Posted on 11/19/2005 4:45:35 PM PST by ellery
As it praises a mother who raised 11, the Vatican frets over low birth rate
ROME — It’s an enduring image — the extended Italian family crowding around a dining-room table piled with food and wine, surrounded by nieces, nephews, cousins and screaming children.
Trouble is, it is no longer a widespread reality. Nowadays it takes a Christmas or Easter holiday to gather a crowd in the average Italian household, and the result is a lot more like Thanksgiving dinner in “Everybody Loves Raymond” than the 4th of July barbecue at Tony Soprano’s.
The plain fact is that Italians just are not having children, a situation the Roman Catholic Church, headquartered in an enclave in this capital city, sees as something of a crisis.
-snip-
The latest report from ISTAT, the Italian Statistical Institute, shows that 40 percent of Italian men between the age of 30 and 34 still live with their parents.
There are multiple reasons: stagnant incomes, lack of affordable housing, education and employment.
But those don’t address the cultural and psychological factors which have an even greater sway on this trend: the fact that it is socially OK for a grown man to live with his mother.
Whereas Anglo-American society often views an adult male living at home as being somewhat peculiar or inadequate, Italians think it’s absolutely normal.
Many of the guys who do live at home pay lip service to their wish for independence, but privately admit that they enjoy the best of both worlds.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
bttt
The Italians are essentially sterile. The young Italians don't have any babies. They are just like moron Americans, wanting designer clothes, luxury cars, plasma screen TVs, vacation homes, etc, etc.
The work is now done by their equivalent of Mexicans or Central Americans: Algerians, Yugoslavians, Morrocans, Africans, etc. ... who are replacing the native population.
The same is going on all over Europe from Russia to Spain, The only exception: Ireland.
bttt times 2
And are florists.
The welfare state will continue until the number of productive middle-class taxpayers drops below a critical number. The resulting explosion will be very loud
It is the truth - mom comes first.
I personally applaud that somewhat. A lot of people are not happy after having kids. Good for them for thinking for themselves. Family isn't for everyone, I know a ton of ppl. my age (late 20's) who are divorced with kids...
Sorry, but the Italians have become totally shallow, pathologicallly narcissistic, anti-family cultural suicides. Just like the democrats.
Yeah, really. Even Rush says that some people just work better off single. And to quote Dr. Laura: Don't have 'em if you don't want to raise 'em.
With stagnating economic growth, over 10% unemployment and no positive prospects for improvement the outlook for stable families is bleak.
Why get married, have kids, then get eaten up by depth, stay solo and take life as is.
Ireland is the exception? I doubt it.
Maybe grown men live with their parents to help run the family-owned black market business. Anyone know if it's still true that much of the Italian economy is balck market?
There are multiple reasons: >>>>stagnant incomes, lack of affordable housing, education and employment....
YUP!
But those don’t address the cultural and psychological factors which have an even greater sway on this trend: the fact that it is socially OK for a grown man to live with his mother.<<<<<
Oh yes they do!!!!...see the first statement!!!
Bingo!....We have a winner!
"60 Minutes" produced and televised a segment on this phenomenon a few years ago or maybe several years ago.
Narcissisim run amok.
Next stop Homoburg.
Secular narcicissists mean the death of old Europe.
Empty cathedrals eventually end in empty cradles.
I don't understand why they think guys living with their parents is causing the low birth rate. Amish families have high birth rates and they have three or four generations living in the same house.
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