The Atlantic: The Great Cousin Decline

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

The Great Cousin Decline

Families are shrinking. But the weirdest family role is a vital one.

www.theatlantic.com

This is an interesting topic to me because as the article says, people are having fewer children, and thereby a lot off folks don't have a lot of extended family members.

I only have 3 first cousins each on my mom's and dad's side.

I have a lot of 2nd cousins and 3rd cousins, but my parents' siblings didn't have a lot of children.

The Great Cousin Decline​

Families are shrinking. But the weirdest family role is a vital one.
Perhaps you’ve heard: Americans are having fewer children, on average, than they used to, and that has some people concerned. In the future, the elderly could outnumber the young, leaving not enough workers to pay taxes and fill jobs. Kids already have fewer siblings to grow up with, and parents have fewer kids to care for them as they age.

Oh, and people also have fewer cousins. But who’s talking about that?

Within many families—and I’m sorry to have to say this—cousins occupy a weird place. Some people are deeply close to theirs, but others see them as strangers. Some cousins live on the same block; some live on opposite sides of the world. That can all be true about any family relationship, but when it comes to this one, the spectrum stretches especially far. Despite being related by blood and commonly in the same generation, cousins can end up with completely different upbringings, class backgrounds, values, and interests. And yet, they share something rare and invaluable: They know what it’s like to be part of the same particular family.

 

[Ol’Otis]

My uncle a bed buck so I don’t claim his fukked up children

 

[Wig Twistin Season]

I have 34 first cousins.

My kids have 13 first cousins.

My family is huge.

 

[voiture]

"Perhaps you’ve heard: Americans are having fewer children, on average, than they used to, "

When I see these articles about people having less kids why do they ignore the most obvious reason for this all which is cost of living?
Back in the days of my parents you could work as a waiter or waitress part time and pay off all your college debt.
Today even a full time job will take you years to get rid of that debt.

I have lots of cousins. Too many to count actually...One of my uncle's has a big family.

 

[Lexington Steele]

When I see these articles about people having less kids why do they ignore the most obvious reason for this all which is cost of living?

Admitting that the economy is actually bad for the majority of people is forbidden during the run-up to Biden's re-election. Everything is perfectly fine and normal, citizen.

 

[High Art]

Coincidentally, a bunch of white people's marriage rates are on the decline as well, especially in the south.

 

[voiture]

Admitting that the economy is actually bad for the majority of people is forbidden during the run-up to Biden's re-election. Everything is perfectly fine and normal, citizen.

Bullshyt, cost of living has been going on for decades way before Biden got into office.

 

[Fillerguy]

This is a cac problem. Most of the cacs I interact with are befuddled that I hang out with my cousins so often. I treat my cousins children as my 1st cousins. We even fukk with our parents cousins. My aunt cousin and her daughter (my cousin) are bffs and my aunt and her sisters used to be jealous about. To be fair, a bunch of my extended family have uncles and cousins who are younger/older than normal. I have an uncle who's 3 years younger than me.... I consider him my cousin, just not to his face.

 

[MurderToCassette]

I got like 30 cousins and a grip of 2nd cousins so I can’t relate

Don’t ask me how

 

[Double Burger With Cheese]

If I gotta call my cousins somebody dying.

 

[Yzak]

20+ cousins on each side

 

[keond]

I have only 10 cousins on one side, but i have 35 on the other

 

[Mordith]

My mom had 7 siblings, and I have 44 first cousins on her side.

 

[invalid]

I have 3 first cousins on my mother side and 3 first cousins only father side. They're all younger than me though.

 

[DreadBrown]

I have 45 first cousins and some I don’t know because both my Grandfathers had outside kids