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PaperclipPerfector  9mo ago (text post)   31391 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of July 24, 2023

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Then why do men struggle to find women who want to be homemakers?

My answer is people are status seeking and prefer to marry within their class. Middle and upper class women have unprecedented career opportunities in a society where status comes from career rather than family. The absolute standard of living for home makers has never been higher but the opportunity cost of motherhood is also at an all time high. Lower class women don't face the same opportunity costs but upper and middle class men don't want to marry lower class women and deindustrialization destroyed the ability of lower class men to support a family.

deindustrialization destroyed the ability of lower class men to support a family.

Why are they having so many kids then?

I think the answer is ‘they aren’t, lower class women have a replacement fertility rate because the state pays the bills but that doesn’t involve the majority of lower class men’

Because they proceed not to support them very well

I'll rephrase this. Deindustrialization destroyed the ability of middle-class men to set their children up for an equivalent QOL.

Poor individuals can easily raise poor kids, who will go on to be poor adults. Middle class parents are struggling to raise kids in a manner that allows their children to end up middle class.

Middle class parents are struggling to raise kids in a manner that allows their children to end up middle class.

I am not at all convinced that this is the case. College remains a good deal even if you take out loans.

And more to the point, if you live with your parents, go to community college, and commute to local state school #57 afterwards, college leaves only a very manageable loan from undergrad. For most career tracks requiring only undergrad, a fancier and more prestigious diploma doesn’t help much. I think the rephrase is ‘many parents struggle to subsidize their children’s middle class expected lifestyle while also setting them up for middle class prospects’.

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