The Hidden Truth About Our Collapsing Birth Rates - Mads Larsen

Why Mads’ Activism Caused Trouble (0s)

• The fertility crisis is a serious issue that many nations are unwilling to address, and discussing it can lead to controversy and personal attacks (12s).
• The concept of "involuntary single women" was introduced in an article co-written with Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, a professor of evolutionary psychology, which sparked criticism and accusations of misogyny (31s).
• The main driver of low fertility is the difficulty people face in finding partners, resulting in women either not finding a partner to have children with or finding one too late, shortening their reproductive window (1m7s).
• In Norway, women would like to have 2.4 children, but are having only 1.4, highlighting the impact of a dysfunctional dating market on fertility rates (1m17s).
• The criticism that discussing the dating market's impact on women's fertility is misogynistic is unfounded, as it is not about assigning blame, but rather understanding the environmental factors that contribute to the crisis (1m51s).
• Human societies are the first to have individual partner choice, which has led to a unique mating environment that is difficult for women to navigate (2m23s).
• The difference between women's promiscuous attraction systems and pair bonding attraction systems contributes to the challenges in the modern dating market (2m45s).
• From an evolutionary perspective, the current mating regime is predictable, as women's attraction systems are designed to favor the most successful males, while pair bonding attraction systems prioritize egalitarian relationships (2m59s).
• The development of the human species around four million years ago led to the evolution of a pair bonding attraction system, which emphasizes paternal investment and egalitarian relationships (3m37s).
• Humans have a mixed attraction system, consisting of both a promiscuous attraction system and a pair-bonding attraction system, which has presented a fundamental challenge in reconciling women's different preferences in a way that allows functional mating (4m6s).
• Men's promiscuous attraction system is very inclusive, with most men willing to sleep with most women, while most women would only sleep with a small proportion of men (4m25s).
• The introduction of the pair-bonding system in the West during the Second Sex revolution in the 18th century led to a rise in illegitimacy due to the lack of contraceptives and women's dependence on men (4m42s).
• The Romanticism movement led to a pullback and a reconnection of calculation to pair-bonding, but the 1960s saw the implementation of the pair-bonding system again with the advent of birth control and post-World War II prosperity (5m11s).
• The gap between women's promiscuous and pair-bonding attraction systems has led to an increasing stratification among men, with some men at the top getting more mating opportunities and men at the bottom being excluded from both long-term relationships and uncommitted sex (5m21s).
• As a result, people who cannot find a partner to pair-bond with are less likely to reproduce, contributing to the increase in single rates and low fertility over the past four to five decades (5m41s).

The Stats That Caught Mads’ Attention (5m59s)

• The fertility rate in Norway is 1.4, which is considered low, but experts have downplayed its significance, stating that the population will continue to increase despite this rate (5m59s).
• However, with a fertility rate of 1.4, a country loses one-third of its generational size per generation, resulting in a 70% loss of children in just three generations if the rate remains constant (6m33s).
• Leading experts predict that fertility rates will continue to decline, as seen in other nations, where it becomes a self-reinforcing process, with people wanting fewer children as the number of children decreases (6m47s).
• If Norway's fertility rate falls to South Korea's level of 0.7, the country's generational size would be reduced from 100 people to just four in three generations, and to one in the next generation, posing an existential threat (7m9s).
• This issue has not been taken seriously by experts and populations, but it is considered perhaps the greatest challenge of our era, requiring experimentation with ways to motivate people to reproduce (7m42s).
• Climate change, although a worthy cause, is not as pressing a concern as declining fertility rates, which have more immediate and catastrophic consequences (8m21s).
• The concept of "demography is Destiny" suggests that knowing the number of one-year-olds born last year and the current population can provide a guarantee of the future, making it essential to address declining fertility rates (9m13s).

