Society & Demographics News and Discussions

[wjfox]

In 50 years, half of Koreans are expected to be 65 or older

Dec.15,2023 16:54 KST

After hitting its peak in 2020, the South Korean population is forecast to drop to 36 million in 50 years. Chronically low birth rates are expected to drop the total fertility rate to below the previously inconceivable threshold of 0.7 births per woman by next year. In 50 years, those 65 and older are expected to comprise half of Korea’s population. A grim forecast for Korea, some have likened this coupling of plummeting fertility and an aging society to the Black Death, while others are calling it a “mass suicide.”

According to a report on population trends published by Statistics Korea on Thursday, South Korea’s population came to 51.67 million in 2022, which slightly increased to 51.71 million in 2023. However, by 2072, it’s expected to drop to 36.22 million. This would mean a 30% decrease (15.45 million people) in just 50 years.

https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english ... 20598.html

[caltrek]

In 50 years, half of Koreans are expected to be 65 or older

...
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english ... 20598.html

A few possibilities:

1) Increased immigration to offset labor shortages.

2) AI and robots doing increased levels of work.

3) Delay in the age of retirement.

If these fail to materialize at adequate levels:

3) Shorter life expectancy due to inadequate care of the elderly, especially amongst those that are least able to take care of themselves.

4) If 1 does not happen - lower population densities leading to lower rents and housing costs.

More complicated is the likely impact on export and import trade.

[wjfox]

[raklian]

I wonder what's next? AI matchmaking?

[firestar464]

Very likely, given that AI ends up analyzing people better than people.

[raklian]

Very likely, given that AI ends up analyzing people better than people.

What if it ends up recommending itself as the best match?

I wouldn't be surprised many humans will be sexual-fluid enough to date and hold relationships with AI-based entities, at least on an emotional level.

This may begin to exacerbate low child-birth rates for a while until this issue is mitigated by artificial wombs and LEV gains unless we somehow transition to a human-machine hybrid existence thanks to rapid AI/ASI-mediated breakthroughs which will cause the population of biological humans to continue declining.

[firestar464]

"no no, I want like, a real person"

[weatheriscool]

[Tadasuke]

source: https://www.worldometers.info

[wjfox]

[erowind]

.

[weatheriscool]

[wjfox]

[weatheriscool]

Teen birth rate in Texas increases for the first time in 15 years
https://scrippsnews.com/stories/teen-bi ... -15-years/

New data is revealing the real-life impact of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022.

For the first time in 15 years, the birth rate among teens in Texas increased.

The University of Houston’s Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality found the birth rate for women ages 15–44 in Texas went up by about 2%, and for teens, the birth rate increased by 0.39%. In both age groups, the highest increases were among Hispanic girls and women.

"It's certainly cause for discussion,” said Elizabeth Gregory, a professor and the Director of Women's Gender & Sexuality Studies at the University of Houston. “This affects individuals’ lives in terms of what their long-term opportunities might be, if they have to step out of school or take jobs to support their children in the near term."

Dr. Sophia Yen, a child and maternal health physician and the co-founder of Pandia Health, said this data is concerning to her both personally and professionally. “It is devastating to me as a mother that my two daughters have fewer rights than I grew up with, and that is just wrong. We should be moving forward,” said Dr. Yen.

*snip*

[Powers]

https://scrippsnews.com/stories/teen-bi ... -15-years/

“It is devastating to me as a mother that my two daughters have fewer rights than I grew up with, and that is just wrong. We should be moving forward,”

If you only knew...

[wjfox]

UK population projected to reach nearly 74 million by 2036

49 mins ago

The UK population could reach nearly 74 million by 2036, up from the latest estimate of 67 million, with net migration adding around six million people, figures suggest.

There could also be an additional one million people in the UK aged 85 and over during the next 15 years.

The data has been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and assumes a level of long-term net international migration of 315,000 a year from mid-2028 onwards.

https://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/ne ... lion-2036/

[Time_Traveller]

Labour plans to extend equal pay rights to black, Asian and minority ethnic staff

Sun 4 Feb 2024 20.00 GMT

A Labour government would extend the full right to equal pay that now exists for women to black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) workers for the first time under radical plans for a draft race equality act seen by the Guardian.

The legal right, which would follow a consultation with business groups and unions, would be phased in to give employers time to adapt to paying all their staff fairly, with back pay only available from when the law changes.

The change, which would also cover disabled people, would mean that equal pay claims on the basis of ethnicity and disability were treated the same as those made by women who, under the existing law, have more stringent protections.

Labour would also appoint a Windrush commissioner if it won the general election to monitor the compensation scheme, which has faced criticism over its slow rollout, and has threatened to move it out of the Home Office if it continues to fail.

A commissioner would re-establish the Home Office team that was tasked with transforming the department after the scandal, but was disbanded last year, and act as a voice for the Windrush generation and their families as they pursue justice.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... hnic-staff

[wjfox]

[funkervogt]

Generations are only 15 years long?

[caltrek]

Retirements Spike Again as Stock Market Booms
by Javier E. David
February 19, 2024

Introduction:

(Axios) Huge numbers of Americans are leaving the workplace in a surprise second wave of the post-COVID retirement boom.

Why it matters: An aging country — combined with a booming stock market and a nudge from return-to-office policies — means more working stiffs are preparing to exit the stage.

What's happening: The U.S. has about 2.7 million more retirees than predicted, Bloomberg reports from a model designed by an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

• That number was 1.5 million six months ago — a more than 80% increase. Before the pandemic, there were often fewer retirees than expected.

The big picture: The pandemic fundamentally altered the labor force in ways that made the jobs market historically tight.

Read more here: https://www.axios.com/2024/02/19/ameri ... -returns