The Relationship Recession and the Rise of Singlehood

There is a trend lately of offering money to women to have babies as a way to solve the declining natality rate. After decades of maltreatment against women at home and in the workplace, schemes like offering money—ideas mostly proposed by men—will not solve anything. I don’t know about you, but if I were a woman, I’d be offended if someone offered me money to have children. It’s more complicated than that. But of course, there is this belief that everything can be solved with money. Maybe at a surface level, but addressing the issue meaningfully requires a significant shift at a deeper level. It has nothing to do with women—the problem is us, men.

Five thousand dollars? That amount is laughable if you think about it. Women are smarter than that and are taking action. Choice is the key word. Many women are choosing singlehood, and for good reason.

Last year, I reviewed the book The Forgotten Americans, and I noted that there are alternatives to what the author called the “success sequence”—the idea that if you get an education, work full-time, and wait to have children until you are married or in a committed relationship, you have a good chance of escaping poverty and joining the middle class. My response to that view was:

“I find the ‘success sequence’ overly simplistic and prescriptive. It assumes circumstances that don’t align with today’s realities. While this formula may work in some cases, there are alternative paths to financial stability and success. For instance, a single person can often achieve the same—or even greater—success faster. I’m not advocating for singleness; I’m simply stating that success comes in many forms.”

So when I read an article the other day titled “The Great Relationship Recession,” All I could do was smile and shake my head. Here is an excerpt from the article:

“Perhaps the most important factor is that, as living alone has become easier, women’s standards have grown more exacting. For many, a mediocre partner no longer seems a better bet than remaining single. Women are more likely than men to say that they want their mate to be well educated and financially solid. More men are failing to clear this moving bar, as they fall behind women educationally and the less bookish ones flounder in the job market. Men with no college degree and low earnings struggle to attract a partner; doubly so if they do not share domestic chores, or if after frequent rejection they start to dislike women, a common vice in the online ‘manosphere.’”

“A mediocre partner”—which, in my view, includes abusive or cheating husbands. There is a reason my maternal grandmother raised seven children by herself and never sought another man after her husband died in an accident in the early 1960s. One of her last wishes, before she passed away two years ago, was not to be buried with my grandfather.

Now then, what is the solution to the problem of the declining natality rate and the so-called “relationship recession”?

Well, men, maybe we just need to listen to what women have to say and move out smartly.

Two things I recommend men do: 

First, let’s stop the physical and sexual abuse, the discriminatory behavior in workplaces, and the habit of deciding what’s best for women. They are clearly smarter than us, so let’s listen to them for once.

Second, let’s be more responsible. There is nothing wrong with domestic chores—do more of them. And if you are a father, be present for your children. Be a real partner. You know you are wrong if you have small children at home yet go out drinking and partying with the “guys” on weekends while your wife is exhausted after a week of caring for the kids. Be a man—suck it up, like we say in the Army—and take care of the kids on the weekend so your wife can take a break.

Men can do a lot to help solve this problem, and coming up with gimmicks is not one of them. As I said, women are smarter than us, and many will choose singleness over having a mediocre partner. Women have choices, and if motherhood is in their plan, they will make it happen one way or another.

I’m sure that if men start changing, women will follow suit, and this—and many other societal problems—will begin to improve.

98 thoughts on “The Relationship Recession and the Rise of Singlehood”

  1. This piece highlights an uncomfortable truth: women aren’t rejecting motherhood, they’re rejecting unsafe and unequal partnerships. Choice, respect, and shared responsibility matter far more than financial incentives.

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  2. Very interesting thoughts here! I don’t necessarily think women are smarter than men in all ways, but we are in many ways. The good thing about a healthy partnership is that different strengths complement each other. On the other hand, friends and community can provide different strengths, too. I admire people who do not settle for someone mediocre. A partner who is abusive and cheats is well below mediocre in my opinion. Thank you for encouraging men to step up and do better. From a broad environmental perspective (as in that of Mother Earth) a declining human birthrate might be a good thing. Quality is more important than quantity.

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    1. Thank you for your comment. I think you highlighted what is key: healthy partnerships; the involvement of friends and community, which of course includes family members; and your final point about the birthrate. Many people are obsessed with increasing the population, but perhaps nature is telling us something different, and fewer people in the world may not be a bad thing.

