I gave up the plasma TV for you, baby

This is a very interesting read. A freelance jounalist writing for the SMH sees a link between consumerism and a reduction in the number of people having kids. She reflects on the decisions her parents made to have kids and just make ends meet.

So, what is the generational effect of all the influential, trendy, cosmopolitan professionals deciding they can't afford kids? ... a shift to the Right perhaps?

She's aware of a common history for baby boomers and some a little younger where parents lived fairly sacrifical lives so their kids could be one more step up the ladder. And now many of us have decided that we are the top of the ladder and the kids stop here - and anyway, we all want to be the kids now, no one wants to be old anymore, or thinks they should have to.

The side effect is the much discussed "aging population" which will have too few young people to pay for its old. It's kind of ironic that the generation that's done so well by living on financial, and some would say environmental, credit may find in our old age that no one can afford us; the generation that decides it doesn't need kids may find that it's (few) kids don't need it...

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