Why is a Declining Birth Rate a Bad Thing? (9m23s)

• A declining birth rate is often misunderstood as not being a significant issue, with some people thinking the world is overpopulated, but it actually has severe consequences for the population and society in the long run (9m25s).
• If every generation loses a third of its size, many schools will shut down, and there won't be enough people to fill existing jobs, leading to an aging population (10m11s).
• This can be seen in countries like South Korea, where the population is expected to decline drastically in just three generations, from 100 to four people, making it challenging to maintain societal functions (10m32s).
• A declining population can also lead to cultural and psychological changes, as people may become more competitive and unpleasant when fighting over a shrinking economy (11m0s).
• The decline in birth rates is connected to the climate crisis, as having fewer people might seem beneficial for the environment, but it can actually hinder progress in solving the crisis due to the need to allocate more resources to care for the elderly (11m12s).
• The combination of a collapsing population and the climate crisis can make it more challenging to achieve technological advancements and allocate necessary resources to address the crisis (11m53s).
• The climate crisis itself is also contributing to lower fertility rates, as some people assume that having fewer children will be beneficial for the environment (12m10s).
• It is essential to have discussions about the declining birth rate and its consequences, as the trend is expected to worsen, and experts think it will only get worse if left unaddressed (12m58s).
• Recent census data from the UK shows a low birth rate of 1.44, similar to Norway's 1.4, highlighting the need for clarity and understanding of the issue (13m12s).
• In 2023, England and Wales recorded the lowest number of births since records began, with 5,917 births, which is a significant decline in birth rates (13m32s).
• This low birth rate means that 100 people in Britain today will have 52 grandchildren between them and only 37 great-grandchildren, resulting in a 63% decline in population every 100 years (13m55s).
• In comparison, 100 Norwegians will have 30 great-grandchildren, and 100 South Koreans will have only 4 great-grandchildren, highlighting the severity of the issue (14m4s).
• Despite the alarming numbers, experts and researchers are hesitant to portray the situation as negative due to concerns about being taken seriously by politicians and potentially affecting their careers and funding (14m48s).
• The current strategy among researchers is to assume that women will have more children in their late 30s and early 40s, which could boost the fertility rate, but there is no data to support this assumption (15m27s).
• This approach is considered a "really usling strategy" as it involves waiting another 10 years to address the issue, despite the fact that birth rates have been declining for 15 years (15m52s).
• In contrast, climate scientists and activists are more willing to speak out about the urgency of environmental issues, highlighting the disparity in how different threats to human civilization are addressed (16m47s).
• South Korea's government has acknowledged the severity of the issue, stating that if the fertility rate does not increase, the country will eventually disappear (17m20s).
• Finland is also experiencing a decline in birth rates, with a colleague of the speaker having led the debate on the issue for three years (17m31s).
• Three years ago, people who expressed concerns about low birth rates were met with anger and attacks, but now the population and politicians are taking the issue seriously and are considering solutions (17m35s).
• In Norway, a national birth rate committee has been established to study the issue and suggest solutions, although it is unlikely that substantial changes will come from it (18m6s).
• Researchers and the government have misplaced fears about addressing the issue, including the concern that discussing low fertility will empower right-wing political forces and lead to restrictions on women's reproductive rights (18m47s).
• Some people are also afraid to discuss low fertility in Western countries because they fear being perceived as racist, given the high population growth rates in Africa (20m40s).
• A representative from the Ministry of Finance in Norway suggested that having more children would be negative for the national economy due to the country's generous welfare state and oil money, but later acknowledged that a low birth rate of 1.4 means that a third of the generation will be lost (19m1s).
• The low birth rate is a serious problem that requires a serious discussion, and it is not necessary to portray it negatively to acknowledge its significance (19m35s).
• The concern about low fertility is not about restricting women's reproductive rights or promoting racism, but about addressing a demographic challenge that affects the country's future (20m31s).
• The issue of low fertility is being taken more seriously by researchers than by politicians, who are often hesitant to discuss it due to concerns about being perceived as negative or right-wing (17m58s).
• South Korea is experiencing a significant decline in birth rates, with entire schools being empty, and it is estimated that by the time of the great-great-grandchildren of current South Koreans, there will be one person for every hundred South Koreans that exist now (21m20s).
• The topic of declining birth rates is often met with personal attacks, anger, and accusations, which can be confusing and hinder meaningful debate (21m50s).
• Some people assume that discussing the issue of low birth rates implies a desire to force women to have sex and children with certain groups, such as incels, and may lead to accusations of racism or misogyny (22m9s).
• Accusations of racism or wanting to empower the far right are often used as a way to dismiss the issue, but these accusations are not always serious and can be predictable and unhelpful (22m36s).
• Defaulting to labeling someone with a negative term, such as racist or bigot, can be seen as boring and predictable, and does not contribute to a meaningful discussion of the issue (23m11s).
• A more constructive approach would be to engage with the best of what the other person is trying to propose, rather than focusing on the worst aspects of their argument (23m35s).