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    1. I’m not really sure what’s going to happen with that initiative, but I read about a mom who said she’s taking the money even though she’s not planning to have more kids. My guess is that many families will take advantage of it if they qualify, but I think it’s very restrictive, so I’m not sure it’s going to benefit a lot of children.

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  6. I’m going to play Devil’s Advocate here because there’s more to it than blaming the man or the woman. Many people nowadays do not want children. Period. They would rather have the freedom to do what they want. My daughter never wanted kids, and many people in her millennial peer group feel the same way. The cost of raising kids nowadays is out of the reach of many people if they want to raise the kids in a comfortable lifestyle and provide them with a good education. Children deserve to be loved and cared for well. Too many people nowadays carry around a lot of baggage – ex-wives, ex-husbands, ex-partners, children by exes, bankruptcy and credit problems, physical and mental health issues, substance abuse, anger management issues, family issues, etc. When you marry someone, you’re taking on all of their negative garbage. Men don’t want to be with modern women, regardless of their financial status, because so many of them are unstable, narcissistic, and self-centered. Not good marriage material, that’s for sure. And why should a man get married and support a bunch of kids if he doesn’t have to or want to? “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free” is an old saying that is still true today. Men don’t have to marry for sex anymore, and society doesn’t expect it. Societal expectations have lowered, and people have followed suit. I will not get married again if something happens to my husband. I’d much rather be alone.

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  7. This is a great article, Edward. You bring to light some really good points.
    I think it’s weird to pay people to have babies. Why not help raise the babies already here with – parenting classes, child care, health care, education…?
    Not all people are meant to be in relationships. Some people are perfectly fine on their own. My first dating experiences were terrible. If I had not met my true love, I would not be married.
    My husband and I are so very fortunate! We treat each other as equals. We’ve both been the breadwinner and the homemaker. I firmly believe that in order to create and maintain a strong lasting relationship you have to be equals, you have to share, you have to communicate, you have to hold yourself accountable… To do less, to give less, means having less in your relationship. We are not perfect in any way, but our hearts won’t allow us to do less than we’re able, or to expect more from others than from ourselves. I don’t think these things are taught to people so they understand this about relationships, about life. Expect the best from yourself first, and don’t put up with less than you deserve.

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    1. Thank you, Rose, for your wonderful comment. I like what you said about being equals, sharing, and communicating, it’s so true. These are key to a successful relationship. Nowadays, we are teaching a lot of the wrong things, and for some reason, some people want to turn back the clock instead of accepting the reality that men and women should be seen as equals.

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  8. You’re very perceptive of the female gender, Edward. I’ve been abused more times than I can count, both at home and at work. I also have known real men who understand basic values of respect and companionship. Give a woman a little, and she will go to the ends of the earth with her man. It will be interesting how AI changes relationships.

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  10. I haven’t heard of that small of dollar amounts, but anything is possible, especially for those in need of money. When we were in China just before Covid broke out, (literally days!), our guide told us that divorce was on the rise in China and young women were not getting married and married couples were having less kids against the wishes of their parents.

    I wasn’t surprised by the rate of births, but I was surprised at the rate of divorce.

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    1. That’s my concern. You offer money like that and people in need will start having children even if they’re in no position to, putting more stress on social services. I read about the divorce rate in China, and they’re also offering money and other incentives, like free childcare, to increase natality rates. After their one-child policy, they’re now realizing it was a mistake and trying to reverse the damage. Thank you for your comment, Melissa.

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  11. Hi, Edward. Thank you for this very mindful commentary. I apologize, because after writing this comment I saw that I’ve stepped up onto my “Julia Sugarbaker Soapbox” (nobody could do a righteous rant like Julia)….. You hit a lot of important points — some of which women miss as drastically as men. “I don’t know about you, but if I were a woman, I’d be offended if someone offered me money to have children.” I’ve heard that mentioned before and agree with what you said. Another aspect that bothers me, is the outcry when it seems the world is already over-populated — AND there are so many children needing parents. I might have *adopted* a child if I had been getting equal pay, and if all the systems had not been against a single woman adopting. Why not put paid-baby money toward that problem? ……….. Not to mention the huge up-tick in parental neglect that would result from that nonsense.

