How to get many children

[DanishDynamite]

Just read this (http://jp.dk/nyviden/article1065297.ece) article (in Danish).

A quote:For at få mange børn bør mænd finde en partner, der er seks år yngre end dem selv. Kvinder skal derimod søge en mage, der er fire år ældre end dem selv.
Translation:To get many children men ought to find partners 6 years younger than themselves. Women, on the other hand, should seek a mate who is 4 years older than themselves.

[Miss Anthrope]

........wow.

In this case, I'd say the researcher responsible for this should breed with Miss South Carolina (see my sig).

[DanishDynamite]

........wow.

In this case, I'd say the researcher responsible for this should breed with Miss South Carolina (see my sig).
I suspect he should.

Anyone have any comments on the result of the study?

[Lisa Simpson]

How many is many? There's a nine year age difference between me and hubby and we have three kids.

[DanishDynamite]

How many is many? There's a nine year age difference between me and hubby and we have three kids."Many" in the sense "More than most". At least this is how I interpret the article.

[Lisa Simpson]

More than most = ?

[juniper_ann]

To get many children you should:

1. marry while the woman is still young (before 30)
2. not use birth control

For the majority of people, that works pretty well.

Is getting many children anyone's goal?

[Jas]

To get many children you should:

1. marry while the woman is still young (before 30)
2. not use birth control

For the majority of people, that works pretty well.

Is getting many children anyone's goal?

I disagree. I think more children would result if a man were to:

1. forego monogamy
2. not use birth control

[Miss Anthrope]

I suspect he should.

Anyone have any comments on the result of the study?

The results of the study don't make sense. If a woman should find a mate 4 years older, but a man should find a mate six years younger..........

The results make no sense!

[Scott Haley]

Denmark's fertility rate is 1.74 children per woman. I think in Denmark, "many" children would be two. This study of how to have a lot of children will be helpful for both of those Danes who want to do that.

--Scott

[scratchy]

The scientific definition of "many children" is when a standard five seated car will not fit the family.

[Broes]

I heard that the Djengis Khan methode works very well... but that also involves alot of violence and breach of human rights and stuff...

Priorities priorities... :(

[bjornart]

Here's the source Reuters article in English. (http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSL2850082520070829)

It says that For both men and women, having a partner of the optimal age meant having an average of 2.2 children compared with 2.1 children when they picked partners of the same age -- a significant number in evolutionary terms that accumulates over time, Fieder said.

And in addition to this statement seeming pretty dubious by itself there's nothing in the Reuters article either explaining the 4 and 6 year conundrum.

[timhau]

I'm sure they're right. My wife is a year older than me, and all we have is three cats.

[UserGoogol]

The results of the study don't make sense. If a woman should find a mate 4 years older, but a man should find a mate six years younger..........

The results make no sense!

It makes perfect sense. It means that on average, people should find a mate two years younger than themselves if they want to maximize their results. Which is not an inherently contradictory idea, because for instance it might be that there is some age that is the optimal age to have kids at, and it is not unreasonable to suppose that the average person's age is a bit older than that, so the average person should find someone a bit younger than they are to compensate. (Of course, that means their younger mate should in theory find someone younger still, but screw them.)

Of course, this means that it's not possible for everyone to follow this rule, (since it's of course true that if on average women find mates four years older than them, then on average men will find makes four years younger than them) but I see no reason why there can't be some sort of individual-collective paradox like that.

[juniper_ann]

I disagree. I think more children would result if a man were to:

1. forego monogamy
2. not use birth control

Well, yes, I was only thinking in terms of couples, but that would be a more efficient method for a man, assuming that one could find several stupid women.

[Elind]

Very sound advice indeed. Clever these Danes. It's code for learning to compromise before marriage. Eventually they will settle on 5 and have learned the most important lesson they will ever need.

[CFLarsen]

To get many children you should:

1. marry while the woman is still young (before 30)
2. not use birth control

For the majority of people, that works pretty well.

Is getting many children anyone's goal?

I disagree. I think more children would result if a man were to:

1. forego monogamy
2. not use birth control

There is one thing you also need to do....

I'll let you guys play with Barbie and Ken for a while, while you figure it out....