Society & Demographics News and Discussions

[caltrek]

More than 500,000 flee California since 2020 https://trib.al/Xjrbo7t

As Woodie Guthrie observed, California is a marvelous place to live, if have that do re mi. It was true in his time, and it is true today.

[weatheriscool]

New study reports 1 in 5 adults don't want children, and they don't regret it later
https://phys.org/news/2023-04-adults-dont-children.html
by Michigan State University

Last summer, researchers at Michigan State University reported that one in five Michigan adults, or about 1.7 million people, don't want children and therefore are child-free. Although that number was surprisingly large to many, data has now been confirmed in a follow-up study.

"We found that 20.9% of adults in Michigan do not want children, which closely matches our earlier estimate of 21.6%, and means that over 1.6 million people in Michigan are child-free," said Jennifer Watling Neal, MSU professor of psychology and co-author of the study. "Michigan is demographically similar to the United States as a whole, so this could mean 50 million to 60 million Americans are child-free."

The new study published in PLOS ONE attempted to replicate the original study by using the same methods, but with a new sample of people. The researchers used data from a representative sample of 1,000 adults who completed MSU's State of the State Survey, conducted by the university's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. To avoid any risk of cherry-picking results, the researchers pre-registered the study by recording in advance exactly how the study would be conducted and what they expected to find.

"Many adults are child-free, and there do not seem to be differences by age, education or income," said Zachary Neal, associate professor of psychology at MSU and co-author of the study. "However, being child-free is somewhat more common among adults who identify as male, white or who have always been single."

[caltrek]

Earth's Population Could Soon Start Falling. Here's Why
by Rebecca Dyer
April 11, 2023

Introduction:

(Science Alert) The number of humans on Earth reached 8 billion in November 2022.

Now a new report suggests that the world's population may peak at just 9 billion by 2050, a number far lower than previously thought.
Compared to other more well-known estimates, such as those from the United Nations, the latest prediction is either a breath of fresh air, or an omen of disaster.

The pros and cons of Earth's growing human population are hotly debated, with proponents citing positive effects on the economy and technology and critics emphasizing the risks to the environment and social harmony.

While it could be argued that smaller populations require less energy, housing, food, and water, there are some significant caveats. Most importantly, an imminent reversal of population growth means we need major investments in education and health, not to mention ways to overcome economic inequality in an aging society.

Read more here: https://www.sciencealert.com/earths-po ... heres-why

[Time_Traveller]

Melbourne overtakes Sydney as Australia's biggest city

1 hour ago

Melbourne has overtaken Sydney as Australia's most populous city for the first time since the 19th Century gold rush, following a boundary change.

Sydney has proudly held the title for more than 100 years.

But with populations rapidly growing on Melbourne's fringe, the city limits have been expanded to include the area of Melton.

The latest government figures, from June 2021, put Melbourne's population at 4,875,400 - 18,700 more than Sydney.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines a city's "significant urban area", by including all connecting suburbs with more than 10,000 people.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-65261720

[wjfox]

US adult cigarette smoking rate hits new all-time low

By MIKE STOBBE
an hour ago

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. cigarette smoking dropped to another all-time low last year, with 1 in 9 adults saying they were current smokers, according to government survey data released Thursday. Meanwhile, electronic cigarette use rose, to about 1 in 17 adults.

The preliminary findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are based on survey responses from more than 27,000 adults.

Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, and it’s long been considered the leading cause of preventable death.

In the mid-1960s, 42% of U.S. adults were smokers. The rate has been gradually dropping for decades, due to cigarette taxes, tobacco product price hikes, smoking bans and changes in the social acceptability of lighting up in public.

Last year, the percentage of adult smokers dropped to about 11%, down from about 12.5% in 2020 and 2021. The survey findings sometimes are revised after further analysis, and CDC is expected to release final 2021 data soon.

https://apnews.com/article/how-many-peo ... osition_07

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

Russia’s Population Nightmare Is Getting Worse


https://politicalwire.com/2023/06/01/ru ... ing-worse/

"SNIP......

The Economist: “A demographic tragedy is unfolding in Russia. Over the past three years the country has lost around 2m more people than it would ordinarily have done, as a result of war, disease and exodus.”

“The life expectancy of Russian males aged 15 fell by almost five years, to the same level as in Haiti. The number of Russians born in April 2022 was no higher than it had been in the months of Hitler’s occupation. And because so many men of fighting age are dead or in exile, women now outnumber men by at least 10 million.”

[wjfox]

Russia’s Population Nightmare Is Getting Worse


https://politicalwire.com/2023/06/01/ru ... ing-worse/

"SNIP......

The Economist: “A demographic tragedy is unfolding in Russia. Over the past three years the country has lost around 2m more people than it would ordinarily have done, as a result of war, disease and exodus.”

“The life expectancy of Russian males aged 15 fell by almost five years, to the same level as in Haiti. The number of Russians born in April 2022 was no higher than it had been in the months of Hitler’s occupation. And because so many men of fighting age are dead or in exile, women now outnumber men by at least 10 million.”