    Personally, I’d appreciate it if people who choose to be single got the same respect as everyone else. I haven’t been interested in romance or a relationship for the past 30 years, but try to tell anybody (especially other women) that… Despite the fact that now I’m old and fat, and my back won’t let me do anything, most women assume I’m out to get their husbands, their sons, or even their grandsons. As my heroine in “Atonement, Tennessee” quipped, “I wasn’t interested in any man, woman, or miscellaneous other.”
    …….. To both men and women: Stop feeling threatened, stop matchmaking, stop your silly gossip, stop assuming that being civil and kind means a single woman wants to get laid. And I won’t even start on so called female Viagra…

    It’s a disgusting commentary on the state of our society that it has to be pointed out that abuse is not acceptable. Too many men self-define the meaning of abuse and of fidelity. “I’m sure he did it in a way that makes it okay” is absurd as absurd as “What did you do to make him try to kill you?”

    I feel guilty that it may seem like I highjacked your post. Feel free to shorten or completely delete this comment. Have a wonderful December. Hugs to you and yours.

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    1. Teagan, thank you for your great comment. You made an excellent point about the treatment single women receive. It’s definitely unfair compared to how society treats single men. I agree with you about the adoption process, with so many children in foster care and in difficult circumstances, you’d think single women would get a fair shot at adoption, but the system is still stuck in the past.

      Long comments are always welcome, and I only delete comments if they’re hateful, offensive, or completely unrelated to the post. Yours was perfect, my friend.

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  12. Hi Edward, this is such an interesting article. I am of the view that the so called equality of women is generally a fallacy. Most women now have to work full time to help support the home while still assuming all the responsibility for running the home and the children. It’s not surprising that many are choosing to remain single as it is a demanding and exhausting life leaving many women burned out by the time they are fifty. Out of the young ladies I started my career with in 1997, only one remains working at a corporate other than me. She doesn’t have a client facing role like I do. Client facing work is much more demanding and deadline driven. There are nine senior women in my division and three are not married with no children, two are married with no children, one has only one child. The other three and me, have children and husbands. That means that 50% have no children. Interesting, isn’t it?

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    1. It’s really interesting, and you just gave a perfect example of the main point. Many women mention feeling exhausted, especially if they have kids and their partner isn’t helping with chores, meeting deadlines, or keeping up in their careers as reasons. I know a few women who’ve chosen to stay single so they can stay competitive in male dominated fields. Thanks for adding such valuable insight to the discussion.

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  13. So interesting to read and hear all the views… I don’t have social media and I don’t watch the news … I do observe life though and document from a different space.. and read here…I am very happy I am not raising kids in this time and so happy we can be supportive grandparents giving them some of the good ol fashioned grounded sense of purpose and good ol fashioned values that still matter, to us anyways and I hope some carry on .. legacies seem less important to generations younger than me and less as each develop. I don’t know if I get more lives but what happens when it’s all robots… are we bionic then? 😂funny but not funny 😉.

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    1. Thank you, Kerri. Your comment about legacy is so interesting. I’m old fashioned too, and I’ve noticed that legacy doesn’t seem to be a priority these days. It’s hard to pinpoint the shift, though I have my own opinions when it comes to my extended family. Funny that you mentioned robots, because the same newspaper talked about how young people are preferring AI relationships to real ones. Less drama and better conversation, I guess, but how the rest works is beyond me. Oh, I can definitely see the market for robots with a human‑like form.

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      1. For our generation it’s a very strange shift… I need real connection… but I do listen to the views of the ones that have experienced that and they feel so much better.. seems lonely I need a good debate and even disagreement .. I’d go nuts if my husband agreed with everything, we are opposites in almost everything, it keeps us aware and awake , or exhausted 😂 both fit us well.. but to converse w my phone all day or robot …. Who would I have a debate with.. we love debating.. I win 🥇 but he’d say he does lol🥰

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        1. I hear you. I’m an introvert and my wife is an extrovert, so it’s a good mix, and of course she always wins. 😂 Yes, the new generation feels extremely connected through technology; I guess it’s easier to get your point across compared to face-to-face conversations, where an extrovert can take over in a heartbeat.

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  14. Wow, I love reading your writing, Edward, because you know how to get to the heart of it. I think you are absolutely right that if men raise their game, women will be all on board and it will be good for all. I don’t think our current politicians are helping the matter with the example they set – but I’m hopeful that the outcome in the long-run is that we see we want to be better than bullying, cheating, and abusive.

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    1. Thank you so much, Wynne. You’re absolutely right about our current leaders not setting the best example. I tell my wife all the time that men like that eventually face the consequences. They end up old and alone, with no one to offer them real love in their final days.