Is Mads the Vanguard of This Issue? (23m51s)

• The current role involves being at the forefront of the discussion on low fertility rates, taking the initial criticism and potential backlash, which may be a necessary step to spark a national conversation on the issue (23m56s).
• Presenting research to the Norwegian Fertility Institute helped elevate the debate on low fertility to a national level, triggering a significant discussion, which previous attempts by the institute had failed to achieve (24m21s).
• The reason for the previous failures was the lack of portrayal of low fertility as a serious problem, whereas the current approach frames it as an existential threat, requiring an examination of mating markets, modern dating, and the evolutionary sciences (24m43s).
• The evolutionary sciences are not widely accepted in a Social Democratic culture like Norway, and the approach has been referred to as a "controversial wing of psychology" or a "controversial subset of psychology" (25m33s).
• The publication of an article in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences was met with criticism, including a newspaper commentator referring to the publication as an "online publication" (25m52s).
• Despite numerous attacks and criticisms from experts, commentators, and the leader of the birth rate committee, none have directly argued against the positions presented, instead relying on strawman arguments (26m14s).
• The goal is to contribute to a productive debate, and despite the challenges and personal attacks, the discussion has started, and there is hope for a more productive contribution in the long run (26m36s).

The Global Issues Causing a Birth Rate Crisis (27m1s)

• Birth rates are declining globally, with the exception of Israel, and this trend is observed across the world, including in African countries where the birth rate decreases by one child per mother every 15 years (27m4s).
• Various country-specific reasons have been cited for the decline in birth rates, including migrants, Islam, taxation, cost of living, COVID-19 vaccination, and overpopulation, but these reasons do not explain the universal decline in birth rates (28m7s).
• The decline in birth rates can be attributed to three bottlenecks: finding a partner, deciding to have children, and being able to conceive, with the first two bottlenecks being the most significant challenges (29m8s).
• Finding a partner has become increasingly challenging, and deciding to have children is also hindered by various factors (29m11s).
• The ability to conceive is not a significant issue, as sperm quality has decreased by 40% among men, but it is still sufficient for making children, and women's fertility has not decreased at earlier ages (29m31s).
• Women's fertility becomes more problematic when they start having children later in life, but this is not a new issue, and it is simply that women are starting later (30m21s).
• Countries with lower female equality values tend to have higher birth rates, suggesting a possible correlation between female equality and declining birth rates (30m36s).
• The empowerment and liberation of women in the West over the past 800 years, particularly in the last 150 years, has led to significant changes in their roles and opportunities, which in turn has affected birth rates (30m44s).
• The process of women gaining equality and independence has resulted in them having more freedom to choose their partners, leading to a shift in the dynamics of relationships and mating (30m51s).
• Women's increased empowerment has led to them excluding lower-value men from their potential pool of partners, resulting in a decrease in opportunities for these men to form relationships and have children (33m12s).
• The rise of promiscuous mating regimes, such as those facilitated by dating apps like Tinder, has further exacerbated this issue, as women are more likely to be attracted to higher-value men and avoid those of similar value (32m47s).
• Lower-value men, despite receiving less mating attraction and having fewer opportunities, have increased expectations of promiscuity, leading to more dysfunction in relationships (33m51s).
• The problem of creating relationships in the current environment has been a topic of debate, with many women stating that men are not good enough and need to become better in order to be considered as partners and potential fathers (34m18s).
• When women say that men need to become "better," it is likely that they mean that men need to improve in terms of their value and attractiveness as partners (34m38s).
• In evolutionary terms, men have a higher desire for partner variety due to the potential for leaving a larger genetic legacy, whereas women have a lower desire for partner variety (34m46s).
• A Norwegian study showed that women want an average of five lifetime sex partners, while men want 25, highlighting the difference in demand for female and male sexuality (34m57s).
• This disparity creates a power imbalance in the short-term dating market, where women have the upper hand due to high demand and low supply, allowing them to increase their standards (35m8s).
• Women's experiences on the short-term dating market can lead them to confuse their power with the long-term mating market, where men and women are more equal, and partners are chosen based on similar mating value (35m54s).
• In a monogamous regime, people mate assortatively, making it harder for women to find partners who meet their standards, as they need to date men with similar mating value (36m22s).
• The current environment motivates women to prioritize their individual needs, as they no longer need men for survival or emotional fulfillment, leading some women to choose being single over settling for a partner they deem unsuitable (36m57s).
• The shift in mating dynamics has led to a decline in birth rates, posing an existential problem for society, as no human community has successfully navigated this new system, which has only been in place for 50 years (37m35s).
• There is a need for open discussion and experimentation to find ways to reconcile individual and social needs, without forcing women to marry or settle for unsuitable partners (38m12s).
• Increasing knowledge around dating and mating, and changing people's approach to these areas, could potentially create new dating arenas and help address the reproductive crisis (38m20s).
• The human mating process has been studied over a period of six million years, and despite facing numerous challenges, ancestors were able to solve them (38m31s).
• The 21st-century reproductive crisis is not considered the biggest challenge faced by humans, and it is possible to make changes to address this issue (38m42s).
• Fertility researchers often lack an historical perspective, focusing on the current problem without understanding its underlying causes, which can lead to a sense of hopelessness and acceptance of low fertility rates (38m52s).
• Historically, humans have been able to solve problems like low fertility rates, and this experience can inform efforts to address the current reproductive crisis (39m2s).

