so....Not having children=Selfish?

[ablac]

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.

You ether
A. Had to write a paper on this or
B. Have spent too much of your free time thinking on this.

Besides, don't you have a greater responsitlity to yourself? This is even more true if you do have kids, as everything you do is seen by them. If they see to working yourself to the bone try to feed them, what does that tell them? that you live solely as a way for them to get what they want?

Now you will say:
No, it will show them that they should sacrifice for the greater good of their country and the world.

To which I will say:
Unless they work for the government, that isn't and shouldn't be their job.

Then you say something sarcastic in a vain attempt to outdo me and win an internet debate, and then I will start ignoring you, then you will think you won, and so on and so forth.

So people should only be concerned for themselves? If normal people viewed things like you then there would be little life worth living. Your parents raised you to what you are yet you criticise people who want to do the same for other children. I doubt they raised you to belive that you shouldnt have kids else they wouldnt have had you.

 

[Frankster]

I think it might be a tad selfish regarding the partner if he does want kids, well maybe selfish ain't the right word, but I would see it as a big problem in a couple when one wants kids and the other doesn't.

Otherwise if neither parent wants children, don't see a problem and you should certainly not have kids just because society expects it.

 

[Jedoro]

By Sithis, excuse me for wanting to hold onto my money and not wanting to eat McDonald's for every meal because I have another mouth to feed and decent food is now too expensive!

Sure, not having kids is selfish because it's less stress, less responsibility, and more money for you, but taking on that responsibility of making someone into a productive member of society is stupid if you're not materially prepared for it, i.e. sufficient income to live comfortably.

see I still dont get it

are we suposed to go through this kind of suffering...just because? by avoiding suffering through our choices are we being selfish? or smart?

Maintaining the population seems to be one of those unwritten rules of the social contract of society, so everyone should do their part. As for avoiding suffering, I'd say it's both. Having kids is a choice, as is not having them, and both have consequences. Neither's inherently right or wrong, there's just our general biological imperative to keep our species going.

 

[Zyxx]

Maybe it's selfish. Who says that's a bad thing? Sometimes being selfish is the right and appropriate thing to do.

In the U.S., we've got too many kids whose parents don't want or care about them, who have never received appropriate stimulation or social training at home, and to whom the notion of an education is alien and frightening. It's startlingly obvious, watching them, that some of these children will be spending the majority of their lives in jail.
Sometimes these aren't even "disadvantaged" parents: they're just "too busy" (work, society, sleeping around) to take care of their kids.

Is that better than those who realize they are unprepared or unwilling to handle the responsibility of a child simply not having them? Is it more beneficial to your community, your economy, your country?

 

[Patathatapon]

Too many people in the world that at this stage, I'd say you're doing a good thing not wanting children.

 

[Christopher Callahan]

Ha ha ha! This thread is great! I love all the folk posturing that they don't want kids. No woman in her right mind would allow herself to be inseminated by you bunch of losers in the first instance so please, go ahead and convince yourselves that this is your choice and not a defence mechanism related to your hideous physique/ personality/ both.

Cheers!

The fact that you chose to say this instead of just reading the posts tells me that you have a much bigger problem then your own Hideous physique/personality/both. To be fair I replied, so that doesn't make me much better.

Now you will say:
So you admit that you have a Hideous physique/personality/both.

Then I'll say:
I'm told that I'm rather handsome, but prone to the odd sarcastic remark, but their funny enough that no one has disown me over them.

 

[Christopher Callahan]

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.

You ether
A. Had to write a paper on this or
B. Have spent too much of your free time thinking on this.

Besides, don't you have a greater responsitlity to yourself? This is even more true if you do have kids, as everything you do is seen by them. If they see to working yourself to the bone try to feed them, what does that tell them? that you live solely as a way for them to get what they want?

Now you will say:
No, it will show them that they should sacrifice for the greater good of their country and the world.

To which I will say:
Unless they work for the government, that isn't and shouldn't be their job.

Then you say something sarcastic in a vain attempt to outdo me and win an internet debate, and then I will start ignoring you, then you will think you won, and so on and so forth.

So people should only be concerned for themselves? If normal people viewed things like you then there would be little life worth living. Your parents raised you to what you are yet you criticise people who want to do the same for other children. I doubt they raised you to belive that you shouldnt have kids else they wouldnt have had you.

Life is all about living, if we don't live our live our selves who will? Life isn't about having kid, or making piles of money, or going rock clime ling or mediating or going to church every Sunday or waking up in pool of vomit from an all night party. It's about doing what makes you happy and fulfilled. So long as you don't hurt anyone along the way, what does it matter?
And don't call me normal, if we were all normal, we'd living in caves slowly starving to death. And hey, guess what? I'm over 18, my parents don't have any say in what I do, and even if they did, they raised me to think for myself, not blindly do what they did. I never said that people shouldn't have kids. Unlike some people here, I like kids. I just don't want any. Not right now anyway. If that make me wrong, well, you should know the rest of that saying.
Also? you replied fast.

 

[dragonswarrior]

Wow. I didn't even know people actually existed who say that not having kids is selfish. ... it...it makes NO SENSE!!!

Personally, I don't care either way. Human population is trying to balance itself out, all that jazz, people will want to have kids less as more things come along that they are more interested in, this is actually awesome and probably a good thing in the long run.

Sure, there will be plenty of instability, enormous amounts of old people supported by a shrinking younger generation, plus plenty of unforeseen obstacles, but everything will sort itself out in the end. It always does.

