In today's society, declining fertility has become a widespread problem. In the past, high housing prices and higher health and education costs were often cited as the main reasons for the decline in fertility. However, it is a glaring fact that many wealthy or financially unstressed people also choose to have only one child. This leads us to think about the underlying reasons behind the decline in fertility. What factors have led to changes in people's conception of fertility?
The decline in fertility has always been a serious problem in contemporary society. Many speculate that high housing prices, rising health care and education costs are the main reasons for the decline in fertility. However, it is an obvious fact that even the rich or financially unstressed choose to have only one child. This shows that the fundamental reason for the decline in fertility is not "material" reasons, but due to the change in human philosophy brought about by the development of social civilization.
The original concept of "raising children and preventing old age" is outdated. With the development of modern society, people no longer rely on their children to provide for the elderly. The improvement of the social security system has made the life of the elderly more secure, and they no longer need to rely on their children to spend their old age. In addition, advances in science and technology have also led to better medical conditions, which can extend people's lives. Therefore, most people no longer regard raising children and preventing aging as the primary reason for childbirth.
In the development of modern society, people have gradually got rid of the dependence on children for the elderly in the past. With the popularization of medical technology and social welfare, the elderly are no longer completely dependent on their children. On the contrary, people are paying more and more attention to personal pension planning, and are more inclined to rely on their own savings and social security to spend their old age.
People's perception of "many children and many blessings" has also changed. In the past, it was widely believed that having multiple children would increase the happiness of the family and also provide more labor and care for oneself. However, with the progress of society, people began to pay more attention to themselves, pay attention to this life, and pursue a higher level of life. They not only pay attention to the improvement of material life, but also pay more attention to spiritual satisfaction. As a result, they are more inclined to focus their energy and resources on one child and give better education and affection, rather than spreading them across multiple children.
With the development of society and the economy, people began to pay more attention to their own development and well-being. They focus on their careers, hobbies, and personal achievements, and no longer focus all their energy and resources on reproduction. At the same time, they are aware of the investment and responsibility required to provide their children with a higher level of material and spiritual life, and sometimes feel pressured to do so.
The most important point is that there has been a fundamental shift in people's concept of succession. In the past, it was widely believed that only sons could inherit the family business and continue the bloodline. However, with the development and progress of society, people began to realize that children are passed on from generation to generation. For more and more people, inheritance is no longer the purpose of procreation. Today's people pay more attention to individual freedom and development, and value the achievement and value of the individual more important than the bloodline.
The inheritance of family lineage by male heirs is considered a traditional concept. However, with the advancement of women and the emphasis on gender equality, people have gradually begun to accept and practice the concept that "children are passed on from generation to generation". This philosophy holds that both men and women, as long as they are their own children, can inherit the blood and traditions of the family and contribute to the prosperity of the family. In modern society, the concept of abandoning lineage has gradually emerged, because people's values tend to be more oriented towards individual happiness and pursuit, and no longer regard inheriting family blood as one of the goals of life.
The impact of declining fertility is not only reflected in the decline in the number of people, but more importantly on the social structure and economic development. As the aging problem becomes increasingly prominent and the pressure of old-age care gradually increases, society will need more resources to cope with this challenge. At the same time, declining fertility will pose unpredictable challenges to labour markets, education systems and social security systems. Therefore, we need to think deeply and address the underlying problem of fertility decline.
The fundamental reason for the decline in fertility is not "material" reasons, but due to the change in human philosophy brought about by the development of social civilization. The outdated concept of "raising children to prevent old age", the changing concept of "many children and many blessings", and the change from "sons are inheritors" to "children are inheritance" to no inheritance, are all important reasons for the decline in fertility. With the change of people's different expectations and values in life, we should rethink how to guide and promote people's willingness to have children and continue to promote the development and progress of society.
The root cause of the decline in fertility is the change in people's conception of fertility. The development of social civilization has made people gradually realize the outdated concept of raising children and preventing aging, and began to pay attention to self and current life, as well as accept and practice the concept that children are passed on from generation to generation. These changes not only profoundly affect the social structure and economic development, but also require us to make more efforts to solve related social problems. Only by understanding the root causes can we take practical and effective measures to fully prepare for future social development.