Is Being Childfree Selfish? Debating Time Magazine's Touchy New Issue (life)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It's only selfish when parents who will not and cannot support that child either emotionally or financially have children. Another selfish notion some parents have is they have children so that their children can take care of them when they get old. This is an incredibly selfish burden to place on a human being who had no choice in being born. As long as a parent can meet the child's needs, I don't see that as selfish in any way, just as opting not to have children isn't selfish either.
My parents could both support me emotionally and financially, it still couldn't avoid all suffering I have experienced.
Having kids is always selfish under any circumstance. We live in a world full of violence,diseases, murderers, conflict, pain,etc.. Nobody is exempt cattastrophe. Parents know that children are vulnerable to all sort of suffering and supporting financially and being a good parent can't guarantee that their life won't turn into misery. It's still selfish.
My parents could both support me emotionally and financially, it still couldn't avoid all suffering I have experienced.
Having kids is always selfish under any circumstance. We live in a world full of violence,diseases, murderers, conflict, pain,etc.. Nobody is exempt cattastrophe. Parents know that children are vulnerable to all sort of suffering and supporting financially and being a good parent can't guarantee that their life won't turn into misery. It's still selfish.
I understand. I do think the world is badly overpopulated. Humans are sucking more resources from the earth as our population grows, while giving little back. We can't even feed much of the earth's population.
Another selfish notion some parents have is they have children so that their children can take care of them when they get old. This is an incredibly selfish burden to place on a human being who had no choice in being born.
If it had been necessary, I would have supported my parents in their dotage, as a matter of duty and reciprocity. I would have done so happily if their need was not due to a lack of discipline and personal responsibility on their part. They were good parents and sacrificed a lot for me. It would have been a privilege to return the favor at least in part -- even if it had been a big sacrifice for me.
Now, if they had expected and especially demanded that as their due, I think that's a bridge too far, although such expectations and demands are not without reason, nor incomprehensible.
I'd like to think my two children would do the same for me; alas, for various reasons I doubt they are capable of valuing me in that way and in addition to having no expectations in that regard I have no real hope. But it'd be a kindler and gentler world for me if I could hope to die surrounded by loving and appreciative family, rather than, as is likely, alone.
It's worth keeping in mind, too, that in poorer nations, having many children is a necessary survival strategy, both to bring food and money into the family, and to provide for old age where society does not. I can't really fault those parents for simply acting out the implied social contract they were born under, which provides for their needs in a situation where there are few, if any, alternatives.
Saying that I feel that is arguably moral and understandable by the mores of their own society doesn't mean I think it's fair or the best system, but it isn't my place to judge them for it either.
There are no guarantees in life. Stop playing God.
Parents have no right to gamble at the cost of harming. The "rights" of the potential children come first.
Stop trying to control others. It's not your place. If you want to call it playing god, it makes no difference to me. It is my right to exert this control as I see fit. You, OTOH, have no such right over others. You neither have the intellectual capacity, emotional stability, or ability to reason to make any choice for others. That any of you think my daughter shouldn't exist because you have personal problems is absurd. As I said earlier in the thread, the world would cease to exist for you if you ended you. That's your right and that's where you get to play god in your life. It begins and ends there for you.
My parents could both support me emotionally and financially, it still couldn't avoid all suffering I have experienced.
Having kids is always selfish under any circumstance. We live in a world full of violence,diseases, murderers, conflict, pain,etc.. Nobody is exempt cattastrophe. Parents know that children are vulnerable to all sort of suffering and supporting financially and being a good parent can't guarantee that their life won't turn into misery. It's still selfish.
Nobody should exist because you stubbed your toe and you are therefore concerned that other people will stub their toes. Get real.
Hopefully for their sake. Otherwise life my suck for them.
Let's not add more hurt to people who are clearly hurting. Use the ignore button if anything. Not everyone's life is perfect and many of us are suffering through no fault of our own.
Let's not add more hurt to people who are clearly hurting. Use the ignore button if anything. Not everyone's life is perfect and many of us are suffering through no fault of our own.
There's a difference between suffering (e.g., being depressed, wanting more out of life, needing to be on head meds, whatever) and a desire to drag every human now and in the future down with you. Sorry, that's just crapola.
And what is it with wanting to control everyone? I don't grasp this need a few have on this forum.
Let's not add more hurt to people who are clearly hurting. Use the ignore button if anything. Not everyone's life is perfect and many of us are suffering through no fault of our own.
Funny how the small group of navel-gazing miserables like to crap on existing threads rather than start a thread on, I dunno, how they might deal with their suffering better.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
