Declining German birthrates finally explained?

According to a recent survey carried out by EMNID, money has a bigger importance to Germans than love does. Only 5% and 1% respectively would prefer love or great sex to money. 482 men and women were questioned on their private wishes.
http://de.news.yahoo.com/050601/12/4kcy7.html
Depressing, isn't it? Oh well, according to a recent survey carried out on Toytown we have established that the majority of TT'ers prefer love to money. There's still some hope left.

That is a major bummer.

Yeah it's funny, I was somehow not surprised by this. Although one could also say that it's one test alone and also only involving less than 500 people. *Surely* it has no scientific significance..

I would go for love over money, and I am not worried about the great sex thing while I have a hand.

From my experience the Germans are money obsessed. I actually have some work colleagues who will go to a bar, ask for a menu and then check how much the Helles is and if it appears to be too expensive (often by 5 cents) will then buy a Weissbier if it's cheaper.

I can understand when it is a student or someone who earns very little but I know my work colleagues don't fit into these categories.

How can you love someone if the sex is crap ?

I heard that one German politician say it was the wrong Germans having kids too. The un-educated or ethnic minorities, not the well taught or master race ones.

I think he had to apologise for that, but its true. What do they expect when their best people stay in Uni till the age of 30?!?!?

Eros is only one type of love Parnell, lets not forget pathos and philia

EDIT: Oops, one of those was supposed to be Agape I think. Far too much time working and not enough time web surfing is to blame...

The Germans love their comfort, catalog like appartments, regular holidays and regular new cars. They also like security which means rarely if ever going for borderline financial propositions. Kids don't fit into this equation.

@ Kza ... yeh but I have friends for pathos and I don't even wanna know about that other Greek shit.

Ok, I just looked this up, and I have work out that pathos is love from sympathy (the one I must get) , Eros love from desire and philia was something to do for love for the dead?!?!?

Barking up the wrong tree?

Its the only tree I ever seem to bark up. Yeah I think I did manage to confuse myself...

@ IW ... it's the love of one's neighbour , in other words companionship ... but Im not 60 yet ... I play dumb well

So...

Eros - Desire
Pathos - Affection
Phillia - Lust for shaggin the dead?

Any more of these things, they sounds interesting??!?!

I think sanskrit has about 60 words for love...
Anyway the idea is that love (as in the english word) is a recent concept, and certainly not a pure emotion. Its almost stupid to talk about it, because it means so many different things.

And yeah, as far as greek goes, Agape was the one I left out. Think it refers to love of God. Oh and philia has nothing to do with dead people.

Agape - love that is spiritual and selfless in nature

This is good stuff.

Still say you can't love someone romantically without havin great sex.

Don't you mean "Its the only Tee I ever seem to bark up."?

@parnell

Errr, ladies? Any of the female forum members have anything to reply to this?
Oh it's lovely, lovely being a girl!

What would ladies in general have to say about that? Its a fairly unisexual statement to make isnt it? Or is sex just for men?

Have you noticed how nice the weather is outside today? I think I'm going off a bit to take in some sun.

@ MB
Wot ?

Causes of poor sex stem from both sides:

Either partner can have equipment which doenst fit optimally.

Shit rhythm

Repression

General wet blanketness and frigidity

Marraige

So what you're saying is that if you're crap in bed, then you're fucked (kind of)??

This is good! Have to agree to some ext. with Parnell, the sex should be good. If you are looking for something longer, then friendship should take a close second.

@ IW
I don't think anyone is terminally crap in bed ... unless you've got very poor equipment indeed (in which case you should see a doctor) ... even in that I'm reliably informed that there is something called "fourklay" which de ladies think is as important as the real meat and potatoes... nuts if ye ask me.

Crap rhythm --- dancin lessons and lots of good music.

Repression and general shitness - porn , soft lights and plenty of gym work.

EDIT: Problem is if you're crap on the initial lay then very few will hang round to improve your skillz

Why does everyone make that sound like a bad thing ?

Sounds like a lot of effort to me!

Surely letting my girlfriend win at monopoly is just as good, as a heavy sesion of rumpy pumpy?

[img]http://www.keithball.net/img/animated/2990.gif[/img]

Oeh, I'm back again. Anyway let's not forget that TT'ers have different priorities to the people questioned on this survey and that's all that counts, isn't it? And to get back to the original topic, I'm not sure how representative a survey like this would be regarding its size. After all we currently have more than 80 000 000 Germans and they must come from somewhere.. The good old days.

Can someone explain why the guy on top is doing all the work? A million strokes and counting...

All of the work and none of it is working because she's lying there like an ironing board (or she might be dead?).

[img]http://personales.ciudad.com.ar/agustincordes/imagenes/Necromantik.jpg[/img]

The statistics for Germany last year were that 700 thousand babies were born and 25percent were to foreigners. This is the lowest birthrate since the end of WWII.

Well what do they really expect with the cost of living going up every year at an alarming rate, Unemployment is at an all time high, and a health care system thats going to shit... Face it, having kids in Germany at this day and age is just way to expensive..

Yes the Govt. gives some $$ each month but it's nowhere near whats needed to raise a kid.. And I've seen/heard that they even want to cut back on these type programs as well..

And DK nails it. I don't have to type much.


Once your sample size reaches 30, your chances of being wrong are only 1/4 of 1%. Here's a link if you want to read some basics on statistical significance. With a sample of hundreds of people and the responses so polar, either it's correct or they chose their samples with the intention of getting such aswers.

woof.

Depends on the power (usually wanted to be higher than 80%) of the test used for what the appropriate sample size should be. But BD is correct that this was high enough to be considered appropriate (if it the sample was truly reflective of the population)

I heard that starting with babies born 01.01.2007, Germany is introducing Elterngeld which is to be 2/3 of your prior year's salary paid monthly. I found some info here. regarding the topic. My German is shit, so maybe someone else can provide the specifics. I think that this Elterngeld is in addition to the Kindergeld which is currently offered. I suppose that this is supposed to encourage those folks who are not having kids just because they don't think they can make it on one income when one partner is basically required to stay home because of the lack of daycare options for infants.

elterngeld is already in existence... I was on elterngeld with my daughter for one year... but was eligible for two and the third year they pay you a smaller amount... maybe the amounts have changed but the program has been around for awhile.

It applies to either parent.. so the parents can choose who stays home with the child... at least two years ago it was open to either parent.

What i read some days ago in the papers is that they will be giving the mother 67% of her netto salary for 12 months if she decided to stay at home and take care of the kid. Although good, I don´t think that is the solution...I think what is needed is more kindergrippe, kindergarten, and not finishing school at 12.00...Because you can stay at home with your baby the first year, but what happens next?What does a mother do if she finishes working at 17.00?

What is this child thing you speak of?

that may have the opposite of the desired effect!

Sorry meant kinderKrippe...what was I thinking about...
You guys are fast...