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    1. Thank you, Jacqui. Women definitely have the right to choose. The money part is just a gimmick, but I’m sure it will help many people if the government actually goes ahead with the plan to distribute it.

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  17. As always, Ed, you touch my heartstrings. I was an at-home Mom for 9 years. After realizing a divorce was imminent, I stayed single. I had not given up on relationships completely. However, I was not prepared for the man who had done nothing to heal himself. We all have baggage. Women tend to confront it earlier than men. As I age, the further I navigate from a serious relationship. I already raised my kids and have grandchilren now. All women are not so shallow that we all will settle for the money. I wanted to have relationship with an adult. Thanks for calling out the abuse and mistreatment. I never understood the chores since if a man lived alone he would have to clean up after himself, wouldn’t he? There are layers here but you certainly lifted some. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. You’re welcome, Sandra. The history of abuse on my mother’s side is long, so I understand the difficulties. As for men cleaning up after themselves… well, I’m not 100% sure all of them know how to do it unless they had a good mom who was on top of them. I think that’s one of the reasons why, in basic training, we get detailed instructions about making our beds, cleaning bathrooms, and, back in my day, even how to peel a potato. Maybe that’s also why some young men rush to get married, they need a woman to keep them straight. 😀

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      2. Right on. As kids we all had daily chores. Each of us 5 kids had our turns for doing dishes, one washes, the other dries. My other daily role was peeling potatoes. Each of us expected to weed the garden.
        The thing is, I learned to take pride in doing the chores I was assigned. Early in life patterns become life long habits; that’s not just true for bad habits.

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  18. Love this well written and astute article, Edward. I love that woman are choosing what is right for them and staying true to that. If people would take responsibility for the part they each play in a child’s development, life would be better for all concerned and then again, I’m blessed that Sienna has men figures in her life that adore her and her mom is so efficient at getting paid child care since since she is taking classes full time while working full time. This is what being resourceful looks like and not selling out! xx

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    1. Yes! Through your posts, we know that Sienna is well loved and has the support she needs. She looks so happy in the photos. Mom is doing well and needs to keep fighting. Thank you, Cindy. I’m about to read your Fri-Yayy post.

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  19. This was an interesting and thought-provoking read, Edward. Although I agree with most of your points, the place I would beg to differ is that women are smarter. I believe that there are smart and not-so-smart people in both sexes, and within that, there are people smart (and skilled) at some things and not-so-smart at other things. As far as abuse goes, throughout my nursing career, I’ve sadly witnessed men who were abused by their wives, both physically and mentally. I don’t know what to think about paying women to have children. All I’m certain of, is that this could have many unfortunate outcomes. My husband has always been and continues to be a great help around the house … so much so, that my friends ask if they could borrow him.

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    1. Thank you, Terry, and you’re right about my “smarter” characterization. There are smart and not-so-smart people in both sexes. My characterization was based on those women who are aware of the current environment and are not letting expectations define their choices.
      Kudos to your husband, we need more people like him.

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  20. Women are just tired of settling. We can do bad all by ourselves. This administration is doing nothing to make the male of the species any more desirable either- trying to preach submission and baby making. Very thought provoking article.

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    1. You’re so right, Violet. These men are making the problem worse, and I’ll tell you what, every time I see women supporting them and condoning their behavior, all I can think of is the show “The Handmaid’s Tale”. The women who supported and took part in that movement later came to regret their actions when all their rights were taken away.

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  21. Oh my goodness. “Be a better partner”…you’ve said that so well, Edward. Once again the timing of one of your thoughtful essays is eerily good! This was a hot topic this week with someone I care about who’s struggling…preferring to remain solo rather than attach and try to sustain a ‘mediocre’ relationship. Thank you for your wonderful, encouraging insights. ❤️

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    1. Wow, thank you for sharing that, Vicki. You know, we are all imperfect, of course, but some men are not even trying. I remember a few years ago having a discussion with a man who had been engaged in a battle with his wife and working toward a divorce for two years. He was depressed and working two jobs. He told me that he had cheated, and that’s what triggered the separation. Instead of giving her what she was asking for, which seemed reasonable to me, he decided to fight her. He had already spent more money on lawyers and other things than what she originally wanted, and his health was deteriorating quickly. He told me he would continue to fight her to the end so she would get nothing. I told him, “Okay, but you know she has already won because you’re broke and in bad shape.” That’s the level of irrationality that some men are engaged in.

