion to make what is sacred, profoundly sacrilegious.
At times, we need bolder re-imagination and out-of-this-world courage to experience a breakthru, and not just complacently building on what we have been building on thus far. You have heard it, right? The ladder of success is leaning on the wrong wall?
But first, let’s give credit where it is due. Economic prosperity has brought us so far, and we all benefited from it, immeasurably. However, it changes society too, even globally. The classic frog in the boiling pot, myth or not, is really about that comfort zone we embrace, that warm feeling of security, before we sense that something is just not right anymore. Likewise with prosperity, even the ameliorated ones, because there’s no point rearranging deck chairs on Titanic.
And likewise, just saying “no” does not prevent teen pregnancy, and starting the morning with the greeting “have a nice day” does not cure depression. Some problems are obvious, and some are more than meet the eye. Prosperity changes the society for good, but it may come to a point where it changes it for bad, more than good.
The question is, and I suppose this is blasphemy for an affluent society, can we change direction to emphasise more of one and less of the other? Will it even be effective, if your ladder is leaning against the wrong wall? Should we go beyond “no” and morning greetings, so to speak, if we want sustained and sustainable changes for the better, for everyone, if not, for most of us?
I write this reflection this morning because Dr Amy Lim has drawn upon bankable social science data to (hopefully) give us some pause for thought. The situation may no longer be what parents can control, for our future generation. Outside influences are now much more embedded in a flat world with advanced technology.
And starting a family is becoming more expensive not because of the cost to start one, but the mindset that starting one will cause us to lag behind others. That is one prosperity-fuelled mindset that calls for a radical rethinking of how we want our society to evolve further. Or is it too late?
Penny for your thoughts?
Michael Han
* The author was a Director at Han & Lu Law Chambers and blogs on Facebook.
Posted in 
…’That’s the issue, and may just be the iceberg behind the watermark. The tip of it is, well, financial incentives, to address the high cost of living – BTO and car?…
…”More Singaporeans are re-evaluating plans to buy a home, a PropertyGuru poll found, with 55 per cent of those surveyed saying they may defer their purchase till property prices stabilise and inflation falls
”Nearly four in 10 Singaporeans also felt priced out of the market..
So hot and dirty money flowing uncontrolled into SinkiePore—is screwing up sheeporeans.
Cannot afford BTOs, resale …
Cannot afford cars.
Cannot afford babies.
If your strict rules works then there was no need to tightened.
Fujian and other gangs will not be here.
Fujian gangs can easily buy up all the COEs.
Maybe COE reach $200,000—then papigs pretend to act again.
”At the same time, the Government had worked to ensure that hot foreign monies do not flow into the residential property market and make housing unaffordable for Singaporeans. To this end, there are very strict rules governing the sale of property to foreigners and the rules have been tightened twice in the last three years, he added…Lawrence Wong
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The jab has made $inkie women more infertile – and they were already were significantly infertile due to work and life issues.
But remember, this is NOT an issue for $inkeland. The island simply replaces its population with foreigners. So the question of replacement is not an issue. $inkieland is after all a giant factory and there is no reason to say FT are any worse than locals when it comes to pulling levers or running errands.
The REAL economy is from two casinos, money laundering, other illegal activities, sky high property and land bought by wealthy clients worldwide.
If $inkie local-born are made extinct then the Regime will simply issue more IC’s to FT.
Let us see no problems where there are none.
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If the majority of the younger generation has this mindset then we are all gone case liao. While having a roof over your family’s heads is important the social status mindset will always mean not having enough. You have a Toyota you want a Ferrari next.
Maybe it would be easier (not under PAP of course) to reach out to those who genuinely want to start a family or want to have more children. At least in families who already have kids it’s easier for parents to know what to expect if they have more rather than those who are chasing social status.
Because the thing is, if you put career and social status before having children then when will it be enough for you? Will you be scared of losing out in your career as the years pass and will you also want to always be upgrading from one condo to another due to you being kiasee?
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“The burden of proof — or at least the burden of justification — should therefore rest primarily on those who choose to have children, not on those who choose to be childless.”
Yet, the human race as a whole will be better off if thoughtful people (e.g., the kind of people who worry about the issues raised in this essay) have more children and thoughtless people had fewer. This escapes the ‘you’, of course, because ‘you’ are focusing on your own happiness, fulfillment, and search for meaning.
