Spigzy wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 9:40 am to me there is a silver lining of a low population, mass automation (Japan)

Japan actually moved its manufacturing overseas and spent billions setting everything up to take advantage of the host countries abundant workforce.

I think the panic over Cambodian birthrates has come from China tbh. As a country develops and moves forward into a more technological based economy there is always an enormous movement of people into urban areas and these people are having less children. Rural families have the space to raise 3+ children whereas a family living in an apartment in an urban environment having a large family is simply not practical, desired or even affordable for most.
Personally, I was thinking about this recently when I was looking at some old photos I took of the Night MArket back in 2010. Every other clothes stall was selling pregnancy clothes/dresses and now they have all gone. The spots are now occupied by vendors selling clothes for children and young men/women.

A smaller global population that is able to take advantage of advancing technology may actually be a good thing.
One thing I am not sure about though is the possibility that advancements in gene editing where parents can improve the academic abilities of their future offspring. While this is a staple of many science fiction novels ,think Elysium or Alita: Battle Angel, is another, it may lead to societies similar to those portrayed in the 2 movies I mentioned. None of the scenarios in these novels pan out well for society as a whole. Sure, for the select few live is bliss.... but for the majority live is not so easy.

The next world war may make all the above mute anyway and the way things are going it may happen sooner rather than later.