Washington - Saba:
A study has revealed new evidence that Americans may be heading toward what billionaire Elon Musk has described as "the greatest threat to the future of civilization."
The study, published by Michigan State University, showed that "the percentage of Americans who do not want to have children has doubled from 14% in 2002 to 29% in 2023, while the percentage of non-parents who plan to have children has declined from 79% to 59%."
The researchers relied on data from the National Survey of Family Growth, which included 80,000 adults under the age of 45. The results showed that the majority of participants who reported a desire to remain childless were female (51%).
In the new study, the researchers identified six categories of non-parent adults, including those who do not want to have children for social or economic reasons, others who are hesitant to take the step, or others who have not yet decided on their position. The majority of these adults live and work in cities.
The study's findings come amid repeated warnings from Elon Musk, who views declining birth rates as "the greatest threat to civilization," citing potential consequences such as labor shortages, rising debt, and pressure on pension and healthcare systems.
However, some experts believe Musk's concerns are exaggerated, emphasizing that fertility rates have been declining for decades in developed countries, and declining teen births are often considered a positive development.
According to recent data, the birth rate in America fell to 54.5 per 1,000 women of childbearing age in 2023, a historic low, with fewer than 3.6 million births. This trend, according to experts, could lead to a "population crisis" by 2050 that would threaten the sustainability of the economy and social support systems, such as Social Security and Medicare.
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