so....Not having children=Selfish?

[RuralGamer]

I've never encountered anyone who feels that way, but I have encountered people who tell me I must never have children because its selfish and threatens the future of the whole human race by exacerbating our overpopulation problem *looks around at very rural, underpopulated area he lives in and scratches head*.

 

[FamoFunk]

Having Children is selfish imo, you're having a child because you want a it, you want a baby and you want to bring it into this world and raise it. To me, that's selfish.


The only time not having a baby is selfish is if you don't tell someone who could potentially be a long term partner that you don't want any, and they might. But that's just general shitty cunty selfishness anyway.

 

[Space Spoons]

In this day and age, with overpopulation becoming an issue and with hundreds of thousands of children in the United States alone needing loving homes, it does seem a tad selfish to choose not to adopt when you make the conscious decision to raise a child. That's just my view on the matter, though, I guess it isn't for everybody.

 

[Darkmantle]

I only skimmed your post, but it's selfish because you are jeopardizing the economy and stability of your country by refusing to have children. Every couple must produce at least two children on average to sustain your population, but since there are factors such as early death, sterility, homosexuality inhibiting us, couple must produce above 2 children or the population will dwindle over the years. Then of course there's the fact that the ratio of boys to girls is not equal, so even more children need to be produced.

Lowering the national reproductive rates to below the par required for sustaining to population results in age demographic imbalances. China is famous for it's one child policy they introduced to help counter overpopulation. This has been disastrous because it actually worked to an extent and since people stopped producing enough children, the country's average age is very high compared to most countries, it's a big problem when your country mostly contains seniors for obvious reasons.

Canada's population is actually at risk because too many people don't feel it's worth their time to have kids. Personally I think the government needs to offer more incentives to parents. Sure you will have welfare bums who will only benefit further from this, but more good will come of it than bad I think.

Former Premiere of British Columbia, Gordon Campbell made the situation a little worse in 2010 with the introduction of the new tax system. Yeah, let's tax all children's clothing and goods, I'm sure more people will have kids if we do that.

Agreed. Just look to Japan for a worst case scenario. They have a rapidly aging population and no-one to care for them. Their economy is suffering for it too. Australia is in a similar boat, we have more Baby Boomers who will need aged care that we can afford while maintaining sensible tax rates.

So it's selfish to not want to raise kids to take care of a bunch of people you don't know? People need to care for the aging so it's the duty of the young to crank out kids to provide for them?

that would be the definition of selfish. Not wanting to help anyone who isn't in your immediate group. So yes, it is selfish.

 

[Darkmantle]

In this day and age, with overpopulation becoming an issue and with hundreds of thousands of children in the United States alone needing loving homes, it does seem a tad selfish to choose not to adopt when you make the conscious decision to raise a child. That's just my view on the matter, though, I guess it isn't for everybody.

Over population isn't actually an issue in first world countries. check it out. The more educated a population becomes, the closer the birthrate gets to the replacement rate.

 

[rje5]

I've never really heard anyone say that not having children is selfish. It's a choice. The same choice you make with everything else in your life.

Now what is selfish is when people have kids and still go out and do their own thing. I know plenty of people, some are my friends, and some are my fiancé's friends and family, that have kids, but pass them off on other people so they can go out. Not that you shouldn't be able to, but kids today have kids so young they don't prioritize things. I know for a fact if we ever have kids, it's no longer about us, and we'll both have to give up things.

So, is not having kids selfish? No. Is having kids and then not devoting yourself to them selfish, yes.

 

[Macgyvercas]

Snip

I've heard that argument too. Never understood it myself. If someone doesn't want kids, that's their prerogitive. I however, would like children someday. And not adoption, I want my own, reason being is that I am the the only one who can carry both my gradfather's name and gene code, and I'll be damned if I let that die with me.

 

[Toaster Hunter]

People say the same thing about me. I say that they could pay for it, change the diapers and stop it from crying at 3am, bring it to the doctor and take it to school daily. If they have such an interest, its their responsibility. They shut up after that.

I thinks this attitude is "I'm miserable, so you have to be too."

 

[ex951753]

I don't have the time to read through all 7 pages, but this is my opinion on the matter. I don't think it's as black and white as people are making it out to be. It's not as if everyone is on an even playing field(financially, physically, mentally, etc), so i think its unfair to call anyone who makes a choice(on either end) selfish by default.

That being said, there are certain reasons on both sides that I would classify as selfish, but that remains, ultimately, my own opinion. So let's all tone back the insults and have a more civilized discussion.

 

[MasterOfHisOwnDomain]

With the world seriously overpopulated as it is, and considering how many unwanted children there are, I would say that having children (or at least more than one or two) is selfish.

 

[spartan231490]

Who has ever said this? I can only see this argument if you are in a committed relationship with someone who wants kids, but even then it's a long shot argument if you ask me. I have never heard anyone put forward this argument. In fact, with population issues, I've heard the exact opposite, though I don't agree with that either.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

1. selfish to WHO exactally? who am I harming in not having a child? who am I benefitting in having a child? both answers: myself...oh and my partner

I believe it has to do with your Genome. Your family expects you to have children because, if you don't, your family tree ends with you. If you do, then you pass the genome down another generation, and (as far as evolution is concerned) you are no longer important. By not having children, you are actively harming your genetic line, and betraying the fundamental core of evolution itself that made us what we are.

Of course, that only applies to smart people. The stupid people are being actively selfish BY having children. They are ensuring that their flawed DNA continues.

Also, I am assuming that you are smart because, well, you sound smart in your OP (and because you have often been a voice of intelligence and interest in other threads). Therefore, I hope that you do choose to have at least one child - because your DNA is important to the continued evolution of the human race.

 

[ActionDan]

I think we're fine for populations, since there are almost 7 BILLION of us, I don't think populations dips are going to be much of a problem. Also, I choose not to have a kid (at least at the moment) because I simply don't trust myself to have one. Neither am I confident or responsible enough to raise a kid. So therefore I am being unselfish by choosing not to have a kid.