why do the least developed countries have the highest fertility rate ?

[Majed]

why do the least developed countries have the highest fertility rate ? and the most developed countries have the lowest ? very counter intuitive, you would expect that since people in less developed countries have overall worse conditions that it would be smart not to have kids to not allow them to live through these miserable conditions, and on the contrary countries with good living conditions higher fertility rates since the living conditions are better. but apparently it's the opposite. well i think it's because of a lack of education in the less developed countries, and also because they're tribal and collectivist whereas developed countries are more individualistic. 

And also a spiritual reason that i contemplated is identity, maybe the stronger you're identity the less aware you are of fluidity and spirituality, the more you have children since the more ignorant you are and unconscious you are, that's why the more religious the people are the more they have children, because you identify with your creed more. 

whereas if you're identity is less dense, then in your mind your child is just one out of billions, and doesn't make sense to have or not have a child. you may also equalize adopting a child with procreating one yourself, whereas less conscious people, with more limited identity see a very big difference between their child and other people's children, because they're more tribal, have more bigotry, intolerance, racism....

Edited October 13, 2023 by Majed

[PurpleTree]

Because they don‘t like contraception, don‘t have many hobbies or interests aside from sex, and hope their children will be their retirement insurance

it‘s a cruel joke by god

[Adrian colby]

 

23 minutes ago, PurpleTree said:

Because they don‘t like contraception, don‘t have many hobbies or interests aside from sex, and hope their children will be their retirement insurance

it‘s a cruel joke by god

Fertility and contraception are not the same thing. Fertility is about the health of their reproductive system not whether they have a baby or not.

if you test a man in his prime from a ‘western’ developed country now days, it’s likely you will find his fertility ( sperm count and vitality) is greatly diminished in comparison to the average western fertility in the last ten years. Whether he has sex or produces a baby as a result has nothing to do with it. If he were never to have sex again… his fertility status would still show decreased fertility. 
 

If you test a man in his prime from a third world or underdeveloped country you will find his fertility is just as healthy in comparison to his ten year average and healthier and more fertile then a man in the west. If he has sex or no sex doesn’t change that. 
 

western or developed populations live increasingly sedentary lifestyles, over indulge in highly processed foods and exposed to chemicals, heavy metals, energy pollution, over sanitation, over medication, immune suppression and stress/constant cortisone release all of which contribute to a decline in overall health including fertility. 
 

chemicals in plastic products are known to cause hormonal problems that lead to infertility and we are literally swimming in and drinking it everyday. 
 

people in underdeveloped or third world countries do not have these problems. While they deal with issues surrounding poor sanitation, access to food, they tend to be healthier immunologically and more fertile. 
 

there is a balance between indulgence and starvation, sanitary and unsanitary, natural and unnatural environments that we need to understand in order to keep these bodies healthy. They have the ability to adapt quite well within a dynamic range but too far out of that balance our bio stasis becomes disordered and diseased.

 

one such thing to consider is what happened in Africa during covid. Despite having no access to vaccines, poor sanitation and exposure to many germs and viruses, village life returned to normal in early 2022 according to doctors on the ground also reporting rapid decline in hospitalisations after the first omicron case in November 2021. Because it was less pathogenic and spread so fast, it boosted their immune systems causing widespread cross immunity to other variants alongside continued exposure to germs in general, gave them stronger immune systems and the ability to return to normal faster than western countries. It’s not too much of a stretch to understand living in conditions that are closer to a natural balance and environment means they are healthier overall. It’s hard for a westerner to come to terms with that seeing as we are constantly bombarded by media coverage of the worst of the worst. We are also taught that the way we live is healthier but overall, the evidence doesn’t support that. 
 

they are not lazing around having sex due to lack of other interests. That is an incredibly ignorant comment. In a place that is still tribal or does not have an ordered society or respectful attitude towards women in general, rape tends to be the reason there are so many babies ( most of which die, malnutrition, aids, cholera etc).

 

[Adrian colby]

2 hours ago, Majed said:

why do the least developed countries have the highest fertility rate ? and the most developed countries have the lowest ? very counter intuitive, you would expect that since people in less developed countries have overall worse conditions that it would be smart not to have kids to not allow them to live through these miserable conditions, and on the contrary countries with good living conditions higher fertility rates since the living conditions are better. but apparently it's the opposite.

Fertility ( reproductive health) is not the same thing as choosing to or not to have children. 
 

western and less developed countries have very different lifestyles, nutrition, sanitation and environmental exposures. 
 

