I guess what we need here is someone representing these sides:
1. Those who decided to be childfree and "accidentally" have kids and then not regretted the accident at all.
2. Those who wanted kids and regretted the decision after they managed to have them.
As previously said, maybe it's about bliss of ignorance. Those who decided on being childfree, love their decision because they're not missing something (they never have it in the first place so nothing is missing!). However, if we have someone who represent the two sides above, then things start to get interesting.
1. Those who decided to be childfree and "accidentally" have kids and then not regretted the accident at all.
2. Those who wanted kids and regretted the decision after they managed to have them.
As previously said, maybe it's about bliss of ignorance. Those who decided on being childfree, love their decision because they're not missing something (they never have it in the first place so nothing is missing!). However, if we have someone who represent the two sides above, then things start to get interesting.
I am in the first camp. Although we didn't really decide to go child free per se. We were just fine with it either way and weren't really trying.
Maybe it's cultural variance but being at the age when people I've known all my life are transitioning to care homes and witnessing the offspring feeding frenzy around their estates, you may be optimistic.
I'm in the third camp who took kids as a natural enhancement of my life 🙂... If one consideres them as accidents or unluck one better take the class about bees and flowers again. I see them as welcome to help dad make the world a better place. Sure - I can't do much by myself but parts of the things I can do - I do... The world needs structure - techocrates now more than ever since the middle ages. We have been blessed with afterwar growth for almost 70 years now. Times are new - make your bids - the wheel is turning...
Do we need another big war? Will it change our egos talking species wide? Will there be soil to breed a better post-war human? Maybe Human is deselected by evolution? Is there a choise species wide? Would war be a solution to aim for a better future?
Questions, questions....
Regards
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Both my wife and I are on our second marriages, we discussed at length the issue of children before we ever dated. My wife never, ever wanted children even from a very early age; I reached an age and a point in my life where I realized emphatically that I did not want to be raising kids into my 70s. We only started dating once we reached that understanding; in my earlier days I always thought I would eventually be raising a family, that it didn't happen in some ways has been fortunate. (No stress from children straying from the envisioned path, etc. 😛 ) On the other hand I have always wondered whether I would be a good/wise/understanding parent, and will never know.. I can sleep at night knowing that. 😉
Obviously the OP has already made his mind on this matter, maybe is looking for confirmation of his viewpoint and won't take kindly on opposing ideas.
I for one won't waste time arguing with him.
Only comment is that :
1) not reproducing is biological nonsense.
2) it's self correcting 😀
I for one won't waste time arguing with him.
Only comment is that :
1) not reproducing is biological nonsense.
2) it's self correcting 😀
yes, it may or not be considered a good thing that his progenitors weren't of the same philosophy
How do you know suppression of the biological imperative isn't Nature's way of slowing the growth of populations? It's not like the biosphere is lacking for human presence. Maybe you're just behind the curve. 😀
Only my opinion,
You should never have kids because you want help in old age.
Kids are people..and they grow up..I know quite a few people that don't see their parents due to problems..they are free (hopefully) to choose their way in life.
There was a time when I sat and thought about not having kids due to the state of the world at the time..then I thought there has been problems throughout history so you make a decision and hope for the best.
The time with kids when they are young lets you relive your childhood to some extent...but don't assume they will like what you like..however that's part of the mystery. It doesn't always go smooth and then there is the worry..will they be alright...life is like a cookie until you take a bite you don't know what it tastes like..
I was at the birth of all my kids..thats something you don't do every day!
Its an interesting balance..when to have kids..if you are to old you will struggle to keep up..if you are to young you might not be adult enough to understand what you are taking on...
Its interesting how people take it for granted..I know some couples that never had kids and bitterly regret it..its always the same people think differently when the chance has past.
However its not for everyone..
Regards
M. Gregg
You should never have kids because you want help in old age.
Kids are people..and they grow up..I know quite a few people that don't see their parents due to problems..they are free (hopefully) to choose their way in life.
There was a time when I sat and thought about not having kids due to the state of the world at the time..then I thought there has been problems throughout history so you make a decision and hope for the best.
