Spotlight Special Report What happens when fewer people choose to have children? | The Ethical Life podcast Scott Rada Jun 3, 2026 Jun 3, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save kAmkDEC@?8mtA:D@56 achik^DEC@?8m u@C >@DE @7 9F>2? 9:DE@CJ[ DE2CE:?8 2 72>:=J H2D D66? 2D 2 ?@C>2= A2CE @7 25F=E9@@5] %@52J[ E92E 2DDF>AE:@? :D 492?8:?8] p4C@DD E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 2?5 >F49 @7 E96 H@C=5[ k2 E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A@542DED]2AA=6]4@>^FD^A@542DE^E96\8=@32=\76CE:=:EJ\4C:D:D\:D\H@CD6\E92?\J@F\E9:?<^:5`dhccf`_abn:l`___fefhbg`daQm3:CE9C2E6D 2C6 72==:?8k^2m[ 72>:=J D:K6D 2C6 D9C:?<:?8[ 2?5 >@C6 25F=ED 2C6 564:5:?8 E92E A2C6?E9@@5 :D ?@E A2CE @7 E96:C 7FEFC6]k^AmkAmx? E9:D 6A:D@56[ 9@DED #:492C5 zJE6 2?5 $4@EE #252 6IA=@C6 H92E >2J 36 5C:G:?8 E92E D9:7E 2?5 H92E :E 4@F=5 >62? 7@C D@4:6EJ] pC6 4@?46C?D 23@FE 9@FD:?8 4@DED[ A@=:E:4D[ 4=:>2E6 492?86 2?5 64@?@>:4 F?46CE2:?EJ 42FD:?8 A6@A=6 E@ 56=2J @C 2G@:5 A2C6?E9@@5n ~C :D D@>6E9:?8 566A6C 92AA6?:?8 2D >@56C? =:76 364@>6D >@C6 :?5:G:5F2=:DE:4 2?5 =6DD 46?E6C65 @? 72>:=J 2?5 4@>>F?:EJnk^Am People are also reading… Marion police respond to shooting involving death of 15-year-old McDowell County bridge temporarily closed for resurfacing Man pleads guilty of distributing 156 pounds of meth in Burke, McDowell counties Old Fort officials day Fourth of July parade will take place on new route McDowell County woman charged after child tests positive for meth The Madness holds soft opening of the new Marion restaurant Corpening YMCA director leaves Marion to assume new role Old Fort to see 8-cent property tax increase, 10% increase in water and sewer rates NC state employees’ health plan faces big changes. Here’s what’s coming in July 'I shot that guy': Hickory man gets $2.5M bond; charged with murder of business partner, who was on area school board Boil water notice issued for Nebo water customers Letter from Marion resident voices concern over state legislation These brands pulled back on Pride. It could cost them. Here's why He was 28 in law enforcement training when he had a medical emergency. The people around him saved him. Old Fort man charged with shooting into home, kicking in door Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm%96 4@?G6CD2E:@? 6I2>:?6D 9@H 2EE:EF56D E@H2C5 49:=5C6? 92G6 6G@=G65 @G6C E96 A2DE 76H 564256D] {2C86 72>:=:6D E92E @?46 D66>65 @C5:?2CJ ?@H @7E6? 2EEC24E 4FC:@D:EJ] !2C6?E9@@5[ @?46 H:56=J 6IA64E65[ :D :?4C62D:?8=J G:6H65 2D @?6 @AE:@? 2>@?8 >2?J] pE E96 D2>6 E:>6[ 4@>>F?:E:6D 2C6 8C2AA=:?8 H:E9 28:?8 A@AF=2E:@?D[ 564=:?:?8 D49@@= 6?C@==>6?ED 2?5 E96 =@?8\E6C> 67764ED @7 92G:?8 76H6C J@F?8 A6@A=6 E@ DFAA@CE 7FEFC6 86?6C2E:@?D]k^AmkAm%96 9@DED 5:D4FDD H96E96C >@56C? D@4:6E:6D 92G6 364@>6 =6DD H6=4@>:?8 E@ 72>:=:6D[ ?@E E9C@F89 9@DE:=:EJ 3FE E9C@F89 2 8C@H:?8 6>A92D:D @? 4@?G6?:6?46[ :?56A6?56?46 2?5 A6CD@?2= 7F=7:==>6?E] %96J 2=D@ 4@?D:56C E96 C@=6 @7 AF3=:4 A@=:4J[ :?4=F5:?8 49:=542C6 DF3D:5:6D 2?5 A2:5 72>:=J =62G6[ 2?5 H96E96C 8@G6C?>6?E AC@8C2>D 42? >62?:?87F==J :?7=F6?46 72>:=J 7@C>2E:@? @C :7 E96 :DDF6 :D F=E:>2E6=J 4F=EFC2=]k^Am kAmp=@?8 E96 H2J[ E96J C67=64E @? E96 492==6?86D 2?5 C6H2C5D @7 C2:D:?8 49:=5C6?[ E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 :?E6C86?6C2E:@?2= 4@??64E:@?D 2?5 E96 H2JD 72>:=J =:76 42? 3C@256? A6CDA64E:G6D 36J@?5 @FC @H? :>>65:2E6 :?E6C6DED]k^Am Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is also the author of "Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way)." This article was prepared with the help of AI technology using information collected and verified by journalists. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Scott Rada Author email Follow Scott Rada Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Most Popular Privatizing Social Security is the best way to save it | Les Rubin The Social Security retirement trust fund is projected to be depleted in late 2032, one year sooner than previously forecast. At that point, t… Elon Musk's new 'trillionaire' status is a good thing, actually | Jonah Goldberg I am not a huge fan of Elon Musk as a political activist or commentator. I think he's made Twitter -- sorry, X -- worse. His support for the n… What was happening in McDowell County in June 250 years ago? Historian tells us Here's where McDowell County was at the brink of the Revolutionary War. Democrats’ populist bargain looks familiar to Republicans | David M. Drucker “Oh no, not us — not ever.” For 10 years running, that’s been the Democratic response to any suggestion that grassroots liberals are like Repu… What is lost when strangers stop talking to each other? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧
Scott Rada Author email Follow Scott Rada Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Privatizing Social Security is the best way to save it | Les Rubin The Social Security retirement trust fund is projected to be depleted in late 2032, one year sooner than previously forecast. At that point, t…
Elon Musk's new 'trillionaire' status is a good thing, actually | Jonah Goldberg I am not a huge fan of Elon Musk as a political activist or commentator. I think he's made Twitter -- sorry, X -- worse. His support for the n…
What was happening in McDowell County in June 250 years ago? Historian tells us Here's where McDowell County was at the brink of the Revolutionary War.
Democrats’ populist bargain looks familiar to Republicans | David M. Drucker “Oh no, not us — not ever.” For 10 years running, that’s been the Democratic response to any suggestion that grassroots liberals are like Repu…