Fresh Air Best Of: Inside The Pronatalist Movement / Making Sense Of Trauma
10 snips
May 3, 2025 
Lisa Hagen, an NPR reporter, delves into the pro-natalist movement, highlighting its belief that increasing birth rates can save society from decline. Sociologist Karen Guzzo discusses the complexities behind why people choose to have children and critiques current policies. Daria Burke shares insights from her memoir about overcoming childhood trauma in 1980s Detroit, revealing how early experiences shape our identities. Together, they unpack the intersections of societal pressures, personal history, and the journey towards resilience.
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Pronatalism Overlooks Women's Realities
- Pronatalists warn that falling U.S. birth rates threaten economic collapse or extinction but this overlooks women’s autonomy and economic realities.
- The movement's push for more births neglects the cost of child care and broken parental leave systems.
Delays Lower Birth Rates
- Many want children but delay parenthood due to personal and societal challenges.
- This postponement causes lower birth rates, sometimes resulting in childlessness.
The Collins: Techno-Puritans
- The Collins couple brands themselves as techno-puritans, embracing technology to have many children.
- Their approach combines data principles with unconventional parenting inspired by nature documentaries.
