The white plague.

[Anonymous]

*sigh*

Let's just cut that shit out, OK?

 

[Genghis Khan]

Sweden too is a sexist society. Just because some things are being taken care of doesn't mean that there aren't other problem areas. Maternity leave vs. paternity leave...can anybody guess who takes the longer time off work? Right, the mother of course. Why, is it because the father is incapable of taking care of his child? No way i hell! As long as breast feeding is done, there is nothing that shows that the mother is the better care taker, except when scientists who, knowingly or naively are running the errands of some political agenda. It's all about making women feel ashamed about being egotists and wanting a career when they have small children at home. If women are made to feel ashamed about this, they'll stop their career voluntarily and stay at home with the kids. Great, huh? This is similar all over Europe and North America, I believe. Sweden hasn't come very far when it comes to equal opportunities, not between the sexes, and not between people of different ethnic/cultural backgrounds. Few women in the board rooms, few people of colour there as well. Mostly, it's middle-aged (50-60s), middle class, white men - no women, no immigrants regardless of how long they've been in the country. White, middle-aged, middle class men.

Don't give us credit where it isn't due. In many ways, Sweden is a very progressive country but that doesn't mean that everything is good. Most things are headed in the right direction, though...but Canada or Holland are way ahead of us when it comes to racial bigotry, and USA have come further when it comes to equality in the workplace in many matters.

Thanks for setting me straight on that, Anomica.    I love learning about social structures in different countries.  Isn't it sad when our government(s) need to step in to curb or fix all the bad 'isms' that private (reasonable) citizens should be able to control themselves?

Canada is often cited worldwide as a fine example of multiculturalism.  Most Canadian citizens do believe that and practice it.  Still, there are many problems.  This week alone two 'racial' incidences were focused upon in the media.  A study in (the province of) Quebec was done which concluded that most (59%, if my memory serves me) Quebecers were racist to some degree.  Fifty percent of interviewees considered themselves to be racist towards muslims.  This was the highest statistic in that paper.  Also, a muslim school was vandalized by having many bricks thrown through their windows.  (The authorities have not concluded whether or not the incident was motivated by hatred or if it was a case of random violence).  But this area has had other incidences like this.

I have to admit that discrimination plays a role in job applications. It’s hard to prove but when people want a job and use their e.g. Maroccan or Turkish (a Muslim) name, it might be the case that there won’t be a serious interest for this person. A solution for this discrimination could be the following: Companies should accept anonymous writings and things should be controlled more often.

(Emphasis is mine).  That would be wise.  In Canada, an employer may not ask about a person's age, sex, 'race', ethnicity, religion and other private matters unless it is specifically needed by the parameters of the job, for example, a model modeling a line of clothing.  This does not eliminate these bad 'isms' but it does reduce them.

EDIT: However, the Canadian government does not need to play by these rules.  The government may choose to focus on hiring more women, more 'minorities', or anything it deems appropriate.  Our government plays by special rules because they decide that it is in the best interest of Canadians to have such rules.  They're above the law because they create the law.  Yes, I'm pissed.

To Genghis: In what part of Croatia were you born, 'cause my father is a Dalmatian (not the dog race , it's a coastline region).

I was born in a semi-rural part of Zagreb county. 

Urizen, let's move away from the 'whiteness' or 'race' aspect of childlessness, but instead concentrate on other causes of shrinking populations.  I have suggested lingering sexism in the west (and east) as a further discussion point.  I would wager that this is the main culprit for alarming rates of population decline in modern economies/democracies.  Anomica has given a great answer. 

 

[Onhell]

...let's move away from the 'whiteness' or 'race' aspect of childlessness, but instead concentrate on other causes of shrinking populations.  I have suggested lingering sexism in the west (and east) as a further discussion point.  I would wager that this is the main culprit for alarming rates of population decline in modern economies/democracies.  Anomica has given a great answer. 

So if there are no different measurements, then it's absolutely useless to make a difference between skin colours.
The term is polarizing, nothing can come good of it. 

THIS is what I've been trying to get at! thank you both. At the moment I really don't have much else to add ( I will tomorrow and Saturday), but I think this is the direction the discussion should shift too.

 

[Genghis Khan]

To be fair, you already said a lot concerning this topic, Onhell.  I'd love to read more. 

 

[Urizen]

All right, just to set this straight. Whenever I mentioned whites I did it only to explain that they are the ones most affected by low birth rates, since they are the majority in most countries experiencing low birth rates. I never meant to imply that they are the only ones experiencing it.

Just wanted to make that clear.