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      1. Wow – back to you! ❤️Your feedback to him! So powerful and on point. Love your perspective and insight — agree, agree, agree! Thank you for sharing that example. So sad, really. Sending hugs to you, my friend. You are truly a great human. ❤️😊❤️

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  22. For me, I better be single than entering into a married life with so many problems and responsibilities than I have now as a single. This sounds like a wake-up call for men. I feel the support for women in this piece.

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    1. Thank you for your comment. I think people need to be very careful before committing to a relationship, especially marriage. It needs to be a collaborative environment where personal growth is a priority. If the man doesn’t want that kind of commitment, then, as you said, it’s better to stay single.

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  23. A very profound and even courageous post (given that it was written by a man!). You touched so many taboos of society and offered practical solutions to better partnerships. This point in particular is very pertinent in the current setting: women “will choose singleness over having a mediocre partner.” That’s how much society changed and how much the feminine emerged from the patriarchy system, often characterized by domination and abuse. A system that evolved (or better said, de-evolved!) to a state where “there is this belief that everything can be solved with money.” Thank you, Edward, for this brilliant and so enriching share! I truly enjoyed this read! A lot to consider here… With appreciation, sending you light and blessings and wishing you a beautiful day 🙏✨

    PS – Most probably, you won’t see my like on your post, though I liked it (literally), as I am having issues with my WP account. My likes don’t stick! I am waiting for the WP support, but since I am on a free plan, this may take awhile (if it ever happens…!). Grateful for your comprehension!

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    1. Thank you so much, Susana. I think men need to speak up more about these issues, and there are other subjects I want to write about when the time is right. I really appreciate your comment, and de-evolved is probably the right term.

      As for the issue with the “like” function, no worries, my friend, it happens to me all the time. Thank you again for your comment. Blessings, and have a wonderful weekend. 🙏🏼

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  25. “…and take care of the kids on the weekend so your wife can take a break…” To your point – back when our kiddos were babies/toddlers and Moms took turns each week to look after them in the church nursery on Sundays, my hubby was the only husband/dad to do ‘my’ turn. He got lots of guff for it from the guys but all the ladies? Let’s just say I was the envy of the bunch! 😉

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  26. As a mom of two young adult daughters who will likely never have children, the state of the world just makes me sad. I hoped my daughters would grow up in a different world than I did, but we seem to be moving in the wrong direction.

    Sadly, the men in power want to turn back the clock to the days when women stayed home, raised children, and were beholden to their husbands financially. As you point out, women are smarter than that.

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    1. Sad indeed. I also think women are getting tired of saving the day, so to speak, and not getting enough credit. There is plenty of historical evidence where famous men were saved from their own mistakes by their wives, but the men got the glory while the wives were pushed aside.

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  27. To focus in one thing, the birth rate is a big problem in the West. Once it starts to go south, the only remedy is to import non-citizens from countries that have a higher birth rate. The data indicated that they will reproduce in similar numbers to their native culture for about two generations. Obviously, it is not a moment when most of the countries of the west will permit that.

    The Chinese have tried to turn around the “one child” life the government created, without success. Money doesn’t turn the ship around.

    The result? Fewer people to pay into Social Security, for example, and a likely reduction those checks.

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    1. You’re absolutely right, Dr. Stein. The data is available, and reputable newspapers report on it all the time, about how immigration can help with the problem. But the West continues to push back on immigration for political reasons instead of looking at the issue rationally. So the solution, as always, is to kick the can down the road and let someone else deal with the problem.

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  29. Edward!!!!!!!!!!!! You are always great but this is over the top great! KUDOS to you! Of course I’m going to agree with all that you said because I’m a woman but also because (in my view), it’s so bang on! As someone who married young and picked the wrong spouse, I love this movement of singleness and if I were to do it all over again (or maybe in another life), I just might jump on that train. I keep seeing posts on Instagram about how right now, young girls are proclaiming that even having a boyfriend is embarrassing. At first I was taken aback by the comment and had to stop and think what they could possibly mean but now I get it. Great post Edward!

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    1. Thank you so much, my friend. That Instagram post says it all. I don’t have Instagram, but I wonder what young boys are posting these days. My interactions with young people tell me that most women are way ahead, thinking about their future education and careers, while most men are thinking about the Sunday night football game.

