Singapore has world's lowest birth rate

[JR8]

And Singapore is bloody small, why would any single working professional want to rent own room at inflated price across the island when the transportation can just make up for the distance?

I think the West vs East perspective differs on this. In the west a young person might well pay just to be able to live away from his/her parents and in order to have personal freedom. Whereas in the east it seems there is no stigma in young people still living with their parents at 40 years old.


p.s. Also, I don't think the policy of closing off much of the HDB market to singles under 35 years of age is sensible at all. I know it is meant to encourage people to get married, but instead it seems to just force them to stay living with their parents.

[zzm9980]

That same kid that chooses to stay with his mum will be driving a new Beemer around, not exactly looking at how cost-effective this is. But as you said, it's a mix of reasons from money to the convenience of mum doing everything at home.

He has no other way to attract a local mate.

[sundaymorningstaple]

And Singapore is bloody small, why would any single working professional want to rent own room at inflated price across the island when the transportation can just make up for the distance?

I think the West vs East perspective differs on this. In the west a young person might well pay just to be able to live away from his/her parents and in order to have personal freedom. Whereas in the east it seems there is no stigma in young people still living with their parents at 40 years old.


p.s. Also, I don't think the policy of closing off much of the HDB market to singles under 35 years of age is sensible at all. I know it is meant to encourage people to get married, but instead it seems to just force them to stay living with their parents.

It's probably another contributing factor why the birth rate is so low as well!

[JR8]

It's probably another contributing factor why the birth rate is so low as well!

Precisely my point!

In my own experience I was never quite comfortable nailing dollies under my parent's roof, even as a hormonally-stupefied youth ...

[zzm9980]

It's probably another contributing factor why the birth rate is so low as well!

Precisely my point!

In my own experience I was never quite comfortable nailing dollies under my parent's roof, even as a hormonally-stupefied youth ...

The other option? Youth-discounted COEs. It isn't quite the same taking your girlfriend home for some post-dinner/date "activities" on the MRT and bus...

[JR8]

The other option? Youth-discounted COEs. It isn't quite the same taking your girlfriend home for some post-dinner/date "activities" on the MRT and bus...

I used to work for a guy that lived in a B&W bungalow at the end of a dirt lane on Mount Faber. The lane was remote dark and quiet, and was something of a magnet for nocturnal shagging in cars, especially on weekends.

When I was over there we'd walk his dog in the evening and he'd take his X zillion candle-power lantern. At each rocking car with steamed up windows he'd shine in the lamp and bang on the windows and yell 'Hoy you lot, F Off or I'm calling the police!'.

It was quite fun at the time...

[sundaymorningstaple]

It's probably another contributing factor why the birth rate is so low as well!

Precisely my point!

In my own experience I was never quite comfortable nailing dollies under my parent's roof, even as a hormonally-stupefied youth ...

Neither was I, but I wasn't above nailing them in their parents home!

[the lynx]

It's probably another contributing factor why the birth rate is so low as well!

Precisely my point!

In my own experience I was never quite comfortable nailing dollies under my parent's roof, even as a hormonally-stupefied youth ...

The other option? Youth-discounted COEs. It isn't quite the same taking your girlfriend home for some post-dinner/date "activities" on the MRT and bus...

Heck, young men these days are so reluctant to walk their girlfriends back after a date...

:stirs the pot:

[carteki]

I realised it had a low birth rate, but not that it ranked 222nd out of 222!

https://www.cia.gov/library/publication ... 7rank.html

Lower than the Vatican

But yeah, your comments about kids living with parents are applicable. It all about these "family values" that the PAP is so strongly attached to - its even mentioned in the constitution somewhere! Another problem is the lack of "short term hotels". They're very popular in Japan (another very crowded place).

[JR8]

Lower than the Vatican

And dats pretty low man!

But yeah, your comments about kids living with parents are applicable. It all about these "family values" that the PAP is so strongly attached to - its even mentioned in the constitution somewhere!

Yes I agree, I think a lot of 'moral guidance' state policy came down from Big Daddy himself and it is simply very outdated. But they are too afraid to suggest altering it. Politicians very very rarely will admit to having got something wrong, but if you have the absolute lowest birth-rate in the world and you aren't Eritrea or North Korea or some complete basket-case, then pretty clearly you have got something VERY wrong, and a SERIOUS problem!


Another problem is the lack of "short term hotels". They're very popular in Japan (another very crowded place).

I seem to recall there is a whole district of love hotels in Tokyo. I went there one weekend especially to photograph them, as often the architecture is pretty out of this world!

Apols for the use of CAPS above, currently getting stuck into a sumptuous bottle of e2.95 of Merlot

[aster]

Heck, young men these days are so reluctant to walk their girlfriends back after a date...

:stirs the pot:

How many strokes of the cane is it if a guy gets jiggy with his girl down by the beach for instance?

[nakatago]

Heck, young men these days are so reluctant to walk their girlfriends back after a date...
:

Ah, dated some locals who are less than gentlemen, I see.

[the lynx]

Heck, young men these days are so reluctant to walk their girlfriends back after a date...

:stirs the pot:

How many strokes of the cane is it if a guy gets jiggy with his girl down by the beach for instance?

None

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caning_in_ ... _by_caning

But don't know about the Syariah one for Muslims though...

[revhappy]

Come on guys, I dont think living with parents is such a big factor with low birth rates. They would still have their own room, or atleast most of them, wont they?

The main reason is the east v/s the west thinking difference. The west have always been rich and the way they have become rich is by living like there is no tomorrow.

The east is in the transition phase from poor to getting richer and richer and richer and the way the east is getting rich is by accumulating wealth and not spending it off. You cannot accumulate wealth and enjoy the material benefits and also have children the same time.

Although Singapore has already gotten there, many developing countries in the east are in the same path.

[revhappy]

Heard this from the locals, that not too long ago, may be the 70's the gahmen discouraged couples from having more than 2 kids. It seems there used to be an ad in the TV and a family with lots of kids grabbing buns and then the last child didn't have any left. Final tagline was 2 is enough!