There is now a fresh trend – “a kid is simply a threat“. It is not accidental to hear so frequently in public space that “you request to be protected” from becoming pregnant due to the fact that the kid is considered a threat. We besides hear more and more frequently that pregnant women are "seeking" or "needing help", and this "help" is expected to be abortion, or murdering a child," says Marek Grabowski, president of the Foundation of Mama and Papa in an interview with PCh24.pl.
"Poland has entered a period of demographic crisis, which may have a longer trend", announced the Central Statistical Office. On the 1 hand, I am glad that he has yet clearly informed about the demographic problems of Poland, stating that this is not a problem that can be solved from day to day, and that its consequences will be felt by successive generations. But isn't this alarm a "weak singing"?
At first, however, let me give justice to the officials of the Central Statistical Office, who previously noticed the problem of falling fertility in Poland and informed about it. But I don't remember him doing it that way. However, it was not that he did not announcement the problem at all.
As for the problem itself, it must be said that it is already, in colloquially speaking, "after the birds." Demographic disaster, due to the fact that the crisis is not said enough, is simply a sad fact in Poland. all year we will feel it more and more. We can now pretend we don't see it. We see children going to school, we see them playing in parks. In churches and buses, we can inactive hear children cry or laughter from time to time. Unfortunately, children will shortly be a phenomenon, let us not be afraid to say it, special, and this will translate into many aspects of our lives.
Firstly, we are dealing with a very ageing society. The deficiency of children will translate into budgetary burdens, the deteriorating situation of the Social safety Office, the advanced probability of failing to pay pensions, the dimension of work and the retirement age, which will simply should be increased in current demographic trends, regardless of what politicians in election campaigns promise us. You just can't avoid it.
Secondly, we will most likely be sentenced to an even greater influx of migrants. We already have a situation that lacks hands to work. There are already companies, localities, and even micro- or mini-regions, where there is just no 1 to hire, and "working power" needs to be someway and from somewhere. Otherwise, full sectors of the economy will collapse.
Perhaps any advantage of this situation is that this disaster will require an increase in automation processes and, consequently, efficiency and a simplification in certain bureaucratic procedures, which take up valuable time for substantive actions.
There are many, many more problems and they cannot be solved overnight...
Last year, the fertility rate in Poland was 1.15 [one female in the alleged procreative age bears a statistically 1.15 kid – PCh24.pl]. So we're dealing with a disaster that's going to get worse, due to the fact that the highest number of women who are, as we all say, technocratically, at a child-bearing age, or possibly mothers, has passed a fewer years ago. To get back what we lost, we should have at least 2.1 – 2.2 and preferably over 3... This would require a large procreative effort among young people, which is improbable to happen.
This isn't the first time we've talked about a demographic disaster. The following months pass, and from the Polish authorities and the media supporting them I hear 1 and the same slogans: that there are no housing; that the most crucial thing is financial stabilisation; that first you gotta "do a career" etc. I'm not saying it's not important. However, I have the impression that in the full "state" debate on demography the cultural aspect is ignored; that there is any top-down approval to advance anti-value, to advance alleged free unions, to advance "singleness". As a result, erstwhile spouses start reasoning about children, they first calculate the disadvantages and disadvantages of having them, and then the possible advantages... I'm sorry, but I don't think we're going to make it that far, right?
Full consent, Mr. Editor. Recently, I was on a forum in Krynica, another very interesting event. What is significant, only 1 part of it afraid demography and in addition it was the last panel on the last day of congress. I'm going to hazard saying that the organizers have doomed him. Fortunately, attendance was amazingly high, which shows that for many it is important, if not a key issue. It is simply a pity that the debate on demography was not 1 of the central points of the full initiative.
In that discussion, of course, respective groups of factors affecting fertility were mentioned. 1 of them was cultural aspects. I myself in the past conducted many studies on fertility, household relationships, readiness to be married, causes of divorce, etc. Let me put it briefly: culture in fertility is origin number one! Absolutely a origin number one!
Culture, not economics, how are we expected to believe that?
Culture! Culture, I repeat, is origin number one!
I am, of course, referring to a culture widely understood, understood as certain values, norms, customs, but besides to the spiritual view, or possibly even to a certain degree a political view and attitude towards the world. Unfortunately, in the modern world, these are the “rational” factors which are the largest basis, the full litany of arguments against childbirth.
And this litania is put into our heads all day by the media, both mainstream and – unfortunately – most media alternatives to mainstream.
