[cmoneyspinner]

You know what. If it were me, I'd just pay the tax. I consider it the "cost of my freedom". They always FREEDOM HAS NEVER BEEN FREE!

Most people in Japan will do the same. The tax is annoying but no one is getting married to avoid it because the cost of being tied down is worse. The Japanese government is wrong if they think this will work and improve birth rates.

Come to think of it, US taxes have always been set up to favor married people, especially those with kids. They don't use words like "bachelor". But it's the same thing.

The thing is that Japan is trying to get people to have children. Even though Elon Musk keeps bellyaching about the diminishing birth rates in the West (i.e. not enough white people not having babies), people in the USA aren't really trying to have kids either. They spend all their time arguing about the right to an abortion. It's sad when you think about it.

[kataomoi]

I don't think the US is worried about the fertility rate. I mean, it's low now, but still okay. Japan's population is dying (due to age). The young people are not having kids so eventually there won't be enough able-bodied people to work. That's what they are afraid of.

Also, you can be American and be White, Black, Chinese, Indian, any race because the USA welcomes immigrants (or they did). So the American population won't "die out" as easily. It's harder to immigrate to Japan and the naturalization process is very long and difficult so "becoming Japanese" is pretty much out of question. Japan's population will die out if things don't improve for them.

[cmoneyspinner]

I don't think the US is worried about the fertility rate.

Actually, I've only heard Elon Musk bellyaching about it.

[Netherrealmer]

Anyway, China have a different strategy on trying to fight underpopulation. I know China have a huge population, but their population is also dying because less people are getting married and a lot of couples are not having children. So China have a new propaganda on many of their TV shows. For example, in many soap operas or TV shows for women, particularly soap operas, mother-in-laws are portrayed as, you know, Satan from hell, like demons from hell, second coming of Satan, you know, the most evil person in the world is the mother-in-law. But lately, Chinese dramas are now portraying mother-in-laws in positive light. I guess to encourage women to get married because one of the fears of many women from getting married is having a monster-in-law. So mother-in-laws are lately being portrayed on a more loving way. For example, they will make the protagonist suffer from abusive parents and the way she can change her life is to get married to a very kind man and she will find a new mother and a new father from her in-laws. And also, lately, China had been portraying little girls as ideal children. They are portraying little girls as protagonists on genre call genius kid , where there is this little girl who's very intelligent and she will save her family from many problems because she's so smart. I think the purpose of China here is to encourage people not to abort little girls and to make people idealize having a daughter.

[eldavis]

These days the main lead is mostly the female in most of their dramas, then with a powerful male lead supporting the female lead. I have noticed this.

[kataomoi]

Anyway, China have a different strategy on trying to fight underpopulation. I know China have a huge population, but their population is also dying because less people are getting married and a lot of couples are not having children. So China have a new propaganda on many of their TV shows. For example, in many soap operas or TV shows for women, particularly soap operas, mother-in-laws are portrayed as, you know, Satan from hell, like demons from hell, second coming of Satan, you know, the most evil person in the world is the mother-in-law. But lately, Chinese dramas are now portraying mother-in-laws in positive light. I guess to encourage women to get married because one of the fears of many women from getting married is having a monster-in-law. So mother-in-laws are lately being portrayed on a more loving way. For example, they will make the protagonist suffer from abusive parents and the way she can change her life is to get married to a very kind man and she will find a new mother and a new father from her in-laws. And also, lately, China had been portraying little girls as ideal children. They are portraying little girls as protagonists on genre call genius kid , where there is this little girl who's very intelligent and she will save her family from many problems because she's so smart. I think the purpose of China here is to encourage people not to abort little girls and to make people idealize having a daughter.

This is endorsed by the Chinese government? Like they said they were doing this specifically to make people want to get married/have cute children? Or are times changing and China has finally caught up and understand that the evil mother in law stereotype doesn't sell any more?

[cmoneyspinner]

President Trump just created moms(dot)gov, and IVF will now be included as an additional insurance benefit. Because when women see men like him and Elon Musk, they're really inspired to INCREASE the population.