Discussion about hot topics trending today

[Falcon Horus]

Belgium's birthrate is 1.7, meaning that native Belgians are dying out. You don't produce enough births to outbalance deaths.

Belgians are indeed a dying breed. Has been the case for a few years now.

There's this double standard in western society. If a school quotes the Dalai Lama in a plaque, no one would care. But quote Jesus...or even Moses...oh boy.

Never to be a problem in my part of the world... although I attended a public school in which religion was a fun class cause we watched films (Silence of the Lambs, The Mission, ... a good mix ). It wasn't taken too seriously. It wasn't meant to be taken seriously, unlike those attending the Catholic school at the other side of the train tracks. We had a population of 200 souls where every kid knew every other kid, and they barely knew the people in their own classes.

However, a couple of months ago plans to build a Islam school (like we have Catholic inspired schools and Jewish schools) surfaced and the whole of Flanders was up in arms cause it smelled like deliberate segregation and that was bad (we have Catholic schools and Jewish schools but momentarily forgotten apparently). Several weeks later, an article talked about a new strict Catholic school and not a peep was heard.

Population decline, on the other hand, is extremely hard to reverse.

Just ask the Chinese.

[Annoyed]

It's got nothing to do with "stupidity level", and everything to do with economics. If the number of productive workers vs. the number of elderly dependents grows from generation to generation, the society's economic potential grows. If the trend is reserved, economic decline is but a matter of time. Overpopulation creates its own problems, but it can be resolved by making good use of the available human resources. Population decline, on the other hand, is extremely hard to reverse.

Close, but not quite. It's actually the number of productive people vs the number of non-productive people. It doesn't matter a whole lot why they are unproductive, just that they are dependent upon the society to carry them along.

And this is where the stupidity of the boomer generation comes into play. Not only did they introduce changes into our society which reduced the number of productive citizens but they also increased the number of non-productive people in the society.

[Womble]

Close, but not quite. It's actually the number of productive people vs the number of non-productive people. It doesn't matter a whole lot why they are unproductive, just that they are dependent upon the society to carry them along.

Actually, it does matter. It is easier to convert unproductive population to productive work than it is to restore a population from demographic decline.

You can give unemployed people work; you can force a welfare abuser off welfare. But no matter what you do, you cannot make an old person younger. And while you can get more people to have more children, it will take decades until positive effect on economy actually shows. In a sense, a stay-at-home mom of three is a better investment for the society than a hardworking man who dies childless.

[Falcon Horus]

But no matter what you do, you cannot make an old person younger.

No matter how many creams you throw on your skin... they don't work.

[Gatefan1976]

Actually, it does matter. It is easier to convert unproductive population to productive work than it is to restore a population from demographic decline.

You can give unemployed people work; you can force a welfare abuser off welfare. But no matter what you do, you cannot make an old person younger. And while you can get more people to have more children, it will take decades until positive effect on economy actually shows. In a sense, a stay-at-home mom of three is a better investment for the society than a hardworking man who dies childless.

But, but, they are not working for money, and contributing to the economy, how can they be a good investment??

[SoulReaver]

No matter how many creams you throw on your skin... they don't work.

yes better apply them carefully instead

[Falcon Horus]

yes better apply them carefully instead

Well, speaking from experience?

[SoulReaver]

Well, speaking from experience?

I'd a good retort - if only this weren't a PG forum :/

[Gatefan1976]

I'd a good retort - if only this weren't a PG forum :/

It puts the lotion on it's skin, or else it gets the hose again..............

[aretood2]

Alright, who let him dink the punch again?

[jelgate]

*raises hand*

[garhkal]

Rewatched the film "Gamer".. Once again i am left with a few questions..

For those in "Society" (basically a real to life version of Sim anything), what would happen to the 'icon (gals) who got pregnant? Would the person controlling them have been responsible financially for the kid?
What about if their 'icon' contracted STDs??


Also with OUR society's love of 'reality shows' do you ever think something like slayers, Death bowl, Death race etc would ever come to be, where convicts are given a chance to 'earn their freedom' by fighting/racing/surviving XYZ for ABC number of episodes/missions etc??

[Anja]

Also with OUR society's love of 'reality shows' do you ever think something like slayers, Death bowl, Death race etc would ever come to be, where convicts are given a chance to 'earn their freedom' by fighting/racing/surviving XYZ for ABC number of episodes/missions etc??

I don't know where you come from but in my country this is impossible. I'm sure about that.

[Falcon Horus]

Reality shows like The Hunger Games are unlikely to happen. However, I'm sure Daesh may have a few things to say about it -- wouldn't put it past them to work that into their punishment system.

[Annoyed]

We don't even require that they participate in competitions to prove their worthiness.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/21/ny...offenders.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/24/us...onviction.html