Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 415 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
- Falling birth rates are mainly a social problem tied to gender roles and cultural expectations, not just economics or technology.
- Big baby bonuses can raise fertility but would be prohibitively expensive and politically difficult, so cash-only solutions are unlikely to restore replacement-level births.
- A better approach is changing men’s behavior and social norms—encouraging supportive partners, de-emphasizing macho 'bro' status, and raising the pay and status of caregiving—so motherhood fits with women's economic choices.