The metrics for wealth are skewed in favour of consumerism. The UK has a lot of wealth generation tied up in housing instead of things like having a 401k. This leads to a large chunk of the population not wanting cheaper houses as it will negatively affect things like their retirement.
So people can afford things like TV's etc. but cannot afford housing and electricity in winter. People are told they are richer compared to the previous generation, but the quality of life can be much lower if they have kids. If you really want to know what it is like for the 'rich people' go to MumsNet where people can afford multiple children going to St Paul's where each of their kids costs 10,000 a term, and they speak about it like pocket change.
All wealth is generated from conversion, we like to use the term creation as that doesn't have the negative connotations that conversion has. In a conversion, there was something, and now there is something else. What was there is likely no longer there forever with the shit rolling down hill to people we are never aware of. Coltan and Sony's 'Playstation war' is a good example of the bollocks we help create.
It may seem I am anti-capilist, I am not, I just view it as lizard brained. It is not an invisible hand of the market, it is an invisible claw of the market. The use of hand is an anthropomorphism. The market has no conscience. It just consumes. Including consuming you and your children.
Personally, I think the spread of knowledge is more important than the continuance of genetics. You need enough people alive to keep forward momentum. We are also more aware of the fuckery people do in our name due to our internet. Historically we could do shit like manifest destiny as people could be convinced they were more deserving.
Unless we solve the issue of the universe will suffer a heat death, there is going to be a last generation some time. There needs to be people to perceive western culture for it to have any value. Western culture is not really dieing, in London at least within 1 generation the kids are usually acclimatized. London is a range of attitudes, the UK is a range of attitudes.
Poor countries have lots of kids as it increases the chances of future wealth. For example, help for free in a family business. Happiness is something that maybe a later generation is allowed.
As I say available better education is the key for all children, even though some people think giving girls worse education will solve the breeding problem. More badly educated people, more meat puppets to extract wealth from. When shit goes sideways make sure you have enough wealth to bolt somewhere. Lizard brain.
Animals are driven mostly by genetic continuance, we can do better.
