Are Pets the New Kids? | Finding Formosa

[@LegoCookieDoggie]

Third places so couples meet? Their love of dogs let them meet already a step above guy sitting at home.

[@felixalexander945]

The only problem: a dog will not finance the pensions of the then old people in 50 years

[@aad4186]

Lol if you waiting for your kids to pay for you when you are old. You have already failed as a parent

[@felixalexander945]

@aad4186 Please take a crash course in economics. That's how pension systems work. Or have you ever read about a 90-year-old office worker?

[@willywonka4340]

I read somewhere that at this rate, Taiwan's population will reach very close to zero in 75 years. I hope all Taiwanese living there realize this.

[@NightfireOP]

the numbers you've shared makes sense even without reading any elaborate scholarly documents about this. but the question is how do we fix it? from what I've listened to on this topic, it's not so much that married couples don't want kids, married couples who do have kids typically get 1-3 kids; averaging to about 2 give or take. it's that more taiwanese guys and girls in taiwan are not getting married. IF that's the case (that more taiwanese guys and girls are not getting married), then that's a different problem to solve: - how do you get young girls to be attracted to and want guys their age - how to get both to pursue each other again - how to create a society where we value humans over animals (in this case, dogs) - how to encourage taiwanese guys to want to pursue taiwanese women - how to create incentives that would encourage both taiwanese guys and girls (when they do get married) to want to have kids I don't have all of these answers, and even for ourselves, we're taiwanese, we live in america and we have 2 kids. maybe there's a blanket tax-free for all families in taiwan with 3 or more kids maybe? i don't know.

[@shlomomarkman6374]

You start with the government doing something to stop apartments cost 1.5 million dollars US. That's totally insane. Almost nobody can marry and have kids under such conditions. The government can do it with removing permit bureaucracy, easing zoning, subsidizing construction, subsidizing industrial parks in the countryside and other areas outside the capital, opening building contracting to foreign players, if needed bring foreign labor for that. Other stuff is harder but you can start from reforming the education system and regulating labor practices - remove the 996 tradition and institute a 45 hour work week for starters.

[@willywonka4340]

@shlomomarkman6374 Are you referring to buying homes in Taiwan? In the US, many families rent their homes. They still have children even if they don’t own a house. I have heard that renting in Taiwan is much cheaper than in most US cities.

[@willywonka4340]

Housing prices are quite high in the U.S., particularly in urban areas. For instance, the median price of homes in Los Angeles is nearly $1 million. Despite this, many people still choose to have children and start families, often opting to rent instead of buy. The issue of high housing prices is a common challenge in developed countries, and Taiwan is no exception. While housing costs in Taipei can be steep, moving to less populated areas can offer much more affordable options. However, this poses a challenge for individuals who work in the cities, as commuting can become problematic. Some food for thought.