[Rictor]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5060848.stm

The pressures and costs of after-school activities for children in Japan are causing concern, and are even suspected of contributing to the country's declining birth rate, as parents shun the idea of having more than one child.

Here, one Tokyo woman - journalist Kumiko Makihara - outlines the pressures on her young son, Yataro.

On Thursday I meet my son at the bus stop, and rush him home so that he can get ready for football practice.

We grab his sports bag, and I put a bit of chocolate in his mouth as we head off on the 15-minute bike ride. I have to tell him off for riding zigzag, as it takes more time.

Then he attends abacus class, for an hour of addition and subtraction drills, before his homework and piano practice.

On Fridays it is swimming and abacus; on Saturdays, English and judo.

Yes, the article is about Japan. But I see this happening to some degree in every country. You've all probably seen it as well. But my concern is that this may be the future - treating people like resources to be fully developed, mined and exploted.

[Mars]

Capitalism sucks- but all the alternatives suck worse

[AlphaOne]

umm well there is an incrasing presure over here as well and needless to say the birth rate is shot to pieces we ahve been having negative birth rate since i dunno some 10 or 12 years ago. by the year 2030 we will be some 4-6 million less romanians. Or so i read in some report from a newspaper.

The only region of our country that actualy has natural grow is mi region. But he he he that has alwais been the case. People in this region just like to make more kids. Even if it makes they life harder.


I saw on the news a story about a village where a famili that had only 3 or 4 children was consider verry verry small. The "normal" familli was considerd from about 8 or 9 children/members.

This is all happening right here in Romania and people over there are just overjoyed whenever a new baby comes into the world. And remarcably they actualy manage not only to support all of theyr children through school and stuff. and they are verry happy.

[aldo_14]

Most countries in europe have a declining birth rate, and AFAIK none within the EU have enough of a birthrate to maintain their populations.

[Dough with Fish]

Wait a minute here...

Does that story say abacus class. As in that wood and metal slider thingy with the ****ing beads that you slide. Jesus Christ, I didn't think that anyone still used those, let alone the technological cluster**** that is Japan.

[Flipside]

Most Japanese can do sums far far faster on an Abacus than it would take you to type it into a calculator or computer.

[aldo_14]

Wait a minute here...

Does that story say abacus class. As in that wood and metal slider thingy with the ****ing beads that you slide. Jesus Christ, I didn't think that anyone still used those, let alone the technological cluster**** that is Japan.

Well, the Japanese IIRc have a reknowned school system - especially with maths - so go figure.  One of my higher Maths teachers was kind of obsessed with how much better the Japanese were, actually........

[Mars]

It's forced in everyones heads here (in Colorado, and I think most of the US) that everyone in the EU, Japan and China are smarter than us becasuse they work harder. The way I (and I think most US students) see it is that if it's painful to work as hard as we are, and if everyone else is smarter than us anyway, than why even try. I kind of figure it's less painful and less work to be stupid, that way you concentrate on feeding your family and not on how your going to cheat somone in order to make money.

[aldo_14]

It's forced in everyones heads here (in Colorado, and I think most of the US) that everyone in the EU, Japan and China are smarter than us becasuse they work harder. The way I (and I think most US students) see it is that if it's painful to work as hard as we are, and if everyone else is smarter than us anyway, than why even try

EU? 

Work harder?



Nah, it's - odds on - down to funding.  EU is generally more into added state funding, for example.  And US higher-education tuition fees are ridiculous.

[Flipside]

Heh, reminds me of the time Thatcher accused the British work force of being 'The laziest in Europe' in a transparent attempt at swapping blame for the stuttering economy away from the Government.

[Mars]

Heh, I want to go to college and get a well paying job, I just can't afford getting a well paying job.

And Colorado is one of the worst states for higher education, I'm getting out of here when it comes time for college, that's for sure (my mom doesn't know this yet BTW)