All over the globe, birth rates are falling and hitting critically low levels like we’ve never seen before. From the state of the economy and political/gender divides to fertility issues and climate change, we investigate why you’re choosing not to have kids - and what might happen if our population keeps aging.SHOW NOTESBirth rates are falling in Australiahttps://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/from-economy-to-health-what-lower-birth-rates-could-mean-for-australias-future/t1wbdnzux World fertility rates in 'unprecedented decline', UN sayshttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clynq459wxgo Cradle To Grave - Freakonomics podcasthttps://freakonomics.com/podcast/why-arent-we-having-more-babies/ Young women are leaving men behind (and not only at uni)https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/young-women-are-leaving-men-behind-and-not-only-at-uni-20240924-p5kcyj Why Women Are Weary of the Emotional Labor of ‘Mankeeping’https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/well/family/mankeeping-definition.html Housing crisis statshttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-06/the-rent-crisis-behind-australia-s-two-faced-cities/105118328# Women are still doing more domestic labour than men despite working morehttps://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/how-is-it-that-many-men-still-arent-pulling-their-weight-at-home Why Humans Are Vanishing - Kurzgesagt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBudghsdByQ  Paid parental leave Australia - ABChttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-17/fact-check-australia-paid-parental-leave/11270456?utm_source=chatgpt.com  DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.