Why are so many adults in rich countries refusing to have kids?

I don't have the answer, but I plan to keep coming back to the question. The sudden demographic collapse of advanced societies is the defining issue of our time.

(First in an occasional series.)

Humanity has never had it better.

Especially the couple of billion lucky folks who live in the United States and Canada, Western Europe, and East Asia (including, now, much of China).

The details of the miracle that is modern life are worth repeating, since they are the water we swim in and easy to forget.

Deaths in childbir…