Hi Marcia, what a great article and food for thought as many countries grapple with an aging and changing demographic that challenges their continued prosperity. When I consider what countries like China face, with the purported number of 330 million being over age 65 by 2050, the severe decline in birthrates as result of government intervention and the single child policy and the extremely fast economic transition over the past few decades, it almost sums up as existential ruin or at least the shattering of the China Dream. I was having a conversation with an anthropologist just this morning about their work in the area of immigration, or should I say human migration caused by ethnic, economic, climatic, and security reasons. The geographic world has a huge flow of people; visible rivers of humanity on the move. Be it the Darian Gap, the US border with Mexico or the watery cemetery of the Mediterranean between Nth Africa and Sth Europe . There's room for a lot more pragmatic and compassionate thinking to tackle both issues.
John -- Thank you for your terrific comment; our post tomorrow will begin to explore climate-driven migration in the U.S. We love your reference to the "visible rivers of humanity" and thank you for sharing your observations about China; this growing global flow will leave no culture, economy nor business untouched in the years ahead. There is much work now and ahead to re-shape for resilience. We look forward to continuing this conversation with you, given your deep global expertise and media leadership!
Hi Marcia, what a great article and food for thought as many countries grapple with an aging and changing demographic that challenges their continued prosperity. When I consider what countries like China face, with the purported number of 330 million being over age 65 by 2050, the severe decline in birthrates as result of government intervention and the single child policy and the extremely fast economic transition over the past few decades, it almost sums up as existential ruin or at least the shattering of the China Dream. I was having a conversation with an anthropologist just this morning about their work in the area of immigration, or should I say human migration caused by ethnic, economic, climatic, and security reasons. The geographic world has a huge flow of people; visible rivers of humanity on the move. Be it the Darian Gap, the US border with Mexico or the watery cemetery of the Mediterranean between Nth Africa and Sth Europe . There's room for a lot more pragmatic and compassionate thinking to tackle both issues.
John -- Thank you for your terrific comment; our post tomorrow will begin to explore climate-driven migration in the U.S. We love your reference to the "visible rivers of humanity" and thank you for sharing your observations about China; this growing global flow will leave no culture, economy nor business untouched in the years ahead. There is much work now and ahead to re-shape for resilience. We look forward to continuing this conversation with you, given your deep global expertise and media leadership!
Great comparison and insights into so many aspects/issues that need to be addressed globally.