Silicon Valley's "Pronatalists" Killed WFH. The Strait of Hormuz Brought It Back

WFH, Hybrid Work, and Fertility

• Many were surprised by the magnitude of the WFH–fertility effect; others say it’s intuitive: less commute, more flexibility, easier child logistics, and more chances for intimacy.
• Proposed mechanisms: easier coverage for sick days and pickups, fewer full‑day PTO losses, lower stress, and greater perceived economic security.
• Debate over causality vs confounding: some think higher‑income, already‑stable couples drove the effect; others cite research that flexible work and higher income modestly raise fertility.
• Several note that even 1–2 hybrid days can provide most of the logistical benefit.

What “Pronatalism” Means and Its Variants

• Commenters struggle with the term; it ranges from:
  • Generic concern about population decline and economic sustainability.
  • Explicitly nationalist/racial projects wanting “more of our kind of babies.”
  • Tech/elite movements focused on “genetic quality,” sometimes linked to transhumanism.
• Strong criticism that prominent “pronatalists”:
  • Oppose broad pro‑family policies (WFH, housing, childcare) while funding elite fertility tech.
  • Are effectively eugenicist or racist, focused on specific groups’ reproduction.
• Others argue pronatalism per se can be morally defensible and not inherently racist, and that lumping all under one label obscures differences.

Motivations for Return‑to‑Office (RTO)

• Suggested drivers:
  • Soft layoffs via attrition instead of severance.
  • Sunk costs and subsidies tied to office buildings and downtown foot traffic.
  • Desire for visible control and distrust of remote workers (including fear of multiple jobs).
  • Executive and manager preference for in‑person, extrovert‑oriented culture.
• Many anecdotal reports of in‑office days spent on video calls, lower morale, and no clear productivity gains.
• Some note sectors with clear performance metrics (e.g., finance) often retain hybrid, suggesting productivity arguments elsewhere are “vibes‑based.”

Offshoring, Power, and WFH

• One view: WFH proves roles can be done remotely, lowering barriers to offshoring and weakening workers’ bargaining power.
• Counterview: if offshoring were straightforwardly better, it would already dominate; instead it often functions as a threat to suppress wages.

Commutes, Housing, Climate, and Care

• High housing, transport, and childcare costs make close‑to‑office living unrealistic; many would accept offices if they were affordably nearby.
• WFH seen as:
  • Reducing pollution, congestion, and road costs.
  • Relieving pressure on offices and enabling conversion to housing.
  • Critical for childcare and elder‑care, and for dual‑career couples in different labor markets.
• Some argue RTO reinforces traditional gender roles and harms women disproportionately; others say unequal impact doesn’t alone prove sexist intent.