Do Men Need to Change & Improve? (39m9s)

• The idea that women's standards are too high and men's standards are decreasing is relative, as people are who they are, and it's inhumane and ineffective to tell groups to improve themselves (39m12s).
• In the past, patriarchal societies led to women being subservient and dependent on men, but now that these societies have changed, women's innate biological attraction to men is no longer strong enough to motivate sufficient reproduction (39m58s).
• The argument that women should settle for men who aren't good enough or that don't fundamentally like them is a mischaracterization, and the real issue is that women's socioeconomic independence and equality have created a mismatch with mating psychology (40m49s).
• Rolling back women's socioeconomic independence and equality is not a viable solution, as these are good things that everyone supports, but they have an externality that misaligns with mating psychology (41m35s).
• It's difficult to tell women to lower their standards, as it's a personal cost that doesn't provide a direct benefit, and it's a tragedy of the commons type problem that requires a God's eye view coordination (42m21s).
• The idea that individuals should make personal sacrifices for the greater good of increasing the birth rate is not a feasible solution, as it's not a direct benefit to the individual (42m57s).
• When women say men need to do better, they often have a list of specific areas where men can improve, but these areas are not specified in this context (43m15s).
• One potential area for intervention to address low birth rates is making men more attractive to women in the current environment, which could involve providing men with information on what women are looking for in a partner (43m23s).
• Lists of what women say men are lacking in, such as being overly interested in hunting and fishing, talking about themselves, and not providing emotional support, reflect the experiences women have had with men, but are not particularly insightful or helpful (43m48s).
• These issues are not inherent to all men, but rather represent a normal distribution, with some men exceling and others struggling, and most being average (44m22s).
• In today's environment, men are often "good enough" for women, but this is not sufficient to address low birth rates, and new approaches are needed (44m30s).
• Experimenting with new social norms and values could help create a society where women are free and birth rates are higher, and this should be done in a way that prioritizes female freedoms and does not threaten them (44m58s).
• The fear that discussing low fertility will lead to a return to patriarchal societies is misplaced, and instead, societies should focus on finding new solutions that balance female freedoms with the need to address low birth rates (45m10s).
• Norway is well-positioned to lead the way in experimenting with new approaches to gender relations and dating, given its strong cultural legacy of female equality and cohesive population (46m2s).
• All nations should build on their cultural legacies and try new approaches to address low birth rates, while prioritizing female freedoms and avoiding any solutions that would jeopardize them (46m25s).
• A potential starting point for experimentation could be agreeing that female freedoms will never be threatened, and then exploring new ways of dating and mating that prioritize these freedoms (46m54s).
• Low fertility rates pose a significant threat to the survival of certain populations, as they risk disappearing due to dwindling numbers if the trend continues (47m10s).
• The Norwegian approach to addressing low fertility rates is distinct from other countries, which may experiment with more drastic measures, such as those reminiscent of "The Handmaid's Tale," to boost fertility (47m17s).
• The presence of diverse communities and cultural legacies in Norway necessitates the exploration of various means to address low fertility rates (47m31s).
• There is a pressing need for Norway to experiment with new approaches to address its low fertility rates and prevent population decline (47m37s).

