Is Being Childfree Selfish? Debating Time Magazine's Touchy New Issue (life)
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Your life hasn't to be hell just because some peoples lives are hell. There is a difference between starting and continuing life. The whole point is that procreation is immoral because it risks to harm some people at the cost of benefiting others. Who I am to gamble with other peoples lives?
The birth of my child, to use her as an example, does not put anyone at risk for harm. She is an absolute miracle and once she hits the 6 month mark she will be going with me in tow to spread some cheer. OTOH, if all you can do is gamble then you certainly shouldn't be creating life. Children are a huge responsibility and those who are too young, too immature, and ill prepared should probably reconsider. And to say again, just because some people suffer does not mean those people, or other people, should lose out on the complete joys of life (if biochemically capable). It really is too bad that you are unable to cherish life. We're here for such an infinitesimal amount of time, just a blip, and you appear to be squandering yours. It's yours to squander, but you have no right to make that same demand of others.
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Originally Posted by elhelmete
Why do I highly doubt this?
What's interesting is that working moms volunteer more than anybody.
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.
I'm trying to stay neutral, even though I am an individual who 1) has no desire to have children and 2) suffers from depression and anxiety. I just don't see the point in baiting people who are clearly having a hard time in life. Perhaps the person is just venting because they have to deal with **** everyday? I prefer to keep an open mind and not judge someone just because I disagree with them. Often there is no right or wrong, just differing opinions.
I do believe that the world is overpopulated. I do believe there should be limits as to how many children people can have. I'll even go so far as to say that I believe some measures should be put in place to actually stop certain people from breeding because some people simply should never be parents.
I am free to squander this life as I please. It's not my first and it won't be my last.
That is the interesting thing. You are free to squander your life as you please but want to place limits on others? Obviously you believe your position is the superior one.
That is the interesting thing. You are free to squander your life as you please but want to place limits on others? Obviously you believe your position is the superior one.
I'm just staring the glaringly obvious: that the world is overpopulated. Don't shoot the messenger.
I'm just staring the glaringly obvious: that the world is overpopulated. Don't shoot the messenger.
Well, I don't have a problem with that. I just felt like challenging your solution, not that it won't work. I was challenging the morality of it, I guess.
Well, I don't have a problem with that. I just felt like challenging your solution, not that it won't work. I was challenging the morality of it, I guess.
What's your solution to human overpopulation then? We are wrecking this planet.
What's your solution to human overpopulation then? We are wrecking this planet.
We are only wrecking the planet for ourselves. The solution is not human extinction. Sol will scour any remaining life from Earth in 4 billion years, anyway, so there is really nothing for us to "wreck".
The solution is as follows:
1. Determine a sustainable economic model based on stable populations (the current model is growth-based).
2. Limit reproduction to slightly below replacement levels. The best way to do this is by educational and economic improvements coupled with state-sponsored economic incentives.
3. Modify the incentives to maintain a stable and sustainable population.
Of course, we should also colonize the rest of our solar system and others, in order to increase our population without overloading Earth's ecosystems, and to guard against accidental extinction (also to see what's out there, ala Star Trek) The pace of technological advancement (and the improvement of the human condition) increases with more minds working on the tough problems, so a humanity spread across a dozen star systems with a half-trillion beings is desirable to a single vulnerable herd of 7 billion crammed together here on Earth.
I'm trying to stay neutral, even though I am an individual who 1) has no desire to have children and 2) suffers from depression and anxiety. I just don't see the point in baiting people who are clearly having a hard time in life. Perhaps the person is just venting because they have to deal with **** everyday? I prefer to keep an open mind and not judge someone just because I disagree with them. Often there is no right or wrong, just differing opinions.
What will you have me do? Not respond, not challenge what I find to be ridiculous demands and charges against parents? I have no problem with people venting, but venting is not attacking an entire groups or at least shouldn't be imo. Also, I don't think the responsibility of one person's mental/emotional illness sits on the laps of strangers. With that said, I understand that people who suffer tend to lash out at others. The thing is, people won't put up with that.
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I do believe that the world is overpopulated. I do believe there should be limits as to how many children people can have. I'll even go so far as to say that I believe some measures should be put in place to actually stop certain people from breeding because some people simply should never be parents.
If you guys want to tackle the world's over population issues, then your work needs to go to developing countries. Do you understand that? There are organizations like world vision (albeit religious) that do focus on education, which is key given the inverse correlation between education and number of children a family/woman has. Although, it may be best to just stick with organizations that primarily focus on young girls. I haven't thoroughly investigated this particular issue, so maybe you know of something better. To flip this issue on its head - the US does not have an over population issue. Our population sustains or increases via immigrant families, not native born. Whatever the case, I believe we are 5% of the global population and consume 20% of the world's resources (correct me if my numbers are wrong). That's a real problem, a bigger problem then people across the globe having too many children in your eyes because it's not dependent on over population. If your argument about over population is based on limited resources, then I think it would make sense for you guys to seriously focus on green movements. Is that what you're doing?
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Originally Posted by non-creep
I am free to squander this life as I please. It's not my first and it won't be my last.
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Originally Posted by elyn02
That is the interesting thing. You are free to squander your life as you please but want to place limits on others? Obviously you believe your position is the superior one.
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Originally Posted by non-creep
I'm just staring the glaringly obvious: that the world is overpopulated. Don't shoot the messenger.
You have a desire to control others, but what are you doing to control yourself? As I noted above, not having children does not address resource issues, but how you, as a westerner, live your life does. Or is the over population issue about something else for you?
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