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It wasn't meant to be personal. From a humanity standpoint, there is no discussion. The birth replacement is 2.1. If we don't reach it, the human population will decrease. Period.
Everyone is well within their right to not have kids. Just know that immigration from areas with higher birth rates (poorer countries have more kids) is required for a country to reach birth replacement. This is math.
And if the population does finally decrease, what's the problem? It's been significantly increasing around the world for centuries. And no one sees the world population decreasing anytime soon!
There is a paradox in the NO CHILDREN philosophy for the sake of improving future generations:
The folks that do not reproduce are supposed to be intelligent, educated, and from the higher socio economic groups. They are generally environmentalists and worried about the future of the planet. And yet, they deprive the planet from children that could grow up to do great things.
They promote a system that leads to a world where the majority of children come from disadvantaged parents. This create an enormous imbalance between educated/productive and non educated members of society.
If the productive folks systematically commit genetic suicide by not leaving their valuable genes behind future generations will suffer from these actions.
Where's your source for these intelligent, educated, higher socio economic people???
I grew up poor. I was the first person on my mom's side of the family to go to college. I was the 3rd person in my father's side of the family to go to college.
I took state and federal money to pay for community college and 4 year state school.....didn't go to Harvard or Yale or Hobart.
I'm not an environmentalist. I do recycle, but I also drive a gas hogging huge SUV that I love. I drive fast and love me some NASCAR. I could care less about future of the planet. If the Earth is hit by a comet tomorrow and we all kick the bucket, oh well!
I grew and made something of myself....far more than my parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc. I come from a long line of poor people. I didn't want to be poor so I got myself an education. I live the life I wanted. I worked hard for it.
I've never had any desire to have children. I have zero children and don't want any. I've taken precautions my whole life so I didn't have any. I know many people in a variety of lifestyles that don't have children....some want them and it wasn't possible.....others had no desire to have them. I know people with money who have herds of children. I also know poor people who have children. The world isn't one size fits all.
Think 400-500 years ahead and try to see the consequences of drastically reducing the number of children that could have being born in homes that would have promoted education and achievement.
No one cares (or ever cared) about what happens 400 to 500 years into the future. Human beings like all other organisms are mostly concerned with self preservation and self interest with some biological urges mixed in for good measure. Human reproduction is derived from a mix of pleasure and instinct. People have never had children out of a concern for the distant future and I have never met another human being whose thought process extends out beyond their own grandchildren or great grandchildren. That does not come close to the 400-500 year timeline.
Also this replacement thing is bogus. People are living longer and using resources. People need to have small families if they must have children and need to think about whether they are doing it because they want to or if they are giving in to societal or familial pressure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Annuvin
With 7+ billion people competing for resources on this planet, why are you immediately assuming this is a bad thing? It's not like humanity will go extinct overnight.
I'm going to repost this because people are clearly terrible at math.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Opin_Yunated
Bob and Sara decide to have 0 children. -2 + 0 = -2
Bob and Sara have 1 child. -2 + 1 = -1
Bob and Sara have 2 children -2 + 2 = 0 (no net gain)
Look folks, sorry to burst your bubble if you think that the world will wither-away and die if you do not reproduce. It could be your greatest gift to the world not to have children unless you just have to have on or 10. We do not live in an agricultural society anymore where we need a huge labor force of children to guarantee the survival of our family. We are not living at a time where only a handful of our children will reach adulthood. There is no longer a reason that is logical to have a super large family or any kids if that is what you want. If you have some religious beliefs that command you to have as many children as you can pop out, maybe you need to rethink your affiliation.
Anecdotal statements are OK, but what is your point?
My point is the idea that this country must have more and more people in it each year is stupid in 1950 we had 150 million now we have over 300 million but the same size land in 100 years we will 600 million? It's a fact that 1/2 the worlds animal population has been killed off since 1970 that is a direct result of too many people. All of those people want to own homes, and drive cars all of that produces a lot of trash. Just look how much waste one baby creates. Diapers, disposable plastic waste, toys and cloths that become useless after a few months. I bet you could fill up 100 semi truck loads with stuff from birth to 10 years old. Mass quantity does not replace quality. If our future wants a quality of life we need to keep populations down.
Bob and Sara decide to have 0 children. -2 + 0 = -2
Bob and Sara have 1 child. -2 + 1 = -1
Bob and Sara have 2 children -2 + 2 = 0 (no net gain)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Opin_Yunated
I'm going to repost this because people are clearly terrible at math.
Any questions?
Why are Bob and Sara listed as negative numbers while the offspring are positive numbers? They are all human beings and all subjected to the same parameters: birth, life and then death. The analysis should be as follows since Bob, Sara and the children (or their real world counterparts) will be sharing the earth together for many years, in most cases. Your analysis omits the very important reality that multiple generations exist at the same time and it is NOT the case of the offspring simply replacing Bob and Sara.
You can't arbitrarily make some people negative and others positive to suit your preconceived outcome.
Successful intelligent couples often decide not to procreate because there is pain in the world or because we are overcrowded. In their hearts these couples believe they are doing the right thing for humanity.
Meanwhile, China has discovered that curtailing reproduction has backfired and they will soon have an aging population with not enough young people in the pool. The one child per couple is a disaster, but at least there is one kid in the picture. However, it seems one kid is not enough! Most of the couples I talk about have ZERO children even though they are well educated and from a higher socioeconomic level.
Why do you think European countries freely admit so many Muslim migrants. They know quite well that without young folks the future is bleak.
What will happen in 100 years if all educated economically successful couples do not have children? What if ALL the kids of the next generations come from a low socioeconomic background?
I know plenty of people that chose not to have children for the simple reason that they enjoy their freedom. They enjoy the ability to just pack up and fly to Jamaica or wherever on a whim without worrying about a baby-sitter.
Some call it selfish, but whats more selfish?
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It's been significantly increasing around the world for centuries. And no one sees the world population decreasing anytime soon!
