Comments on: Is It Wrong to Have Children?

By: Kenneth Benjamin

Kenneth Benjamin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:27:00 +0000

I'm coming way late to the game here, but for the record, reproduction is our only 'purpose' in life.

Should we use our brains and supersede our genetic programming? Yes, most definitely.

But, if you're going to ask why, understand you're asking something just one step away from "why do you exist."

I wrote all this up a couple of months ago in "The Meaning Of Life" here http://wisdomwebsite.com/the-meaning-of-life/

By: Andreas

Andreas — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:37:00 +0000

Hi Daniel Interesting blog you got here. Do you think it is okay for some people to have children or do you think that all people should avoid it? I can’t help but think it would be sad if mankind died out. But I do agree that it is very questionable whether it is moral to have children. Some people are obviously better suited as parents than others. I would love to have children if I believed that I would be a great parent and if I believed that my wife would be as well. Also, do you know if there are any other good blogs that have written about this topic?

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:26:00 +0000

You may find the following book helpful in your consideration of this issue. It was written by a philosopher who argues against having children: http://www.amazon.com/Better-Never-Have-Been-Existence/dp/0199549265/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313429024&sr=1-1

By: Bernd Jendrissek

Bernd Jendrissek — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 03:39:00 +0000

You mention pain. But my putative child will also experience a great deal of pleasure and/or contribute to the pleasure of others. I don’t think that part is selfish at all!

By: Yasmina

Yasmina — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:22:00 +0000

the proper term would be INSANITY, Einstein.

By: Ksid7213

Ksid7213 — Thu, 12 May 2011 03:30:00 +0000

I generally agree but there is a big problem with this-that is who can guarantee that your children whom you decide not to have would not be the ones who will save the humanity from global warming/hunger/water shortage etc. It’s the same with prohibiting disabled people from having kids-if that was the case we would not have S.Hawking F.Dostoyevskiy J.Nash and many more.So I think limiting number of biological children to 1 or maybe 2 and adopting the rest if 2 is not enough seem like a reasonable solution

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:31:00 +0000

For someone who views themself as being a collection of electrical impulses, conscience borders on the absurd. The only reason it may have evolved is to help society as a whole, but why should any one person not kill, steal, and rape? It makes no sense to adopt when one can have their own child and connect with it more, or even to care for their own child outside of whatever enjoyable electro-chemical impulse providing care rewards with.

Having said that, I admit to being biased entirely. It is obvious to me that G-d exists, and wants us to do good to others. I had children as a conscious decision to benefit others. Not group mentality, not selfishness, and certainly not a mistake. It is the same reason I run a youth group, and have taken other children into our home [and adoption is a possibility].

Good luck.

By: Tik

Tik — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:45:00 +0000

look closer at birthrate statistics and you’ll see below poverty families have on average 5 children to the 3 children a middle class family to 1 child from a rich family.

By: aristotle

aristotle — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:41:00 +0000

don’t be an uncritical tard

By: quest 19

quest 19 — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:39:00 +0000

You are very wise. i’ve been pondering the same thing yet it’s depressing to think about so i’m glad i found this post which vocalizes my feelings so well.

By: Jwest

Jwest — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:11:00 +0000

This is a reason, I suppose, but not a good one. Most people's "data" is not important to the grand scheme of things. Wanting self perpetuation is merely selfish. Not valid when we're thinking in terms of social responsibility.

If by data you mean genetic material, then this is the biological argument. Propagating your genes in as many ways as you can. We're too intelligent for that now.

By: James

James — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Having children is a long-term backup strategy. Who’s going to host, maintain and curate your data when you’re gone? This was (and still is) a prime motivator even before data was digital. Your data is what defines you outside the confines of your own head. It is the sum of all your attributes – your works, your opinions, your history, traces of your interactions with others, their professed opinions of you, their memories of you, evidence of your life, and so forth. In the distant past, the data we left behind was ephemeral – mostly just memories and myth. Now, we leave behind vast quantities of data – and hence vast quantities of ourselves. Having children has always been about preserving what you can of yourself – to attain the best possible degree of immortality.

By: Ann

Ann — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:59:00 +0000

Hi,

See Better not to have children:

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayFulltext?type=1&fid=7950505&jid=THI&volumeId=10&issueId=27&aid=7950503&bodyId=&membershipNumber=&societyETOCSession=

By: John Doe546

John Doe546 — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:38:00 +0000

What you are suggesting – “advocate banning the disabled (of those disabled genetically and not through experience) from having children, because that improves the well-being of the overall species.” – is actually Hitler-like (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_eugenics). This kind of thinking is quite dangerous. The disabled are humans as well and they should have the same freedom we enjoy – to have children – if they wish to do so.

By: V!

V! — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:33:00 +0000

That is an actual valid point.

By: G00gl3456

G00gl3456 — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:30:00 +0000

LESS people should have kids.

By: moscarda

moscarda — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 08:44:39 +0000

you didnt mention things like the fear one has in bringing another kid into a collapsing civilisation where there may not be food or clean water or energy, and the guilt a parent would feel from that. not to mention a child born in the western world consumes four-times the food/resources than the other two-thirds of humanity. however i do believe the desire to have children is instinctual, as well as wanting to share in the joy of childbirth and love for a child and the love returned.

By: moscarda

moscarda — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 03:44:39 +0000

By: Anais

Anais — Fri, 14 May 2010 20:49:58 +0000

Dogs usually have more than 1 puppy because a part of their puppies is likely not to survive. It's the same with cats, fish, chickens, plants... But a human baby in these times is very likely to survive. Therefore, we do not need to produce more than 1 or 2 children each. We don't live in the 1Oth century anymore, when you could have 8 children and be lucky to have 2 that lived longer than a couple of years. If we continue having more than 1 or 2 children each, if we continue having IVF, taking fertility drugs etc., our world is simply doomed. There will be no more room, no more food, no more work, no more air to breathe..

I would love to have a baby, I feel a natural urge to have one with my boyfriend. But I decided not to have one of my own, because I know that millions of people do not realize what problems they cause when they reproduce.

If they are not willing to limit their number of children to 2, I guess my potential 1 child has to be sacrificed to make room for some people's 3rd child..

PS: Look at China, they had to introduce a law that stated a woman is not allowed to have more than 1 child. Which country will be next? I hope many will soon follow China's example (apart from their preference to have boys though but that's a case of tradition)..

By: John

John — Tue, 04 May 2010 21:47:11 +0000

What an ignorant class envy response. Rich people want to spread THEIR genes as well idiot. No one wants to adopt a fucked up crack baby or defective gene pool kid from the grunt class. At least babies born to established parents, or the rich will have a chance at a decent life. The Young and stupid, poor, and crack babies will just continue the cycle of poverty and ignorance they were born into. Like yourself. Do the world a favor and get your tubes tied. That alone will improve the IQ of the world population.