And I totally want kids. Because I am one of those weird people who actually likes children (I know, they're annoying attention seeking little buggers, but I dunno... I kinda like them for it...) and I am one of the SELFISH people who want's his own and doesn't want to adopt.

Yes. It is selfish to want your own kids. 'nuff said.

 

[Ashadowpie]

i dont understand how its selfish either. happily i dont want kids, and if i do i will adopt, its appalling how many children in the world let alone Canada and the states have unadopted children with no families what so ever, yet we still breed like bunnies just to have "made it myself" baby to add on to the overpopulation. i heard somewhere that the smart thing to do financially is to not have children or get married. interesting

 

[s0nic_al]

Fuck that, I work a low-paying, but most importantly, low-stress job that has decent benefits. Sure it means I have to make sacrifices, like buying a 30" TV instead of a 72" (insert 'First World Problems' image) and taking the bus or, you know, walking to work instead of driving my own vehicle. But you know what, I'm happy like this, I've got an awesome group of friends and colleagues who I get to spend a lot of time with because I'm not working stupidly long hours, I've even got spare time enough to watch marathons of My Little Pony, go out to the bar for drinks, or hell, take a weekend off and visit my family once in a while. and anyone who wishes to take that away from me can kindly go frag themselves.

We should hang out. You just matched 90% of my life philiosophy.

 

[Christopher Callahan]

Fuck that, I work a low-paying, but most importantly, low-stress job that has decent benefits. Sure it means I have to make sacrifices, like buying a 30" TV instead of a 72" (insert 'First World Problems' image) and taking the bus or, you know, walking to work instead of driving my own vehicle. But you know what, I'm happy like this, I've got an awesome group of friends and colleagues who I get to spend a lot of time with because I'm not working stupidly long hours, I've even got spare time enough to watch marathons of My Little Pony, go out to the bar for drinks, or hell, take a weekend off and visit my family once in a while. and anyone who wishes to take that away from me can kindly go frag themselves.

We should hang out. You just matched 90% of my life philiosophy.

What's the other 10%?

 

[ChadSexington]

There are plenty of people who have kids for selfish reasons. Some of them want a real life doll or pet (Pageant mum's) and they live their lives through their children. They sound like pretty fun people lol.

The idea that not having kids is selfish is ridiculous. If you don't think that you're in a good enough financial situation or you simply don't have the time, ability or desire to raise a child then you're better off not having one, otherwise the kid will end up feeling neglected. Furthermore if you have a pretty serious hereditary disease of the body or mind then who could blame you for not wanting to pass that on?

 

[Vault101]

5. who says I have THAT kind of responsibility to my country?

If you don't want to protect your country, don't cry when your country doesn't protect you.

I wish we could ship people with that attitude to Somalia. Hey, you are now in a failed state! No responsibilities!

ohh hurrr huuuur huuurrr nice knee jerk reaction

I like my country just fine...in fact wouldnt want to be anywhere else right now

but Im not having a child "for my country" thank kind of hive metality is outdated

 

[backinthepresentfuture]

well friend, you must remember one thing...humans are idiotic and pathetic creatures,that despite their protestations and insistence of their independence, are nothing but herd animals.

 

[s0nic_al]

Fuck that, I work a low-paying, but most importantly, low-stress job that has decent benefits. Sure it means I have to make sacrifices, like buying a 30" TV instead of a 72" (insert 'First World Problems' image) and taking the bus or, you know, walking to work instead of driving my own vehicle. But you know what, I'm happy like this, I've got an awesome group of friends and colleagues who I get to spend a lot of time with because I'm not working stupidly long hours, I've even got spare time enough to watch marathons of My Little Pony, go out to the bar for drinks, or hell, take a weekend off and visit my family once in a while. and anyone who wishes to take that away from me can kindly go frag themselves.

We should hang out. You just matched 90% of my life philiosophy.

What's the other 10%?

Well, through sheer force of unbelievable odds, I actually managed to have a kid. So the other 10% involves him in some form or another.

Which actually allows me to add a point into this conversation. I am not a good father. I do try, but I suck at the job. It was not selfish of me to not want to have one knowing that I'd be a bad father. It would be selfish if I didn't try now that I have him.

 

[Vault101]

I was thinking about making a well thought-out, eloquent post about how aging, shrinking populations, and culture groups disappearing are massive problems, but instead:

We, as a species, are fucked. Our more developed societies have pretty much given up on existing, and are quickly being supplanted by groups coming from places where indoctrination is the rule, not the exception. Our own laziness, self-interest, and, funny enough, reasoning skills have doomed the species.

ohh lighten up will you...

we anrt anymore fucked now than we were 100 years ago

 

[kgpspyguy]

Not having kids is fine but getting pregnant then aborting your child THAT'S selfish

 

[Vault101]

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.

so your essentially talking about how its often the "uneducated plebs" that breed like rabbits and the intilligent poeple who dont (perhaps theres a reason for that?)

I have brothers/sister..they might have kids

while the theory is there..I dont know..smart people still breed,

and I mean that argument is stating to sound a little like eugenics (not trying to acuse you of that or anything), how do you measure intelligence? put out 1q tests to determine if people are allowed to breed? I doubt that would end well

mabye its less about bad parenting/upbringing and lack of education..you know, the story of the woman having her 10th child so she can claim welfare

sure preserving my genome is one thing....but I at least want to do somthing or try and do somthing with my life first before I start thinking about putting out spawn

[sub/] I dont really consider myself all that intilligent, but thanks for saying so....I cant at least "look" like Im smart while arguing on the internet [/sub]

 

[Zakarath]

IMO it's not at all selfish to not have a kid. They're already more than enough humans on the planet, we don't need more.