 

[Danioover9000]

@Majed

6 hours ago, Majed said:

why do the least developed countries have the highest fertility rate ? and the most developed countries have the lowest ? very counter intuitive, you would expect that since people in less developed countries have overall worse conditions that it would be smart not to have kids to not allow them to live through these miserable conditions, and on the contrary countries with good living conditions higher fertility rates since the living conditions are better. but apparently it's the opposite. well i think it's because of a lack of education in the less developed countries, and also because they're tribal and collectivist whereas developed countries are more individualistic. 

And also a spiritual reason that i contemplated is identity, maybe the stronger you're identity the less aware you are of fluidity and spirituality, the more you have children since the more ignorant you are and unconscious you are, that's why the more religious the people are the more they have children, because you identify with your creed more. 

whereas if you're identity is less dense, then in your mind your child is just one out of billions, and doesn't make sense to have or not have a child. you may also equalize adopting a child with procreating one yourself, whereas less conscious people, with more limited identity see a very big difference between their child and other people's children, because they're more tribal, have more bigotry, intolerance, racism....

   It's because most men on average go for the younger, more fertile females, roughly 18 to 25 years old. Main reason why most developed countries have lower to lowest birthrates, is because the poll for dating potential mates that are young and fertile are low, so men on average will date, have sex and pare bond with whoever is available. That plus hyper secularism and modernism and a lack of commitment to marriage and a family unit, basically  way more stage green to orange values, and a decreasing of stage blue values, which leads to higher divorce rates by women on average, also is part of the lower birthrates. I also understand it's a combination problem, such as condoms, pills, vasectomy, lower libido, erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, 

   So poorer countries with higher birthrates don't have the same problems with most developed countries with too much stage green/orange values or too much moral relativism and leftist ideologies, these poorer countries are at stage blue/orange with strong communities and faith in the family unit, unlike those with more fluid identities.

[Hardkill]

People in less developed countries also know that many of their children will sadly not live pass their childhood or youth given how terrible the environments they live in are and the lack of good resources they have compared to more developed countries. Therefore, their instincts are to produce as many children as possible in the hope that their family lineages and the rest of their society as a whole will continue to survive.

Edited October 14, 2023 by Hardkill

[Epikur]

In modern life kids are a liability for many reasons that is why many
people run away from it. Why should one create new problems?

Traditionalists  want kids because

-retirement
-raising power level because you need big families to defend against other families
-the tribe wants that you have children because that way you make the tribe stronger
-because their God wants it so your team has more power
-Even if you are an asshole they can not run away. You are never alone plus you are the boss even if you are annoying.
-You stay busy when you have kids so you don't have to find out that life is meaningless and you could kill yourself



 

[An young being]

Lack of awareness among less developed countries regarding using condoms for sex. The localities which are developed economically have comparatively higher awareness, so that they can have less financial burden.

Edited October 14, 2023 by An young being

[Leo Gura]

Animals breed a lot. Breeding does not require development or smarts. It just requires being an animal.

Edited October 14, 2023 by Leo Gura

[zazen]

- Less economic opportunity and education for women which means many to most get married younger which gives them many more fertile years to give birth. In developed countries women pursue education and a career which postpones family formation ie average age of marriage is over 28 so they have much fewer years to have kids versus women marrying at 18-20 and having kids every 2 years so they have 5-7 by their mid 30's.

- Big families are seen as a sign of status, further justified by religion as its God ordained and virtuous to bring more life into the world. 

- Agricultural labor for the family as kids would start working alongside the family to support them

-High child mortality or lower age of mortality meant they would also have more kids as the expectation was some wouldn't make it. That has drastically changed but the culture of such expectations lingers on.

-Life is lived in the short term due to a survivalist mentality , meaning no foresight into future planning or family planning

-Lack of access to sex education or contraception

 

This is changing fast as urbanisation grows and more women get into education and the workforce. Within developing countries their is a stark difference in fertility rate between the urbanites and rural people. Urbanisation also increases the cost of having many kids as urban centres have higher property prices etc

[Buck Edwards]

I think people who are more emotional cannot live without a family just like children can't live without toys. 

Nothing wrong with it. Mortality rates are always high. 

[Breakingthewall]

In poor countries the family is your wealth. Having many children makes you more... simply, more. If you travel through Africa, everyone will ask you: how many children do you have? If you say that no one will look at you with pity, and at a woman over 25 years old, as if her life were a misfortune. children are everything

 

[Dioxide2533]

I agree with OP

Also, in poorer countries there are less opportunities to study and think. It's more about just survival.

Where there is more time to think, people can get to the conclusion that being born there is not a gift, and that having children is often a burden.

Edited October 14, 2023 by Dioxide2533