As someone who was once in the no kids camp in my early 20s and came full circle, I've put A LOT of thought into this topic. Itās by no means a complete perspective but my stream of consciousness rambling of how I view the journey from not wanting kids to being stoked about becoming a parent:
Step 1: Change your perspective
I'd go as far as to say bitcoin actually doesn't "fix" this issue as a whole. However, bitcoin is the starting point. All of us here on NOSTR already understand this so I won't get into details. The orange pill changed my perspective from nihilistic to optimistic about the future. This solves the economics of a family but this is just the foundation of the journey. You feel like you have the means and capital to support a family.
Step 2: Grow up and deal with your shit
This is the most important part and where most people get stuck. The underlying issue outside of money is the delaying of mental and emotional maturity in our society. Most "adults" in their 20s/30s who historically were the ones having multiple kids have been developmentally and emotionally stunted. 30 somethings with no kids are effectively like 16 years olds emotionally. There are rare exceptions who've consciously thought about this but I would argue most have not.
I was one of these mentally/emotionally immature people. It's easy to get caught in the trap of chasing the high velocity fiat lifestyle. My only focus was on myself and optimizing for my own hedonism. Drinking and hanging out with other unhealthy people enabled that lifestyle. Social circles become a feedback loop for better or worse. That keeps you trapped if you're not careful. Social media amplifies this 100x.
Bitcoin aided in my maturity process but there were other factors that have to be addressed. In most cases, it's unresolved issues from childhood. One cannot become an adult without accepting and coming to terms with childhood trauma (yes I know "trauma" is a loaded word but it's real and we all have some form of it. Read Paul Conti's book for more info).
The drawback of this work is that it comes at the expense of the ego. This is too hard for most people. They simply don't want to look in that mirror. The fear is too overpowering for the walls their ego has built up to protect the fragile sense of self. Fortunately for those people, we have constructed a society where you can numb any uncomfortable feeling immediately.
Modern technology has completely decimated our dopamine system. We're a world full of dopamine junkies. It's just not as in your face as a destitute addict on the street. Dopamine = motivation. Why would I want to have kids when I can just eat fast food and watch Netflix? That is the path of least resistance to fulfill our biological desires. But this is not real and will lead to the same hollowness that addiction never solves for. You're trying to fill a void. Real dopamine comes from doing hard things. Having kids is the hardest thing you can ever do in your entire life. You must be ready to bear that responsibility.
Step 3: Find the right partner
I can only speak from the male perspective but in conversations I've had with women it seems to be a two-way street. Society has created unhealthy people (see step 2) which translates to unhealthy relationships (see 50+% divorce rate). When you're not in a healthy relationship you can never honestly see your partner as the mother/father of your child. You can lie to yourself and stay in denial but deep down you feel it. In my experience I knew immediately when I found the right person. It's very primal and instinctual. Trust your instincts. It's not purely based on physical attraction, but once you have enough experience in the dating world, you begin to see things for what they are. You might have to burn your hand on the stove first though. Just a reminder that you are 50% of any relationship. This is not to put all the blame on one partner. There has to be mutual partnership.
Once you get to that point, the idea of having children becomes natural. It doesn't have the friction it once had in your brain. You think "I can't wait to become a parent" which sounds insane to a past version of yourself. While I don't have kids yet, I am on the path to. At the most fundamental biological level, we are here to reproduce. Society has separated us from the natural world so much that most people have lost touch with their bodies and the main purpose of why were here.
So to summarize, the change has to come from within. No amount of money or societal structure will fix that. It's going to take generations for us to undo all of the propaganda and brainwashing of the last hundred years. This unfortunately is our responsibility to bear. Because if we don't no-one else will. That is an existential threat to humanity we are programmed to avoid. We must be the adults (literally and figuratively) in the room and plant the seeds for our future generations.
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