OP here - so some of the answers seem to make it an issue about wealth - i.e. wealthy and developed countries aren't having kids (see japan).

If that is the case, then why are russians and slavic countries (and balkans) have very low birth rates when they are a lot poorer than western europe, for sure.

An example - turkey is richer than bulgaria, but turkey has a tfr at or above replacement level but bulgaria is at 1.5

So I don't believe it being something about strictly wealth/development and opportunity costs.

Because there are other opportunities now. Getting married and having children is one of many options.

Here is birth rate per 1000 people by country. Some of the lowest are Asian countries including Japan:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2054rank.html

Anonymous wrote:Troll. Stop making suppositions about race. Actually read, learn about the world.

J[b]apan for example has a low birth rate:[/b]
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2015/04/07/editorials/battling-the-low-birthrate/

PP, you are not going to win argument by using Japanese example. Japanese are white wannabes.

see, this here is the reason why we need to be more family friendly as a country. Our economic system cannot sustain itself without replacement. Yet, people are giving "too unaffordable" as an answer - which isn't completely off base. Kids ARE expensive! But we need kids to replace the current generation and become taxpayers, etc, etc.

Too busy working and paying taxes to support everyone else.

Anonymous wrote:because they apparently don't give a shit about the economy. Japan, I'm looking at you.

Japan?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Childfree by choice here. "Rich" (comparably), white, and educated.

We don't really like kids. We don't want to spend 20+ years raising them. We don't need them in our old age (and don't think it is wise to count on them), because we have $$$.

The idea of an adult, raised family is appealing, but we're not really willing to make the sacrifices it takes to get there and we find it, at best, a risky bet.

This, in a nutshell, answers your subject line question, OP. Selfishness and "me-first" is what is important today, and this is yet another way it manifests itself.

Tired old trope. People who don't want children shouldn't have them - do you disagree?

Why are white people all around the world not having kids?

The premise is ridiculous, but I'll play.

Why am I not having kids?

1) Don't want to.
2) Can't afford to.
3) I like living in DC and can't afford to live here and give a child a proper rearing.
3) I like my life and career and don't want to change anything.
4) I don't want to give anyone else (i.e. a woman) an opportunity to ruin my life for 18+ years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Childfree by choice here. "Rich" (comparably), white, and educated.

We don't really like kids. We don't want to spend 20+ years raising them. We don't need them in our old age (and don't think it is wise to count on them), because we have $$$.

The idea of an adult, raised family is appealing, but we're not really willing to make the sacrifices it takes to get there and we find it, at best, a risky bet.

You may not need children later. You do though if you can't pay for a quadruple bypass or heart transplant out of pocket. You don't necessarily need your own children, but you need younger healthier people paying into the pool if you are counting on using health insurance for major health events.

Non wealthy people need someone's kids even more. The average senior who retires today wiil break even on SS, but will pull out two to three times what they paid into Medicare in real terms.

Only a shitty parent wishes to pass on the financial burden of others onto the backs of their children.

We are white, educated and probably not having kids and the same goes for a majority of our very large social circle. The fact is, kids are a huge financial responsibility. Some people want them and can't afford them, some people can afford them but would rather spend the money on other things, some people would rather have the freedom, some people feel that their careers will be sidetracked or slowed, etc etc etc. Especially in this area where everything is expensive, having kids doesn't make a lot of sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Childfree by choice here. "Rich" (comparably), white, and educated.

We don't really like kids. We don't want to spend 20+ years raising them. We don't need them in our old age (and don't think it is wise to count on them), because we have $$$.

The idea of an adult, raised family is appealing, but we're not really willing to make the sacrifices it takes to get there and we find it, at best, a risky bet.

This, in a nutshell, answers your subject line question, OP. Selfishness and "me-first" is what is important today, and this is yet another way it manifests itself.

Yes, it's so selfish not to have children.

Now tell me... why did you have children? My guess is the answer would start with "I wanted" or some other "I" statement. Having children is a selfish act. Not having children is a selfish act. Just because you have to be self-less once you have them doesn't mean that the choice to have them isn't selfish. It's all about what you want for your life.

because they apparently don't give a shit about the economy. Japan, I'm looking at you.

Anonymous wrote:Childfree by choice here. "Rich" (comparably), white, and educated.

We don't really like kids. We don't want to spend 20+ years raising them. We don't need them in our old age (and don't think it is wise to count on them), because we have $$$.

The idea of an adult, raised family is appealing, but we're not really willing to make the sacrifices it takes to get there and we find it, at best, a risky bet.

This, in a nutshell, answers your subject line question, OP. Selfishness and "me-first" is what is important today, and this is yet another way it manifests itself.

Because it is a luxury to have just one child, or no children. You can have just one child and be confident it will make it through childhood alive, and you don't have to worry about multiple children supporting you in retirement because you earned enough. Or, you can have no children and enjoy all the comforts and distractions modern life has to offer, without worrying about needing an extra hand to work the farm. In either case, money lets you skip the stress of perpetual child rearing.