this post was submitted on 15 Dec 2025
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[–] Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world 65 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Desperation?

People don't want to have kids. I wonder why. Remember the laying flat movement and the 996 culture.

I wonder why.

If only there was an actual solution to this LOLOL....

[–] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 36 points 1 day ago (6 children)

If I lived under an authoritarian regime, I would not want to bring a child into it.

[–] WoodScientist@lemmy.world 54 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

The truth is that the strength of a democracy has little relation to the birth rate. If you live in the US, for example, you only live in a democracy if your income is in the top 10%. This has actually been studied. The opinions of the poorest 90% of the population have absolutely zero bearing on what government policy is implemented.

The US and China actually have similar levels of democracy. China forms all its policies from the CCP, an organization of about 100 million people. The share of the population in China that has any impact on policy is actually quite similar to the share that does the same in the US.

[–] scarabic@lemmy.world 5 points 9 hours ago

It’s true. The very poor people I’ve known in the US have believed that “the system is rigged” and they have little freedom and no voice. They believe they are exploited by powers far beyond their ability to challenge and the last way any of it would ever change is through voting, which they see as an empty, farcical gesture.

[–] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 5 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

While you are correct, taking a piss poor example of democracy against another piss poor example of democracy doesn't really explain anything. I said authoritarian regime, I stand by that.

[–] driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br 21 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

What democracy currently have population replacement birth levels?

[–] antonim@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Ehh, the character of the regime doesn't seem to affect birth rates a whole lot. Brutal dictatorships that make China seem like a gentle puppy could have perfectly ok birth rates. E.g. Nazi Germany had 2.5 fertility rate in 1939 and 1940, it was their highest since 1922: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Germany

I really don't think the average Chinese cares too much about how authoritarian their govt is when it comes to deciding on whether to have kids. The consequences of one-child policy, economic prospects, stability, general cultural optimism/pessimism, social habits (and the effects of technology on them), etc. are all likely to be much more important factors.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 11 points 13 hours ago

I live in a democracy and don't want to bring children into this.

[–] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 hours ago

lived under an authoritarian regime

I mean... isn't that just most of history tbh?

Most people aren't antinatalists lol

[–] Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)

I agree, but how is that relevant to China? It pretty consistently has the highest government satisfaction rates in the world.

Edit: and before you accuse me of Chinese propaganda, that's data from western organizations like Pew Research or Ash Institute

[–] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 2 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (2 children)

Because they jail/disappear anyone who complains? Lol.

Edit: Without entrenched freedom of speech, surveys mean nothing but what respondants think their opressors want to hear.

[–] Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com 2 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Dumb take. The data portraying that comes from western institutions like Pew Research or the Ash Institute

[–] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)

You seem to struggle with the simple concept. So badly in fact, that I suspect this is all disingenuous bullshit from a bad faith ideologue.

In the slight chance this is just a high level of ignorance, naievety or low IQ, here is my polite response.

Oppressed people won't tell anyone anything that can be used against them, western or not. Pew Research isn't going to protect them. The Ash institute won't un-disapear anyone. The people speaking to western, even academic sources still have to live under oppression when the survey is done.

Speaking to foreign journalist is a great way to get your family threatened.

https://rsf.org/en/chinese-regime-s-fierce-repression-journalists-hidden-behind-day-celebration

Edit: Never mind. For bad faith arguments I hereby award you a personal block.

[–] Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com 2 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Quoting RSF, the western politicized organization that refused to comment on the illegal arbitrary detention of a Spanish journalist in Poland. The organization classifying England's "Press Freedom Index" as satisfactory while all sorts of reporters bring up the massive repression against anti-zionism in all media. Surely that Montpellier-based organization with branches exclusively in western countries could not be used as a political tool!

You have literally never spoken to a Chinese person living in China, and it shows.

Oppressed people won't tell anyone anything that can be used against them, western or not

Look. I understand you've been exposed to decades of anti-China propaganda, but this is fucking wild. In my university department I've been fortunate enough to direct the master's and bachelor's theses of some 10 Chinese students. I've discussed politics with most of them, between 2020 and 2024 for a frame of reference. We're talking highly trained young men and women from a variety of backgrounds and provinces. None of them has had any problem talking to me about politics, other than "I'm not really interested" for some of them. Out of those students, only one chose to pursue a career in Germany (highly developed, rich country in Europe), the rest moved back to "authoritarian, evil, oppressive" China.

The one who chose to stay in Germany told me that he came to Europe considering himself an opposition supporter against the government of China, but that when he saw the politics in Europe, he started to be a lot more charitative towards the Chinese government and he's not so clear about his position anymore. Another student told me she couldn't understand how the German government did nothing while hundreds of thousands of citizens were needlessly dying of COVID because it didn't want to infringe too much on "the economy".

Tell me now: how many actually Chinese people living in China have you spoken with?

[–] zbyte64@awful.systems 2 points 2 hours ago

Damn. Americans jail even more people and still have a lower satisfaction....

[–] PumpkinDrama@reddthat.com -2 points 3 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 hours ago

"Oh I hope my children grow up in an authoritarian dumpster fire. Rights are scary and I can't be trusted with them."

  • you, probably.
[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 10 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

HCOL, many graduates are having impossible time of finding jobs, plus china trying to lure graduates/phd from the states has incensed them as well.

Good thing they made actual unions illegal in the Workers' Paradise ™️.