A joke about the death of peoples.

A cruel but telling joke about the tendency of many peoples, whole nations, today to commit suicide, based on the “Ten Little Indians” nursery rhyme.

Ten little Japanese went out to dine.
One ordered puffer fish, and then there were nine.
Nine little Germans marched out with Fritz the Great;
One followed orders, and then there were eight.
Eight little Englishmen were eating cream of Devon;
One clogged his arteries, and then there were seven.
Seven little Russian girls went out to turn some tricks;
One went to Vancouver, and then there were six.
Six little Irishmen were singing, “Saints alive!”
One sang, “St George!” and then there were five.
Five little Frenchmen looked out from Sacre-Coeur;
One leaned out too far, and then there were four.
Four little Persians awaited the Mahdi;
One got impatient, and then there were three.
Three little Dutchman were red, white and blue:
The blue one got euthanized, and then there were two.
Two little Spaniards were sitting in the sun;
They began a Civil War, and then there was one.
One last Italian whom the doctors couldn’t clone:
He died eventually, and then there were none. spengler

For the author, Spengler, all the peoples mentioned, Japanese, Germans, Englishmen, Russians, Irishmen, Frenchmen, Persians, Dutchmen, Spaniards, and Italians, are nearing extinction because they no longer reproduce at a sufficient rate. In 100 years’ time there will be few of them left.

European Fertility Rates, 2004. TFR needs to be at 2.1 births per woman in order for a population to maintain itself. Anything below 1.5 is practically catastrophic, especially for small population countries.

The reasons why they choose to die out excite debate but in any case the world will be inherited by those peoples who can continue to maintain their physical numbers, by having plenty of babies.