It is not about what brings you “the highest potential for happiness that life on this earth provides,” as you sententiously write. The ethical question is whether the life you are creating will be a happy one, or, put another way, whether existence is always a greater good than non-existence. For many, it clearly is not, although due to their ability to see beyond their own limited self-interest, the question has been settled for them.
Only someone who looks with contempt upon philosophy would fail to give minimal attention to the argument of his article. It is actually rather insulting.
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knn, give 5 cents, talk like bullock cart wheel.
financial incentive no enough? Give million, still must get mangoes.
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In the 60s a biologist did a study on overcrowding on animals and discovered unexpected pathological behaviour like refusal to engage in courtship, females abandoning their young, and homosexuality (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_sink).
SG is a massive live experiment trying to answer the question: how many human beings can you packed in a small space? What is the purpose of this experiment? None, except pure profits for the largest landlord, the govt. What if this experiment fails? Afterall, humans aren’t like those rats in the above wiki article, right? Well, seeing the level of intelligence displayed by the daft ones, I am not so sure.
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Overcrowding ?
Nice effort nice try but how you explain India population then since land mass way smaller than China. Or Philippines Or Indonesia where land mass even smaller. Perhaps you can try explaining Japan Korea Taiwan HK and China birth rate. It is called the 東亞病.
Generally Muslims against aborton and contraptives or birth control. Same for Catholics.
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When we compare,we must compare rationally.
Land mass is not the main concern.
We must look into POPULATION DENSITY.
As a COUNTRY,SG THE LITTLE RED DOT is PACKED LIKE SARDINES IN A TINY CAN,who can disagree ?
SG must be the WORLD’S MOST DENSELY POPULATED “COUNTRY” PER SQ KM.
SG IS OVER CROWD-OUT ALREADY.
Such OVER-CROWDING HAS MANY KNOWN ILL SOCIAL EFFECTS.
And,INFECTIOUS DISEASES SPREAD UNDULY FASTER TOO.
Any MORE DUMPING will eventually SINK THIS TINY ISLAND/COUNTRY both literally and figuratively.
Those who DWELL IN LUXURY TOWERS WILL NOT BOTHER AS THEY NEED NOT BE CAJOLED TO SHOVE AROUND IN OUR CONGESTED PUBLIC SPACES.
They don’t have to jostle in crowded trains or wait in long queues in hospitals and even hospital beds.
Housing and food prices keep creeping up is due,in part,to OVER-CROWDING.
COL LIVING IS SHOOTING UPWARDS EVEN AS STANDARD OF LIVING DROPS.
You call that PROGRESS?
STOP OVER-POPULATING THIS COUNTRY.
We are not some chickens in a “coop”.
WE ARE JUST AS HUMAN AS YOU AND WE NEED SPACE TO BREATHE AND LIVE.
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It all comes down to money and an uncertain future. You are being asked to bring more children into the world while you’re deeply unsure if you’ll have the resources to help them into adulthood.
The highly educated and learned minds can theorise and dissect the problem and put forth reasons for the behaviour of married couples. The point is, you can’t squeeze water out of a rock. If you believe you can’t afford kids, you can’t afford them.
If you lose your job, there is no unemployment benefits to tide you over. No access to your CPF. You are in the prime of your life but a dark cloud follows you around.
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PAP IB trying their best to bewilder the daft ones without any fact finding again. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population_density). SG ranked number 2 in the world.
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There are 2 proven solutions:
1) Emulate Europe and America in allowing single-motherhood. In 2020 France, 25% of families were Single-Parent families.
The son of one wealthy HK tycoon got his girlfriend to give birth to his children without marrying. In this way, he cannot be accused of infidelity.
2) Allow Singaporean men to have multiple wives legally, just like our grandparents and the biblical patriarchs. And revert to the biblical definition that married men having sex with unmarried women is NOT adultery.
Feminism was introduced by the Caucasian matriarchal society.
Some Caucasians twisted GOD’s words to gain favor with feminists.
Some Caucasians twisted GOD’s words to suit their Aryan bias.
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”SG is a massive live experiment trying to answer the question: how many human beings can you packed in a small space?’
Let us petition the G to re-activate the 69 million pop white paper.
Not 6 point 9, 69.
That appears to be the real target.
Our youngsters need to join the conversation, they are inheriting the country very soon.
The property tycoons cabal that run the papigs from behind the curtain gleefully welcome the Fujian Gangs and their families; as long as they bring in the moolah.
More lab rats; with loads of very very very dirty money.
”“Looking for illicit actors and funds is like finding a needle in a haystack,” DBS Group CEO Piyush
Piyush—walk into MBS any time of the day, any day,—they, the big fishes, are money laundering in broad daylight.