Great news. That country needs to die off.

[wjfox]

[weatheriscool]

[caltrek]

^^^From the above Twitter feed:

(The Cygnet) Having lived abroad and in my birthplace of America, I've noticed that people are much heavier here than elsewhere. And obesity is certainly associated with a number of health problems

One thing I have noticed about my recent changes in life-style practices is the effect on my weight. Before those changes, I was considered overweight but not obese. I increased my level of exercise and also converted completely to a whole-foods/plant-based diet. This initiated a process of slowly losing weight which resulted in a significant weight loss over time. Yet, I was constantly snacking on whole-foods/plant-based foods. My problem, if it can be considered a problem, was eating enough food. So, I didn't have to exercise any will power in restricting my food intake. I merely had to be highly selective in what foods I did eat.

As pointed out in the cited Twitter feed, so much food on our shelves here in the United States is not beneficial. I would note that it is either highly processed or meat based. Dieticians are reaching the conclusion that these foods are highly detrimental to our health, and yet we continue eating them. In this regard, we compare unfavorably with so many other countries on the globe. Another manifestation of free-dumb combined with ignorance and force of habit. The ignorance is carefully cultivated by the food industry, which sews confusion and mis-direction in order to encourage the consumption of such junk food.

Such dietary considerations are not the only source of the problem. Certainly, the inefficiencies of our health care system are another major factor, but that is another story.

[Powers]

Interesting, I expected a plateau not a decline.

[weatheriscool]

This is great news! I want it to go down to around 2 billion. That way we're not killing our planet.

[weatheriscool]

This is what the republican parties policies have done to this country.
-Shit healthcare system
-Shit safetynet
-Shit standards

= people dying sooner. These bastards want the 18th century and they're getting it slowly but surely. how fucking disgraceful.

[funkervogt]

This is what the republican parties policies have done to this country.
-Shit healthcare system
-Shit safetynet
-Shit standards

= people dying sooner. These bastards want the 18th century and they're getting it slowly but surely. how fucking disgraceful.

You forgot to mention the fact that Americans are more obese than people in any other rich country, which of course drags down life expectancy. The obesity rate is behavioral and has nothing to do with our healthcare system.
https://topforeignstocks.com/2017/05/19 ... countries/

[wjfox]

[wjfox]

A country slightly bigger than Texas is projected to match the US's population by 2050 — and it shows how radically the world is going to change over the next three decades

Cork Gaines
Jul 11, 2023, 9:15 PM BST

– According to new estimates, Nigeria is expected to nearly double its population in the next 27 years.
– The rise is in contrast to a growing number of countries that will experience population declines.

Happy World Population Day.

The annual United Nations designation is not only a chance to recognize "the dreams of all 8 billion of us on our planet," as UN Secretary-General António Guterres put it in a blog post on Tuesday, it's also a chance to take stock at just how rapidly the world around us is shifting.

In just the past 12 months, the world's population topped 8 billion people for the first time and India overtook China as the most populous country in the world. But even as the global population hits new milestones, one of the buzziest discussions is around the "Great People Shortage," as writers here at Insider have termed it. According to projections, China, Japan, Germany, and even the US are facing the possibility of population decline by 2100 — which could come with some serious economic challenges.

In contrast to the countries facing down the possibility of an aging, shrinking populace, there are other parts of the world that are set to take the baton of population growth in the coming decades. Perhaps the most notable of these rapid-risers is Nigeria.

https://www.businessinsider.com/africa- ... &r=US&IR=T

[Tadasuke]

Don't you think, that it would be much better for Earth's environment, those hypothetical humans and future generations alike, if there were 1/10 the number of people, but those alive would be just better in many areas? Like, imagine around 800 million people as healthy and productive as the healthiest and most productive people living on Earth today.

We wouldn't need 8 billion. We would do just fine with 800 million and everything would get done. Environmental impact would be approximately 10x lesser and tech/science/economic progress wouldn't be slower than it is with our very imperfect civilization. Everyone would lead better, more fulfilling and nicer lives. We could see most people living to be 100+ years old, without getting extremely senile.

I know it probably won't happen. But with 800-1000 million "elite" humans, we could be still advancing as species, but at a much smaller environmental impact, with greater happiness and better health. It would be a superior, more attractive, more refined, more well-mannered, kinder, tidier and pleasant planet. One can always mind wander, conceptualize and day dream, you see...

[Tadasuke]

This is great news! I want it to go down to around 2 billion. That way we're not killing our planet.

Not necessarily. Heavily depends on their lifestyles and how smart would those people be. With very bad and stupid lifestyles, 2 billion humans could easily have the same environmental impact as 20 billion smart, healthy and wise people.

[Tadasuke]

Compare hypothetical 20 billion humans who are all 100% vegan, never eat too much, ride only bicycles and electric trains, against 2 billion humans who are everyday beef eaters, always consume too much, all drive heavy gasoline pickup trucks and often fly airplanes with petroleum-based fuels (some Americans are like that).

Their lifestyles and decisions are so different, that their environmental impacts are on a different scale (when calculating per capita).