Something did happen about 100 years ago. The rise of eugenics. Society (especially the progressive part of it) collectively decided that there was this large fraction of the population we definitely didn't want having a family.
Sure, if they paired up and just fornicated, that might be ok. Certainly if it helps keep them tame.
But once involuntary sterilization wasn't an option any longer, another mechanism had to be developed.
This is a theory, but test it against reality. If you could (without judgement) sort people into "the eugenicists" and the "people who eugenicists didn't want procreating"... which of those groups has the higher fertility rates? The ruling class, the billionaires and millionaires, and so forth, don't they tend to have a few kids and that their kids have prospects of having kids of their own? Meanwhile, those clinging onto the very lowest level of the middle class, or below it but wanting to be there... those are the ones who have no children. Those are the ones who are told that adoption is important to lower their carbon footprint, and that it's in every way a perfect substitution for biological children. Supposing they can ever afford the $100,000 price tag to buy a child.
Sure, if they paired up and just fornicated, that might be ok. Certainly if it helps keep them tame.
But once involuntary sterilization wasn't an option any longer, another mechanism had to be developed.
This is a theory, but test it against reality. If you could (without judgement) sort people into "the eugenicists" and the "people who eugenicists didn't want procreating"... which of those groups has the higher fertility rates? The ruling class, the billionaires and millionaires, and so forth, don't they tend to have a few kids and that their kids have prospects of having kids of their own? Meanwhile, those clinging onto the very lowest level of the middle class, or below it but wanting to be there... those are the ones who have no children. Those are the ones who are told that adoption is important to lower their carbon footprint, and that it's in every way a perfect substitution for biological children. Supposing they can ever afford the $100,000 price tag to buy a child.