Watch New Economic Reality: Demographic Winter

New Economic Reality: Demographic Winter is a thought-provoking documentary series produced by BYUtv that delves into the global issue of declining birth rates, also known as demographic winter. The series is split into two episodes, each of which runs approximately 50 minutes.

The first episode, titled "The Birth Dearth," sets the stage for the issue at hand, providing viewers with a concise history of demographics, highlighting the problems associated with an aging population, low fertility rates, and population decline. It examines in detail the intricate links between social, economic, and cultural factors that lead to the unique problems associated with declining population rates.

The first episode includes a range of expert commentary on the subject, including interviews with professionals from the United States, Europe, and Japan, who have experiences and insight into the costs and consequences of a shrinking population on the economy and society as a whole. Further exploration is made into the causes and consequences of declining fertility rates, especially in the Western world, in places like South Korea where the average birth rate stands at 1.1 children per family, which is the world's lowest birth rate.

The first episode also examines the transition that took place after World War II, which has resulted in a much lower birth rate. It outlines the evolution of social and economic trends that have weakened the traditional structure of the family and advanced women's rights, which has contributed negatively to fertility rates. Also, the episode shows how countries like South Korea and Japan are seeking solutions to the challenges of dwindling numbers of citizens. The episode concludes with a call to viewers to take action in finding sustainable solutions to demographic challenges.

The second episode, titled "Aging Bomb," shows how demographic shifts, birth dearth, and aging of the population have already reached the tipping point, with serious implications on social, economic, and political systems. The series is filled with real-world examples that demonstrate how demographic winter has resulted in a variety of major structural issues, such as a decrease in labor force participation, increased debt, inflation, and fiscal deficits. There's discussion, too, on immigration or in-vitro fertilization, as a possible solution to maintain population size and growth.

Moreover, we get a sense that the problem is not exclusive to the Western world, as other areas are experiencing similar problems. The episode highlights countries with 'silver populations' and their experiences of social and economic hardships stemming from the lack of young people. We get to meet real people from these countries and listen to their experiences, hopes, and fears for the future.

The series is full of stunning visuals that take viewers behind the scenes to explore the causes and consequences of the demographic winter facing the world. They show the real-life stories of how an aging population and a decreasing labor force present real challenges to economic stability, financial growth and the challenges communities face in coping with an ageing population.

Overall, New Economic Reality: Demographic Winter, is a well-made, fact-based series that highlights the impact of one of the world's most significant ongoing problems, plummeting birth rates. The series utilizes voices from around the world to examine the impact of demographic winter while also examining solutions that could potentially help alleviate the situation. This series strikes an excellent balance between parent education, social reforms, individual responsibility, and the overall responsibility of governments and institutions in finding solutions. The series uses realistic approach and visual aids to present economic data and facts, making them understandable to the general public. Anyone interested in understanding the major demographic shifts occurring on our planet must watch the Demographic Winter.