Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree OP. It feels like everything is falling apart and there's very little we can do to fix it. It took everyone too long to realize what was happening. I'm struggling not to resent the older generations around me who let it get this bad. I'm grieving the children I will never have because I cannot afford it and because it feels morally wrong to bring a child into this just so I can experience motherhood.

I mean this kindly:
Get a grip. Read history. Look at all of the wars, famine, disease. There is nothing new under the sun. If you want to have a kid, have one. It is no worse now than 99% of human history. It is not objectively worse to have kids now than at any other time in history except maybe the 50s but would you really want to be a woman back in the 50s?

And also with the “I can’t afford kids”. Stop being brainwashed into thinking you have to have all of your financials figured out and perfect before you have a kid. Believe me, DCUM would have judged me quite harshly for having a kid when our HHI was 45k back in 2007, with no house, a crappy old car, and not being able to afford daycare. We did it anyway, and had two. Now they are in HS. I figured out my career once the kids were school aged. We were able to buy a house and sending DC1 to college next year. It hasn’t all been perfect - they didn’t do all the fancy activities, didn’t get the fancy Disney vacations or lots of expensive toys, but I would absolutely do it again, even if it meant using welfare and food stamps and living in a tiny apartment. There is really nothing else that gives life purpose as much as having kids.

I'm probably older than you, PP, and I agree with the first PP. Daycare and college costs have exploded, and wages have not kept up with those costs.

I have one DC about to graduate undergad and one about to go to college.

We have made six figures for a while, but we lived way below our means. And it was still expensive to send the kids to daycare and save for college. We don't drive expensive cars; we don't own name brand anything. My only expensive jewelry is my engagement ring, and a not that expensive necklace/earring set DH has bought me throughout our 20 years of marriage.

I don't blame women now a days for not wanting kids one bit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a global decline, not just America. I have travelled around the world, and everything is declining, and even at a more rapid pace outside the US. I think its a combo of things globally such as AI and open immigration policies

The problem is not open immigration. The problem is greed. Greed is driving the inequities. Greed is driving the collapse of infrastructure. Greed is driving our headfirst dive into a climate catastrophe. And that climate catastrophe and greed is driving the wars and destabilization of the global south, and those people have to go somewhere.

Things will only continue to get worse if we continue to allow the greediest most ruthless people run our countries.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a global decline, not just America. I have travelled around the world, and everything is declining, and even at a more rapid pace outside the US. I think its a combo of things globally such as AI and open immigration policies

Actually no. Many things are much nicer and work!! in other countries.

But as to OP’s point, yes. America is falling apart. Biden was doing a good job focusing on doing things to improve the lives of Americans, including healthcare, manufacturing, infrastructure. But no. MAGA wanted to focus on boys on softball teams and here we are. At the hands of a demented dying man who is determined to kill us all. ETTD.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a global decline, not just America. I have travelled around the world, and everything is declining, and even at a more rapid pace outside the US. I think its a combo of things globally such as AI and open immigration policies

The problem is not open immigration. The problem is greed. Greed is driving the inequities. Greed is driving the collapse of infrastructure. Greed is driving our headfirst dive into a climate catastrophe. And that climate catastrophe and greed is driving the wars and destabilization of the global south, and those people have to go somewhere.

Things will only continue to get worse if we continue to allow the greediest most ruthless people run our countries.

Get real greed is driving immigration. You know what these corporations do. They go into these countries. They intentionally ruin their economies abuse their labor, rape their children. Then they come here and tell us, that we have to let these people in. Why, they want their minions to do the same to us. Then to add insult to injury. If you don't want to let them in because you want to protect your way of life, then you're a bad person, you're a racist. That's what the greedy people tell us. We're racists. Oldest trick in the book.

The US was built by immigrants and on the backs of immigrants. Many start businesses and create jobs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a global decline, not just America. I have travelled around the world, and everything is declining, and even at a more rapid pace outside the US. I think its a combo of things globally such as AI and open immigration policies

The problem is not open immigration. The problem is greed. Greed is driving the inequities. Greed is driving the collapse of infrastructure. Greed is driving our headfirst dive into a climate catastrophe. And that climate catastrophe and greed is driving the wars and destabilization of the global south, and those people have to go somewhere.