How Society Can Help Elevate Men (47m42s)

• Over the last 50 years, women have achieved significant socioeconomic success, particularly in university attendance, with men now further behind in terms of university attendance than women were 50 years ago when Title 9 was introduced to help raise up underperforming women (48m6s).
• The gap between men and women in university attendance has increased, with men now being less likely to attend university than women, and women out-earning men between the ages of 21 and 29 by over $10,000 a year (50m7s).
• The socioeconomic success of a partner is more indicative of mating success during this age range, making it a critical period for individuals to find potential partners (50m15s).
• There is a lack of charitability towards underperforming men, with the term "incel" being associated with negative connotations, despite originally being a term used to describe individuals who want to form romantic relationships but are unable to do so (50m38s).
• The issue of underperforming men is not being addressed with the same level of effort and resources as was devoted to helping underperforming women, with billions of dollars being spent on initiatives to help women attend university and succeed in their careers (49m6s).
• The death of eligible male partners directly impacts the wellbeing of single women who do not have anyone to date, highlighting the need to address the issue of underperforming men (49m26s).
• Spending money to help men become better partners and improve their socioeconomic status could have a more direct impact on improving the lives of single women than other initiatives (49m48s).
• The socioeconomic problems affecting men, such as lower university attendance and lower earnings, need to be addressed in order to help men flourish and become more attractive partners (50m1s).
• The topic of women's bodies and societal expectations is considered sensitive and often avoided, as it can be perceived as manipulative or restrictive, particularly when discussing women's standards in relationships (51m26s).
• Raising men's standards is seen as a way to improve their situation, but this approach is often met with resistance, as it can be perceived as blaming men for their circumstances (51m41s).
• On the other hand, suggesting that women's standards are too high can be seen as an attempt to undermine their independence and autonomy, which they have fought hard to achieve (52m0s).
• The issue of low birth rates and relationship dissatisfaction is complex and multifaceted, with no easy solutions, and attempts to address it can be met with resistance and criticism (52m28s).
• The concept of "incels" (involuntary celibates) has been marginalized and stigmatized, particularly after terrorist attacks in the 2010s, making it difficult for individuals who identify as incels to speak out about their experiences without being villainized or ostracized (53m34s).
• Incel men are often deprived of life opportunities and suffer in solitude, and their marginalization is not adequately addressed or acknowledged by society (53m49s).
• The culture surrounding incels is such that they are not allowed to speak out about their experiences without being met with hatred and attacks, and their voices are often silenced or ignored (54m40s).
• In contrast, women's voices and experiences were amplified during the feminist movement, leading to significant social change and liberation, but a similar platform is not available for incel men to share their stories and advocate for change (54m54s).
• The Norwegian welfare state imposes enormous costs on men, making it difficult for them to be part of the public conversation in the short to mid-range (55m3s).
• Men pay more in taxes than they receive from the welfare state, while women receive more than $1.2 million from the welfare state over their lifetime than they pay in taxes (55m33s).
• The transfer of resources from men to women is a key factor in Norway being considered one of the best societies in the world, according to the UN (55m58s).
• However, this transfer of resources also has a negative aspect, as men lose resources and become relatively less attractive to women (56m11s).
• Women no longer need the resources of a partner to the same extent, and men have lost the resources that would previously make them more attractive to women (56m27s).
• This has created a society where men are not good enough to entice women's attraction systems, leading to a decline in pair bonding, sex, and childbearing (56m50s).
• The current societal structure is contributing to self-eradication, as men are no longer able to attract women and form families (56m45s).

