Looks at costs. Poor nations have high fertility. Rich nations have low fertility despite having an abundance of everything people in poor nations would clamor for.
Rich nations tend to be poor in social connectedness and community. This means dating and maintaining friendships is more difficult in richer nations.
Taking the context of dating in richer nations: If a dude from a rich country wanted to find a good wife, they would probably be better off looking in poorer nations where people aren't as likely to be spoiled, self-absorbed shits. Women in richer nations tend to want to screw around until they're 35-45 and then have an instant husband and kids. The last apartment complex I made the misfortune of selecting was bursting with mostly non-Ivy League office workers whose sole goals in life were sex, drugs, alcoholism, and imagining themselves as wealthy celebrity IG models. <unsolicited-dating-advice-department> I turned down this absolutely gorgeous woman mid-/early-20's who telegraphed she was self-centered, superficial, uncurious, and in a "maybe open" relationship, e.g., open to fooling around or an upgrade. The advice bit: A dude (or anyone really) can save themselves much grief by not monopolizing conversation and actively listen to the words and actions of others. In my calculus, it's cheaper and less painful to get an FWB if you need that but keep them at a distance. Most just aren't relationship material. Plus, I don't see how anyone in a richer country can find a reliable spouse when there is zero social context and zero accountability for behavior: dating apps only exacerbate the situation.
I generally agree, but you should change your opinion on poorer countries. The trend you describe is spreading everywhere. Even in that article they mention Thailand’s rate in 2022 was estimated at 1.32
This partially true as an overall trend, but is thankfully, not yet a universal fact. The "flattening" effects of globalization bring diabetes, divorce, and time and distance between relatives.
80's Eddie Murphy ridiculous bits notwithstanding, places like Rwanda are still socially conservative and fairly traditional. Certain Catholic-heavy countries and small island nations also tend to be very traditional. I don't mean "backwards" in ways like the Taliban, but have greater social cohesion, a sense that other people matter, and neighborliness.