Every Sheeporean knows that, except you.
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Like I have been saying, get a new CECA signed with Japan and then import their JAV culture and JAV porn into Sinkieland, then more Sinkies will get horny and the TFR will shoot up. Temasick can also invest in a local porn production house, make it the largest in the world, problem solved, dio bo?
The club house can then legitimise porn with their super-majority, problem solved.
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”CNA documentaries Lee Kuan Yew: In His Own Words and I Remember Lee Kuan Yew reintroduce him to audiences old and new”CNA
MSM about to restart brainwashing again prior to GE 2024.
.”” Throughout his entire life, Lee Kuan Yew’s sole focus was on Singapore and its future. He was a strong opponent of monuments, particularly of himself. On suggestions that monuments or ‘what-have-yous’ be made for him, he replied “Remember Ozymandias”. LWL, LeeHY
MSM love to make LKY into a God.
To divert attention away from the dozens of Scandals.
Iswaran-Gate.
FujianGang-Gate
TCJ-Adultery-Gate
Oxley-Gate
F1-Gate
Infighting-Gate..etc etc
Papigs 3.0 and 4.0 have nothing to show except making the RedDot into a money laundering GreenDot.
Hence use the Papigs 1.0 achievement to brainwash sheeporeans.
PS—how come no sound no picture on Iswaran—tax payers losing a lot of money.
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Birth rate falls is b cos
We are producing too much waste for
The next generation.
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If you love your unborn child don’t give birth to it in Singapore. Go elsewhere. Due to the high costs of living both parents have to work and the child will be raised probably by a third world maid. When the child can go to daycare, remember Kinderland. The abused children could have been yours. When they enter primary school, it is endless tuition and homework. In the playgrounds, the maid is the one present most often and also on the handphone. If the child falls and it is a fatal injury, the rest of your lives will be spent in the hospitals and with the fear that there won’t be any one else to look after the child if both parents pass away. Please love your unborn child and do not let them suffer in a PAP controlled State with nothing but concrete and the third world around us.
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The so called ‘Financial Incentives’ are nothing more than a lifetime debt to be repaid to the State by the child when he or she reaches adulthood.
Meanwhile, GST is charged daily (eg. milk powder, diapers, etc) for the upbringing of the child.
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”“Looking for illicit actors and funds is like finding a needle in a haystack,” DBS Group CEO Piyush Gupta
”Chinese national buys 20 units at CanningHill Piers for around $85m…The buyer, who is from Fujian, China, is also said to be considering 10 more units, which would bring the total transaction to more than $100 million, according to Zaobao….foreign buyers have to pay a 30 per cent Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty…”ST..Tan Nai Lun
PUBLISHED 2 JUN 2022,
If Piyush Gupta wanted to catch illicit actors and funds, he can choose to go hunt in the haystack or LOOK AT THE front page of Strait Times.
….20 units of CanningHill Piers, 30% or 60% ABSD…no problem
OR easier still …go to Moneylaundering in Broad Sunshine, MBS.
Formerly known as Marina Bay Sands.
Own time, own target.
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The PAPy$ have no idea how to run the economy except keep putting more foreigners here and collecting more money.
Trying to put an additional 4 Million here is suicidal based on current infra-structures and labour market conditions.
PAPy$ only good at jaga own cu$hy job$.
For sgs,you die your problem.
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Then how you explain japan birth rate ? A lot of empty villages and towns. Its not dense. Most are still concentrated in the major cities. Somemore Japan majority toilet facilities way better than China and India in these towns and villages areas. China and India toilets still backdated and squat style in these areas. Yet population reducing in all these areas. India same thing most dense also in the major cities or poular towns. Ans India majority is not muslim.
Japan free education all the way ( generally ) until University. Japan also provide incentives.
Europe and USA faces similiar issues but compensate with immigration and yes, incentives.
The two only high birth rates are the muslims and afro bros but eventually they will also follow suite.
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Sg dense ? If you say MRT at peak hours, okay agreed.
But compared to ShenZhen during their peak hours during the good times, you aint seen nothing yet. Today nort sure. Like ants okay. Those been to China and experience it will know i m not bs-ing.
You go Malaysia, the custom also dense right ! You still go what !
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CONT’D….
But it’s still not right to judge human existence overall as unworthy, or to take chronic suffering as an index to unworthiness. We exist: we have a place in the universe — an assignment, in a way, to try to live as humanly as possible.