How to Improve Our Mating Ideology (57m7s)

• The second bottleneck in the demographic collapse is related to culture and ideology, specifically the mating ideology known as confluent love, which emphasizes convenience, reward, and individualistic self-realization (57m7s).
• Confluent love involves serial pair bonding and short-term relationships, with individuals prioritizing their own needs and desires (57m50s).
• This ideology is a departure from earlier Western ideologies of love, such as romantic love, which emphasized finding a soulmate and merging in a pair bond underpinned by strong true love (58m41s).
• Romantic love was the dominant ideology from the early 1800s to 1986 and was characterized by the breadwinner-housewife model, which imposed strong social pressure on individuals to form long-term pair bonds and have children (58m43s).
• In contrast, confluent love has led to a decline in population growth, as individuals are no longer pressured to form long-term pair bonds and have children (59m37s).
• The widespread use of effective contraceptives has also contributed to the decline in population growth, as it has detached copulation from reproduction and rendered adaptations for previous mating regimes less effective (1h0m27s).
• The current ideology emphasizes the voluntary nature of having children, with some individuals even viewing not having children as heroic or environmentally responsible (1h0m45s).
• Anti-natalist beliefs reduce the pressure to reproduce, and when people do decide to have children, ideological differences and environmental pressures such as the costliness of having children come into play (1h0m58s).
• Politicians and fertility researchers tend to focus on environmental factors, but research suggests that these factors may not be the primary cause of low birth rates (1h1m24s).
• Norway has one of the best social regimes in the world for having children, with incredible benefits for parents and children, yet the country still struggles with low birth rates (1h1m31s).
• The birth rate committee may suggest increasing financial benefits to encourage people to have children, but research indicates that this approach may not be effective (1h1m50s).
• To address the issue of low birth rates, cultural change and a new ideology of love may be necessary, which could involve re-examining and challenging deeply held values (1h2m2s).
• The question of existence versus non-existence is of utmost importance, and it may be necessary to experiment and question sacred values in order to address the issue of low birth rates (1h2m18s).

The Actual Reasons Why People Aren’t Having Kids (1h2m31s)

• Many people have not had kids due to reasons such as not being ready yet, still working on themselves, not having enough money, and being insufficiently financially secure, according to survey data from the GSS and other sources (1h2m34s).
• The cost of living and self-actualization ideology may contribute to the declining birth rates, but experts do not know the precise factors that have created this situation (1h2m54s).
• Urbanization and individualization are known to be factors, but it is unclear how they affect birth rates and what policy changes could be made to encourage people to have children (1h3m37s).
• Researchers are currently underfunded and understaffed to study the factors that motivate or demotivate reproduction, particularly in the field of evolutionist psychology (1h4m0s).
• There is a need to study female and male mating, reproductive psychology, and the actual factors that influence reproduction, rather than just relying on self-reported reasons (1h4m10s).
• The ultimate function of mating is to reproduce, but this aspect has been underresearched in favor of studying dating, relationships, and parental investment (1h4m44s).
• Understanding the ultimate reasons for reproduction is existentially important, and researchers should focus on uncovering the actual elements that motivate or demotivate reproduction (1h4m53s).
• The difference between approximate and ultimate reasons for human behavior, such as sex feeling good versus making babies, is an important distinction to make when studying human behavior (1h4m56s).
• The ultimate justification for human behavior is often unspoken, but it is a more direct intervention to focus on the proximate reasons for behavior (1h5m10s).
• Being around children can have a profound impact on people's desire to have children, and the decline of intergenerational living and declining birth rates may contribute to a lack of exposure to children (1h6m26s).
• The decline of intergenerational living, where people move away from home at 18 and live in their own houses, may contribute to a lack of exposure to children and a decline in child desire (1h6m12s).
• The decline in birth rates means that there are fewer children around to show people who don't yet have children that children are a thing that you can have (1h6m22s).
• Research suggests that having fewer children reduces the incentive or drive to have more children, creating a self-reinforcing process that contributes to declining birth rates (1h6m36s).
• In Norway, women want to have 2.4 children, but the actual birth rate has fallen to 1.4, and it is likely that the next generation will want to have even fewer children (1h6m53s).
• This trend puts society in a spiral that can lead to collapse unless it is reversed, with experts warning that the fertility rate is unlikely to turn around and may continue to decline (1h7m44s).
• The leading international experts are largely in agreement that the fertility rate is more likely to continue declining than to stabilize or increase (1h7m43s).
• If the trend is not reversed, it is likely to worsen, leading to a faster decline and potential societal collapse (1h7m52s).
• Some experts believe that the best that can be done for the fertility rate is to simply accept it and move on (1h8m6s).

