Gendercide: The War on Baby Girls Has Gotten a Whole Lot Worse

[laundry_queen]

17. I disagree.

I don't think being punitive or shaming will work (nor do I think it's obvious). It does nothing but foster a contrarian streak in people and makes it difficult for children to feel valued as a part of society if they are shunned. Like it or not, children need to be raised to feel like they are a part of society and that they have the power to make it better. Shunning them does not accomplish that. And yes, if you shun the parents, the kids will 'get' it.

All that is needed is education and equality and free access to birth control and the birth rate drops to below replacement. I also don't think 'same sex marriage' as you said is a solution to lowering the birth rate - same sex couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples to bring children into the world if they want. Same sex couples aren't some sort of 'child-free' refuge - they have families too. Not sure what that comment meant.

I do think education around the finiteness of our planet, and the consumption rates of various resources would also help. I think people are largely ignorant about how much (many?) resources a 1st world country uses, vs a 3rd world country. We need to make it cool to live a simple/frugal life. Excess should no longer be what we aspire to. Easier said than done - someone get the message to Hollywood...