When people speak of the various reasons that the world is increasingly seeing a widespread dearth of marriages and babies, unsurprisingly, cultural factors feature prominently. But those cultural conversations often revolve around changes in social values. The rise of individualism has made youths question the value of sacrificing their own preferences and interests in exchange for negotiating with a lifelong partner. The prevalence of the nuclear family has made it burdensome to raise a child. The increase in female labor participation has led women to prioritize career advancement over family responsibilities.
"The prices are ridiculous here. How are things on your side?" This is the common refrain coming from Mom's emails, as news headlines scream of further escalations around the Strait of Hormuz that have driven oil prices even higher. For months, I could shrug off her concerns. Looking at the inflation figures coming out of the US, the Europeans seemed to have been left unscathed by the war. It is a wonder how the prices have stayed relatively stable, and few complain about the cost of living locally, given how much more dependent on imported energy this Old Continent is.