The time with kids when they are young lets you relive your childhood to some extent...but don't assume they will like what you like..however that's part of the mystery. It doesn't always go smooth and then there is the worry..will they be alright...life is like a cookie until you take a bite you don't know what it tastes like..
I was at the birth of all my kids..thats something you don't do every day!
Its an interesting balance..when to have kids..if you are to old you will struggle to keep up..if you are to young you might not be adult enough to understand what you are taking on...
Its interesting how people take it for granted..I know some couples that never had kids and bitterly regret it..its always the same people think differently when the chance has past.
However its not for everyone..
Regards
M. Gregg
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I think thats a completely insane way to play dice with the earth. Here we have scientists the world over trying to tell us to stop breeding and then an idea like this comes up and all of a sudden people who trust the scientists every day to keep safe are flat out ignoring them like Lemmings walking off a cliff.
With automation and machinery there won't be any jobs left for us let alone anymore kids. We're seeing huge chunks of the labour workforce being offset by automation every decade or so, who says that trend won't continue? Greedy company wants to be even more greedier, who would've saw it before hand! I guess no one!
Just goes to show you that when people have something good they put blinkers on.
http://www.dvice.com/2013-4-15/stephen-hawking-humans-must-escape-earth-or-perish
Let me push this point ahead one more time with a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdsbuJfMpr0
And I'm done, on this thread. I could add a gif of indiana jones screaming "We're all going to die" But I would probably be censored for it.
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Gee, I seem to know a lot of scientists (not surprising, given my occupation), yet I don't see any consensus like the one you're suggesting. Hawkings opinions on cosmology are far more credible than yours or mine, but go outside the field and he's just another Joe.
A counterbalance from someone who actually did specialize in this area:
http://www.juliansimon.com/writings/Articles/POPENVI2.txt
Things have been getting better and better and are likely to continue to do so.
A counterbalance from someone who actually did specialize in this area:
http://www.juliansimon.com/writings/Articles/POPENVI2.txt
Things have been getting better and better and are likely to continue to do so.
No i haven't and probably never will make my mind because there's always that fear of regret. What i have been doing is simply to question statements that i view as attacking the opposing and obviously minor side, like this one "Having kids is how you pay off the debt to your parents for raising you." or "not reproducing is selfish". I would agree more if those low income families refrain from having their fourth kid and focus more on their first three. There's nothing selfish in not reproducing that fourth kid. The same logic applies on deciding not to reproduce at all from fear not being able to raise any kid properly.
I am as much interested in having kids as i am not right now. People like billshurv (as soon to be a parent of five) and kevinkr (who seem to be enjoying child free life) are both equally convincing.
Perhaps what i fear most in having kids is the change from this current comfort zone. Right now, there's nothing that forces me to do this unhealthy working hours i have at my job. I stay because i want to and the pay is excellent. I can quit anytime. However, when kid(s) do come, this job is the difference between feeding my kids or leaving them starving and i obviously HAVE to do it.
I'm a category 2.
For the decision to have children or not, only listen to yourself.
Disregard all other arguments, or opinions of others, no matter how tempting they may sound.
Hahaha, this is quite the funny thread in that it matches the cable threads in breakdown (always somebody throwing out "scientific" evidence or theories that the scientists have never heard of or has been disproven) 🙂
Anyway, I thought I would at least throw out my perspective in case somebody was actually planning to use guidance from an audio forum to make major life decisions:
I started my family quite late, my daughter was born when I was 46, and we are still planning to have more. The one thing that sticks out from the experience is that there is no proxy for the feeling of being a parent. I grew up in a tight knit family and had very close ties with my niece and nephew, but being a parent is a whole other level in many ways.
Anyway, I thought I would at least throw out my perspective in case somebody was actually planning to use guidance from an audio forum to make major life decisions:
I started my family quite late, my daughter was born when I was 46, and we are still planning to have more. The one thing that sticks out from the experience is that there is no proxy for the feeling of being a parent. I grew up in a tight knit family and had very close ties with my niece and nephew, but being a parent is a whole other level in many ways.
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