Taiwanese people are saying low birthrate is the silent protest against Taiwan
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As a youth from Taiwan with the lowest birthrate in the world, I want to share the recent online post that has been supported by many Taiwanese people.
Title : Low birthrate is the most poignant and silent protest from the Taiwanese people.
"Recently, I've seen discussions about the record low birth rate in February, with some even jokingly calling it a 'happy event,' representing a growing number of awakened people and hoping for a continued decline in the annual birth rate.
Seeing such comments makes me very sad. Taiwan is a place full of human warmth, where most people choose kindness, but the reality is that this kindness is constantly suppressed by a terrible system. We don't see an environment where people can live in peace; we only see their rights being constantly violated.
1. The terrible working conditions and living costs: Terrible prices and disproportionate living costs are suffocating. The law sometimes seems to only benefit the bad guys, while workers in all walks of life, from the over-mythologized yet overworked TSMC engineers to the medical personnel who sacrifice themselves to light up others, are all being exploited by the system. Instead of fundamentally improving the labor system for local residents, the government chooses to bring in more foreign workers. It feels like pushing people to their deaths, and instead of taking to the streets in bloody protests, people ultimately choose the silent protest of "not having children." Preventing another life from being born into this unworthy society may be our last act of kindness.
2. Severe industrial imbalance, with diversified development becoming empty talk. Our education and social atmosphere seem to want to continue treating people like machines on an assembly line. Apart from STEM and semiconductor-related industries, the development of other fields is severely neglected. This extreme industry imbalance has led to the singularity of Taiwan's economic lifeline, resulting in ever-rising prices and housing costs.
3. A cramming education system that stifles passion. The education system still promotes the mindless pursuit of academic qualifications instead of guiding each individual to discover their own value. During your studies, if your passion is not within the "mainstream," it is often stifled. Education prioritizes quantity over quality, using teacher shortages as an excuse, but refusing to improve the quality of the education system and teachers' compensation. There are clearly many teachers willing to teach well, but this system doesn't justify their efforts. When those who grew up under this cramming education enter society and see the harsh reality, they are no longer as easily fooled as the elders who could only silently endure for survival. How long will this mindless education that ignores individual development continue?
This is a kind society, but if we don't confront these fundamental problems, this kindness and humanity may truly be slowly destroyed amidst the silent protests of this generation. Let us all strive to remember this.
[Comments with the most upvotes]
[Male] Taiwan's Short-sighted and profit-driven policies, rife with malicious intent, are the right approach to prevent traffic accidents not for the birthrate (+704)
[Male] How have you been these past 10 years? Can you afford a house? Can you afford a car? Have your salaries increased? Have prices risen? Give Taiwan a chance, a chance to jump off a cliff (+404)
[Female] Of all the posts I've read, this is my favorite. It lacks the pointless malice and offers a neutral perspective on the current situation. Seeing my friends joyfully sharing their experiences as mothers... I really don't want to ruin their feelings. Let alone Taiwan, the current state environment is simply not conducive to the next generation (+266)
[Female] I'm happy to see the numbers getting lower and lower. I'm also a non-childbearer; why do I have children and then make myself ugly (+164)
[Male] It doesn't matter, I'll live a happy life without marriage or children. When the time comes, it will still be open to foreign workers and immigrants. (+76)