Things will only continue to get worse if we continue to allow the greediest most ruthless people run our countries.

Get real greed is driving immigration. You know what these corporations do. They go into these countries. They intentionally ruin their economies abuse their labor, rape their children. Then they come here and tell us, that we have to let these people in. Why, they want their minions to do the same to us. Then to add insult to injury. If you don't want to let them in because you want to protect your way of life, then you're a bad person, you're a racist. That's what the greedy people tell us. We're racists. Oldest trick in the book.

The US was built by immigrants and on the backs of immigrants. Many start businesses and create jobs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My spouse is from Europe, has lived here for 30 years, and said they no longer recognize the once great US. And I have to agree.

We are looking at our options for the future. Thankfully, kids have dual citizenship.

People who say shit like this should just leave. Seriously, go already. It's showing over and over again that dual citizenship and America are incompatible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a global decline, not just America. I have travelled around the world, and everything is declining, and even at a more rapid pace outside the US. I think its a combo of things globally such as AI and open immigration policies

The problem is not open immigration. The problem is greed. Greed is driving the inequities. Greed is driving the collapse of infrastructure. Greed is driving our headfirst dive into a climate catastrophe. And that climate catastrophe and greed is driving the wars and destabilization of the global south, and those people have to go somewhere.

Things will only continue to get worse if we continue to allow the greediest most ruthless people run our countries.

Get real greed is driving immigration. You know what these corporations do. They go into these countries. They intentionally ruin their economies abuse their labor, rape their children. Then they come here and tell us, that we have to let these people in. Why, they want their minions to do the same to us. Then to add insult to injury. If you don't want to let them in because you want to protect your way of life, then you're a bad person, you're a racist. That's what the greedy people tell us. We're racists. Oldest trick in the book.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree OP. It feels like everything is falling apart and there's very little we can do to fix it. It took everyone too long to realize what was happening. I'm struggling not to resent the older generations around me who let it get this bad. I'm grieving the children I will never have because I cannot afford it and because it feels morally wrong to bring a child into this just so I can experience motherhood.

I mean this kindly:
Get a grip. Read history. Look at all of the wars, famine, disease. There is nothing new under the sun. If you want to have a kid, have one. It is no worse now than 99% of human history. It is not objectively worse to have kids now than at any other time in history except maybe the 50s but would you really want to be a woman back in the 50s?

And also with the “I can’t afford kids”. Stop being brainwashed into thinking you have to have all of your financials figured out and perfect before you have a kid. Believe me, DCUM would have judged me quite harshly for having a kid when our HHI was 45k back in 2007, with no house, a crappy old car, and not being able to afford daycare. We did it anyway, and had two. Now they are in HS. I figured out my career once the kids were school aged. We were able to buy a house and sending DC1 to college next year. It hasn’t all been perfect - they didn’t do all the fancy activities, didn’t get the fancy Disney vacations or lots of expensive toys, but I would absolutely do it again, even if it meant using welfare and food stamps and living in a tiny apartment. There is really nothing else that gives life purpose as much as having kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a global decline, not just America. I have travelled around the world, and everything is declining, and even at a more rapid pace outside the US. I think its a combo of things globally such as AI and open immigration policies

The problem is not open immigration. The problem is greed. Greed is driving the inequities. Greed is driving the collapse of infrastructure. Greed is driving our headfirst dive into a climate catastrophe. And that climate catastrophe and greed is driving the wars and destabilization of the global south, and those people have to go somewhere.

Things will only continue to get worse if we continue to allow the greediest most ruthless people run our countries.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My spouse is from Europe, has lived here for 30 years, and said they no longer recognize the once great US. And I have to agree.

We are looking at our options for the future. Thankfully, kids have dual citizenship.

Anonymous wrote:It's a global decline, not just America. I have travelled around the world, and everything is declining, and even at a more rapid pace outside the US. I think its a combo of things globally such as AI and open immigration policies