Happiness and pleasure are not everything; there is also a sense of meaning, of participation in the larger, obscure purposes of creation. Further, in having children we are often at our best, our most generous and tender. To suggest that simply ‘eliminating human beings’ is the best solution to the problem of our own suffering, or the suffering we inflict, is to engage in precisely the sort of detached, totalitarian abstraction that gives rise to our most anti-human acts.
Right now, the only job we have as humans is to live, love, try to be creative and take care of ourselves and others. Should we procreate? If we want too, you bet!
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A spoiled world
Will only produce bad people.
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Yea, fully agreed. You fit that description.
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Why? When it is cheaper, better and faster to import the Japanese here (as well as any other third-world FT)?
The older FT will leave and the younger FT will replace them. Only the $inkies will be unable to do anything. So the smaller and more useless the $inkies are the better.
We are getting to that stage real fast – by next GE the Regime voters may be up to 95% and if there are any $inkies left they will be millionaires or beggars. There will be no in-between.
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@Needle…..””“Looking for illicit actors and funds is like finding a needle in a haystack,” DBS Group CEO Piyush Gupta
..”Bungalows, Rolls-Royces, Macallan whiskies and Cuban cigars: The inside track on ‘Fujian gang’s’ lifestyles” BT..Fri, Sep 15, 2023
Even the blind can find the Fujian Mafia.
”’there are none so blind as those who will not see””
Piyush Gupta has lost whatever credibility he has left.
” “As long as the music is playing, you’ve got to get up and dance,” he said. “We’re still dancing.”..Chuck Prince
…”Parliamentary questions filed on billion-dollar money laundering case”’
Do not hold your breadth; the music is still playing—money laundering hub Sinkieland will continue to dance.
The gangs will continue to come—maybe Al Capone himself.
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Can forget about SSS Sinkies birth rate lah.
For many decades since 1990s, Sinkiepore’s fertility or birth rate is already among world’s top 10 LOWEST and all sorts of “baby bonus” and incentives for many years oso could NOT reverse the trend.
If I recall correctly, it was only in early 2010s I think when the constant increase in “foreign talents” imports finally help Sinkipore’s fertility rate stopped its down trend and turned just slightly up.
However, this didn’t last and now got WORSE with the recent “PAP Strong Jab Mandate” to inject the “Xperimental mRNA Jabs”… I think Sinkiepore fertility rate surely habis liao, no matter what incentives they offer now oso NO use lor. Yes?/No? LOL.
It is BEYOND hopeless for Sinkiepore liao lah AFTER these “Xperimental mRNA Jabs” forced upon all the NS Boys and also on more than 90% SSS Sinkies. No wonder, “PAPies” now no point to talk about what new incentive “baby bonus” liao. LOL.
Last time, SSS Sinkie girls still can lay eggs, but now AFTER “Xperimental mRNA Jabs”, I think all the wombs become calcified liao by the “Spike Proteins” or permanently damaged by the LNP (Lipid Nano Particles) and dont know what-other toxic substances is in those injections lor.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/casXFtIVqPF1/
Once again, the ONLY solution is to REPLACE SSS Sinkies with NEWER (un-vaxxinated) Sinkies over time. Yes?/No? LOL.
Good Luck to SSS Sinkies.
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_past_fertility_rate
As expected, cannot analyse figures and don’t bother to listen or read. This is the last time I am helping you. Look at the trend in those countries.
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No harm.
You can criticise me as you desired. What else can i expect.
Whatever you said in the end we look at reality as well.
Brunei rich country. Musim country. Free education and free healthcare. Population low not even a million very spacious right 8x bigger compare to Sg. Can marry 4 wives somemore. Birth rate should chiong or should maintain at least 2.1 and above right ? Nope. Currently also fallen to 1.8 to 1.9 . Please explain
Or you prefer to migrate to Afghanistan, Angola or Somalia where birth rate above 4 or 5.
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Forgot to add. Brunei citizens pay very very little taxes. That means no income tax, no gst, no vat, no export tax, no sale tax … Public housing very much cheaper than Sg.
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To tell the truth, the reason is due to the mistrust in the capitalist system and the imbalance of power in the system. This is causing even people in developing nations tobe wary of authority, capitalists and the social stratification system.
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@PAP mandate strong
You said Muslims and African have high birth rate, then you said Brunei birth rate falling and then ask me to explain, huh? You got take your medication or not?
We say increasing population density in a country causes a decreasing TFR. One trend goes up, the other goes down. You know what is a trend? It is a time series, not one number.
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