Phone use shrinks world population! This article in the FT speaks very credibly, relying on extensive research to show that the growth in the time spent on phones corresponding with the rollout of 4G, directly correlates with a distinct and notable fall off in the birth rate – directly marrying the time stamp of the emergence of 4G in those countries.
One commentator in the article reminds us that in order to find a partner, one has to sift through a number of people, which requires socialising. The example given in South Korea, shows clearly that the average time young people are spending socialising is half of what it was 20 years ago. This is statistics. If you are spending half the time socialising – it’s not even as if it is going to take twice as long as previously to find that possible match, because when you add into this the fact that the demographic pool amongst whom to socialise is itself shrinking – this almost certainly means it is going to take more than twice as long (though to be a real nerd, of course this would depend on any relative shift in population of the sexes!)
And then of course we have aspiration: “No, he or she isn’t good enough for me. Look at so-and-so who pulled that 9 on Instagram. I’m not settling for anything less than an 8” (and you’re a 6! 😭🤦🏻)… Everybody always thinks the grass is greener on the other side, except – in the virtual world, there is no grass; there is no other side, and there are no free and single 8’s readily available and waiting for your attentions…
For all that is holy, put your phones down, and get dating! GDP will thank you for it – just ask Japan!
#demography #GDP #depopulation #technology
https://giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/actions/redeem/b61b6a98-e327-4505-9271-2391130f14fb
(the inflection point in this graph corresponds directly with the rollout of 4G)
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