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Culture War Roundup for the week of November 11, 2024

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I don't think 'capitalism' is a particularly useful label here. We've had 'capitalism' since either the 1500s (the breakdown of manorialism) or the 1700s (the industrial revolution) but global birth rates only really started to decline in the 1900s, and even that was reversed temporarily by the baby boom in the 1950s and 60s.

The Amish are extremely 'capitalist' (in the sense of being extremely engaged with the market, owning businesses etc) and yet they manage to maintain high birth rates. You can see Russian birth rates collapse after the communist revolution. 'Capitalist' America has long had higher birth rates than comparatively less 'capitalist' Europe.

Now I'd certainly agree that global culture is antinatal, but referring to that culture as 'capitalist' obscures more than it hides.

As the capitalist system develops it alters in character. Some of the current capitalist institutions suppressing birthrates I mean to refer to include: office labor being the norm, extremely high levels of consumerism and luxury being available, various cultural diminishments in the role of community and family in peoples' lives owing in part to automobiles, suburbanization, etc., obesity caused by processed foods and cheap low-nutrient foods, environmental contaminants, etc., government and corporate propaganda systems increasing the prestige of educational and economic attainment while denigrating 'traditional' lifestyle choices. All of these flow in some way from the role of capital both as a general incentive and as a recursive shaper of policy.

various cultural diminishments in the role of community and family in peoples' lives owing in part to automobiles, suburbanization, etc.,

What does this have to do with property rights and free enterprise?

obesity caused by processed foods and cheap low-nutrient foods, environmental contaminants, etc.

Given that obesity and number of kids both correlate negatively with income, I'd be surprised if the obese weren't having more kids than the skinny.

government and corporate propaganda systems increasing the prestige of educational and economic attainment

Even government propaganda is capitalism now?

What does this have to do with property rights and free enterprise?

It’s caused by market forces and corporate influences rather than planning.

Even government propaganda is capitalism now?

Yes, as the governments in question are ideologically capitalist and are operating under a capitalist paradigm, some of which even entails the blurring of boundaries between private and public spheres with revolving door politics, regulatory capture, and the importance of plutocratic funds in running modern political campaigns, among other things.

It’s caused by market forces and corporate influences rather than planning.

It's caused by (some) people's revealed preferences for suburban living rather than apartment living and the increasing unusability of public spaces thanks to laws against nuisances not being enforced, for which we can thank leftists.