I believe that the constant scare of war in Ukraine, where – we gotta make it clear – the front is 1,500 km distant from the Polish borders, does not advance Poles' readiness to procreate.
We keep proceeding about the deficiency of housing, about the insecurity, about the uncertainty, about various another “lacks”. Let me put it this way: from the basics of economics, we know that mostly there are always shortcomings, there is never a situation. We always deficiency something, and that is why so many do not look at children as a gift. The kid is simply a classical example of a gift that is simply a origin of joy, satisfaction, which helps us to mature as people, gives our lives meaning, makes us want to get up in the morning, etc.
All of this is either not talked about, or – at best – not enough. I profoundly regret that the Church does not talk on this matter. I do not callback a strong pastoral voice on this subject in Poland, but for any non-generalists.
There was indeed a conflict to defend the life of the weakest, children of unborn suspects of illness, but that's all. There is no serious conflict for household sustainability, for showing the value of matrimony etc. These strong and healthy marriages are the real solution to the problem of low fertility, but besides the promotion of life, not abortion. erstwhile married couples live in a healthy relationship, they do not want to kill the fruits of their love.
In the Mama and Daddy Foundation, practically all our activities were aimed at this. We have organised many social campaigns, conducted various studies and analyses, but there should be much more, first of all.
Secondly, the state itself should besides see the point of pursuing specified social campaigns. We see various actions concerning electromobility, power saving, combating violence, etc. I am not saying that these are not crucial issues, but there are virtually no initiatives on matrimony and family. The current power is completely not curious in this subject.
In erstwhile years, for example, we have implemented the "Marriage – the way of our lives" campaign. We have organized a task called "Being a Dad." Both projects were very positive, not only in Poland, but due to the fact that we translated our materials into English, they could besides have gone abroad, including to exotic countries specified as Thailand, Bangladesh or Australia. Not only representatives of the Polish people there were acquainted with it, but besides residents of those countries who were very good at assessing it and sending it to their friends. Our initiative to advance paternity proved to be the first specified run in the world.
But it was a drop in the sea...
On the another hand, we have a huge, constantly expanding wave of anti-natalist transmission. Unfortunately, our culture is dominated by anti-natalism...
You said the baby was a gift. Unfortunately, it is more and more common to see that they are treated as an object, as a fresh toy that individual wants to get at any point, so they “get it”. Equally frequently – according to anti-natalist propaganda – the kid is presented as a problem...
There is now an even newer trend – the kid is simply a threat. It is not accidental to hear so frequently in public space that “you request to be protected” from becoming pregnant. We besides hear more and more that pregnant women "seek" or "need help", and that "help" is expected to be abortion, that is, murdering a child. Let us be clear: murdering your own kid involves a life trauma.
You're trying to convince us that the arrival of a kid is any unwanted interference in our lives. possibly if individual wants to live for themselves, it is. possibly if individual thinks that he will be eternally beautiful, young, rich, healthy and immortal, he will. possibly if individual as a life goal has a constant weekend travel with inexpensive airlines into distant areas, partying all another night at alcohol-treated parties, that is so. possibly specified people believe that a kid would actually hinder them from maintaining a consumer lifestyle...
Please note that I only mentioned ‘fun’ arguments due to the fact that they dominated the discussion on this subject. We barely always hear that children interfere in working...
The fact is that in specified discussions besides seldom – if at all – the argument is raised, how incredibly children make us emotionally, emotionally and spiritually; how unique it is to observe the relation between children and children and the environment. You can't buy that... possibly that's why we're seeing anti-family propaganda and anti-child propaganda. Children, as I just said, give us something that cannot be bought, that does not fuel consumption, and it, not children, is meant to be a determinant of happiness in the modern world.
Let me quote a passage of the message given by Robin Hanson, prof. of extraordinary economics at George Mason University, and erstwhile investigator at the Institute of Future Humanity at Oxford University:
“Parents are expected to pay more attention to each descendant, and this makes it harder to have more children, right? Secondly, we anticipate people to have a comprehensive education. Without him, you'll make worse money and have lower social status. Education is especially crucial to women today. As a result, the decision about children is postponed. Another thing is the belief that the first thing to do is to stabilize financially before a household is established. Even decades ago, marriages were concluded before young people developed their career paths and erstwhile they did not truly know what they wanted. another factors affecting the declining number of children include the decline of religion, as well as the encounter of cultures as part of globalisation, leading to dominance of behaviour patterns from childless cultures. In addition, sex equality... I am not saying that sex equality is morally incorrect or that women should not study. I point to the multidimensionality of the mechanisms governing man and his civilization."
