> I don't really get the American preoccupation with birth rates.

Japan is currently in the finding out phase of this problem.

I think it’s more of a “be fruitful and multiply” thing than an actual existential threat thing. You can see many of loudest people talking about it either have religious undertones or want more peasants to work the factories.

Demographic shift will certainly upset the status quo, but we will figure out how to deal with it.

The planet is absolutely not over populated.

Overcrowded cities and housing costs aren't an overpopulation problem but a problem of concentrating economic activity in certain places.

Don't try to reason with this population collapse nonsense. This has always been about racists fearing that "not enough" white westerners are being born, or about industrialists wanting infinite growth. For some prominent technocrats it's both.

We are not overpopulated.

I hate the type of people that hammer the idea that society needs to double or triple the birthrate (Elon Musk), but as it currently stands, countries like South Korea, Japan, USA, China, and Germany risk extinction or economic collapse in 4-5 generations if the birth rate doesn't rise or the way we guarantee welfare doesn't change.

We are most certainly not "overpopulated" in any way. Usage per person is what the issue is.

And no society, ever, has had a good standard of living with a shrinking population. You are advocating for all young people to toil their entire lives taking care of an ever-aging population.

Racist fears of "replacement", mostly.

It's the only way to increase profits under capitalism in the long term once you've optimized the technology.

I think a good part of it is fear of a black planet.