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  30. The first time I read about this idea of offering women (white women, of course) money to reproduce, I immediately thought it was an Aryan eugenics page out of Hitler’s Mein Kampf playbook, which MAGA has been following to the letter.

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  31. Yaaaaasss to all this!!! Thank you! 😆 I just wanna live my best life and sometimes my friends who have children complain and envy my life because I’m not tethered to children but to each their own. I know plenty of women who want nothing more than to have babies. Having kids is expensive and the world can be cruel. There has to be more of an incentive than just $5k, that is literally gone within a week for food, shelter, care, and etc. other countries like Korea offer monthly financial assistance and more.

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    1. Exactly! It needs to be a concerted effort to support women who want to have children, including affordable childcare, healthcare, housing, and better workplace incentives. Offering $5k is an insult and nonsense. And if women want to stay single, then that’s their choice, and no one should be minimizing it or making them feel uncomfortable about that choice.

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  32. great post Edward. i’ve said this time and time again but i do want to hedge on the side of nuance; the social contract was broken in such a profound way, but not in the 40’s or 50’s but wayyyyyy longer than that. modern society’s tools have allowed women the equalizer that previous generations of women simply were not fortunate enough to have. Mike

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    2. The Haudenosaunee before colonialism was a matriarchal society. The women, whose main qualifications are that they can birth children and are the main nurturers were the ones who made decisions. They followed the Seven Grandfather Teachings and considered decisions as it would effect the next 7 generations. It was the men who had the role of protecting the members within and the community. They were called warriors. A warrior is far seeing. A warrior is like an eagle, rising above the storm.
      In Haudenosaunee society men and women had very important complimentary roles.

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  33. What I don’t understand is why anyone wants birth rates to rise, don’t they understand that means more necessary social services? How will these people have opportunities once they are born? Housing is a huge problem now. The earth is already overpopulated.

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    1. I don’t understand it either. My sense, after reading articles over the past year or so, is that governments are concerned with the future labor force and how to pay for things, which, going back to your point, shows how messed up we are. The government keeps borrowing to pay for unnecessary things instead of focusing on the essentials.

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      1. I would argue that the earth isn’t overpopulated but that humans aren’t utilizing resources adequately. Hunger and starvation typically occur from poor distribution and waste instead of a sheer lack of resources.

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        1. Good point, though the island of Puerto Rico has over 3 million U.S. citizens, more than in 10 states, and you can fit the island inside any of those states several times. Still, I definitely see your point.

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          1. If there’s enough housing and food distribution, then there’s more than enough space for even more people. The belief that’s there’s “too many people” is just looking at the symptoms instead of the real issues.

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            1. Definitely, there isn’t enough housing, and food isn’t affordable, so both “too many people” and the “real issues” are problems. But, of course, they will figure it out at some point.

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        3. I apologize for the ambiguity of my statement. The earth being overpopulated (or not) is a more complex issue than either of our comments (yours or mine) have expounded upon. Saying “hunger and starvation occur from poor distribution and waste” is hugely overgeneralizing the problem.

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      1. It seems like our whole society, mainly influenced by our economic model (capitalism) will only work if we have an expanding economy. Go figure, constant growth on a finite planet.
        Let’s start by ackowledging that we encourage haring of money, we look up to economically ‘successful’ people who take more than there fair score of the pie, and replace that deafly pattern by developing an economy of care. That is one thing Indigenous people understood and lived before colonization. They had no jails because they had alternatives to punitive actions, leading to penitence (penitentiaries?) and creating a renewed sense of belonging for those who violated the community ethos of following the Seven Grandfather Teachings.

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        1. Great comment, and what you said about the Indigenous people is spot on. I hope we return to that, using what is needed and nothing else. One thing that shocked me when I read Democracy in America by Tocqueville was his lack of understanding of the Indigenous lifestyle. Tocqueville thought that some of the tribes were wasting an opportunity to grow as a society because they weren’t settling down and committing to agriculture. He considered spending the day hunting uncivilized, when in reality, they were gathering what was necessary to survive and taking care of the land.

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    3. I think the challenge is an aging population and shrinking labour force. Add in the current anti-trade and anti-immigrant sentiment (or rather anti-anyone-who-is-not-white) and the insatiable need for consumption, and a declining birth rate will ultimately make it very difficult for the USA to maintain its economic power. Clearly society needs to rethink its priorities.

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