Please comment.
Hanson’s words show that more and more people see the problem with anti-natalistic culture. Unfortunately, the specified indication of the problem is not enough, due to the fact that the authors of these observations do not supply concrete ideas for action.
Cultural pressure, as I have already said, is very strong. Do you know the editor of anyone who would have the courage to say that it is better to have a lower education and have children than to have a doctor's degree without children?; or, for example, that it is better to be a child-seeking married students and later start a professional job?; that it is better later to enter the race of rats but to have children earlier? I'm certain you don't. There is simply a belief that the kid is ruining his career, making life difficult, preventing uncovering a very well paid occupation and generating quite a few another problems. In specified a world, we must so look with any knowing at these individual decisions.
There is 1 more point: people just don't like change, even if it is to make the planet a better place. And it is to them that propaganda and anti-natalistic culture are directed. Therefore, individuals who are trying to change something, show that they can be different, are simply seceded.
The pseudo-organic proposals, designed to prohibit the usage of cars, to control to bicycles, to ban older multiplayer cars, work against families. Why? due to the fact that multi-children families usage multi-person VANs, usually respective years old.
The alleged Green Zones, introduced in Warsaw, mostly service wealthy singles. No one's gonna go to a doctor on a bike with a baby in winter.
So the substance is not simple. However, in my opinion, even by following this paradigm that you gotta finish your studies first, find a occupation and stabilize your situation a small bit, you can inactive find time to start a household in all this madness of continuous life. That's enough! People must yet realize that this is the best time to have a child.
Today, more and more women become pregnant — if they make a decision at all — at the age of 33 or 35. In my opinion, it could easy be 27 years, after 2 – 3 years of working in the labour market, knowing its mechanisms, etc. Especially since we do not have any raging unemployment in Poland, as has been the case in the past and returning to work is possible, and the law protects pregnant women or young mothers very strongly.
Besides all this, in my opinion, the current situation is besides due to our laziness and comfort – we decide at the last minute to have a kid and in fact we no longer have the physical strength to do so. due to the fact that indeed – and this should be emphasized powerfully – you gotta have energy to give birth and rise offspring.
A kid requires him to get up at night; he requires him to run with him for a walk; to answer questions, not to throw them away. A kid needs effort, but it is simply a affirmative effort. Unfortunately, erstwhile we exceed a certain age, we deficiency the energy to gain fresh experiences. In addition, we carry specified baggage of our habits and habits, that in fact it is very hard for us to be flexible. And in the case of children, you should be flexible, and all parent knows that plans are changing, due to the fact that the kid will get sick or something will happen; that we may be late for friends, or possibly we won't even make it, due to the fact that at the last minute, the kid will feel the request to, for example, go to the bathroom. That's just the way it is, and there's nothing to be offended about. Unfortunately – as I talk to others – it is the deficiency of strength and patience that is the decisive component that they do not decide on second, and then subsequent children.
Here we inactive request to return to the issue of state-making pro-demographic policy. In my opinion, it cannot be that if a young female becomes pregnant in college, then most frequently she is left alone and she is not given a reasonable chance to complete these studies, for example, for 2 to 3 years.
The same applies to young working parents. The State should make conditions for them to choose, in a comparatively flexible way, ways so that they can take care of the child, whether personally or in mass nurseries, whether through the individual who will support them.
Finally, let me quote another passage from Robin Hanson:
"Humanity has problems with fertility not for the first time. Even in ancient times this happened – they fought it, but it did not work. The Roman Emperor Augustus, erstwhile he saw fertility decline, limited the rights of unmarried men to prompt them to search out their wives and to have children. He told them not to go to the Colosseum. The French built their power erstwhile they were de facto half the population of Europe. As their numbers began to decline, they lost their power status, which sealed planet War I and planet War II. They were aware that a low kid would do this, but they could not lift it. present we do not have a good way to do this either."
Maybe that's why we're dealing with a historical necessity that repeats itself all now and then and there's nothing we can do about it?
Culture is subject to a certain sineloid, although it never returns to the old track. Personally, I think we have reason and free will. The subject of household and having children is crucial for everyone. That is why I encourage you to return regularly in prayer and then in dialog with your fiancé or your fiancée or your spouse.
Children are not a threat. They are our component of immortality, the meaning of life, enrich us with their questions, reflections or rebellion. They can be annoying erstwhile we see our own actions in them, but they make us a better version of ourselves and build a better world.
God bless the conversation.
Tomasz D. Kolanek
"Children prohibited". Łódź water park fits into anti-family trends