Opposition to Mads’ Work (1h8m9s)

• A commentator in Norway's biggest newspaper stated that the country's low birth rate of 1.4 is just a number and that Norwegian women will start having babies in their 40s, causing the rate to increase, and suggested that the best way to increase the birth rate is to "resign and relax" (1h8m12s).
• Some individuals, including Norway's ex-sexiest woman of the year and a gay man, responded to the commentator's statement, with the woman saying that men are "whining" and the man stating that men are trying to "cry their way into women's pants" (1h8m44s).
• The debate surrounding the low birth rate is seen as an existential challenge, and it is hoped that it can move past the initial phase of discussion and into a more productive conversation about experiments and research to address the issue (1h9m19s).
• Scandinavian nations are considered to be well-situated to address the issue of low birth rates due to their wealth, good national conversations, and experience with social issues (1h9m40s).
• The low birth rate of 1.4 is seen as a significant problem, as it means that societies will eventually disappear, and it is not understood by many people, including environmentalists, who may not see the negative consequences of a declining population (1h10m42s).
• A declining population can work against solving the climate crisis, as collapsing societies are less likely to develop new technology, be cooperative, or recycle (1h10m50s).
• The goal is to have functioning, stable societies that can fix the climate crisis, and addressing the low birth rate is seen as a necessary step in achieving this goal (1h11m2s).
• Before this summer, there were few op-eds in leading newspapers discussing the issue of low birth rates, and those that did often downplayed the significance of the problem (1h11m12s).
• Environmentalists may find it hard to understand how a declining population could be a negative thing, but it is seen as a necessary issue to address in order to have a stable society that can address the climate crisis (1h11m35s).
• The conversation surrounding the low birth rate is seen as an important one, and it is hoped that it can move forward in a productive way, with a focus on research and experimentation to address the issue (1h12m0s).
• People who discuss unpopular topics and face criticism or insults often become increasingly aggressive in their tone due to frustration, which can be seen in some men's rights activists and climate movement activists (1h12m37s).
• This aggressive tone can lead to becoming less acceptable and understood, especially in an increasingly inflammatory arena, which is the opposite of the desired impact (1h13m31s).
• Communicating ideas in a peaceful and gentle manner is more effective, especially when presenting unpopular arguments, as it makes it harder for others to dismiss them (1h13m51s).
• Presenting facts and arguments in a reasonable and calm manner can make them more acceptable and harder to refute, as opposed to presenting them in an emotional or aggressive way (1h14m20s).
• The speaker reflects on their own experiences discussing men's mental health and how their tone can become more agitated and fiery, questioning whether this is an effective way to make an impact (1h14m45s).
• The speaker wishes to focus on researching and conducting experiments to address issues, rather than being a "firebrand" and facing hatred and criticism (1h15m13s).
• The speaker mentions that they have faced personal attacks and criticism, including their department lying to a newspaper about their connection to them, which they find tiresome and frustrating (1h15m41s).
• The birth rate committee has been unable to create a debate about the declining birth rates, but recent discussions have helped bring attention to the issue, which will hopefully lead to a more recent and useful discussion about the problem (1h16m16s).
• The consequences of the declining birth rates will be devastating and disastrous, with the potential loss of a third or two-thirds of a generation's size per generation, making it essential to address the issue (1h17m1s).
• The discussion about declining birth rates is not over and will likely continue for generations unless a solution is found, making it crucial to keep pushing the conversation forward (1h17m11s).
• Demographic collapse is a unique existential risk that humanity has never faced before, making it challenging to find solutions, as cultural intuitions and legacies offer little to build upon (1h17m47s).
• The decline in fertility is a global phenomenon that is not stopping, and it requires novel solutions, which will be a significant challenge due to the complexity of the issue and the lack of precedents (1h18m24s).
• The need to address the declining birth rates is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention, and it may be a suitable topic for further research and discussion (1h18m56s).

Where to Find Mads (1h19m1s)

• Appreciation is expressed for the work being done, and it will be interesting to see how the collaboration with Leif and others progresses, with a mention of a previous meeting at HB last year (1h19m2s).
• To keep up-to-date with the latest research, data, and other work, a link to the stores and VI to Tinder can be found under the YouTube video, which provides open access and free downloads (1h19m28s).
• Published work can also be found on Google Scholar by searching for the name, which will display a list of publications (1h19m37s).
• ResearchGate is another platform where work can be found, offering alternative ways to access the research (1h19m44s).
• The conversation comes to a close with a farewell message and an invitation to check out another episode that might be of interest (1h19m50s).