Is it selfish to remain childless?
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No. Not everyone meets someone with whom they could spend the rest of their life together and raise a family, and we should not forget that some couples who have no children are unable to conceive for whatever reason. There are also a few professions which are so all consuming of time that the attention and love a child should have could not easily be provided.
Original post by Origami Bullets
Not everyone is suited to having kids, and if those people recognise that they're not interested (and therefore probably wouldn't do a great job) then it's probably better all round that they don't have kids.
The world's population is growing at an entirely unsustainable rate, and having a baby is about the least green thing you can do really - so arguably, not having kids is very selfless.
The world's population is growing at an entirely unsustainable rate, and having a baby is about the least green thing you can do really - so arguably, not having kids is very selfless.
This is how I tend to think about it. I always feel guilty when I think about having kids in the future. I remember back in geography class being shown an online counter that showed the estimated number of births per second and world population increasing, it was crazy.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by beary.bear
Personally I think it's selfish to bring a child into the world because for most people life is a struggle. You know, how since the age 5 everything is geared to getting a job/going to university, then getting a job, slaving away for most of your life and then just dying. But that's just my pessimistic outlook of life right now. 
This.
It's not remotely selfish to remain childless! I don't even think I want children anymore ....
They're too expensive anyway.No, children are expensive, the cost of living is too high, some people won't find the right person or they focus on their career, I'd say it's selfish to have children knowing you can't afford them just for the sake of having children.
I have no intention of ever having children...funnily enough because I'm too selfish! By that I mean I'm not ready (nor can I imagine every being) to sacrifice every aspect of my life and privacy (even my ability to go the toilet unharassed would be compromised!) to a little person that ruined my body and put a strain on whatever relationship I was in. I always think of that episode of the Simpsons "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays":
Bart: Also, Maggie puked in your purse again.
Lindsey Naegle: Poor me… all my purse is full of is disposable income.
I want to be Lindsey. I don't believe that my actions will affect the outcome of humanity, so I don't really care if people think it's selfish, and if you don't like it, well then I guess you won't want the child support my taxes pay you!
Bart: Also, Maggie puked in your purse again.
Lindsey Naegle: Poor me… all my purse is full of is disposable income.
I want to be Lindsey. I don't believe that my actions will affect the outcome of humanity, so I don't really care if people think it's selfish, and if you don't like it, well then I guess you won't want the child support my taxes pay you!
Original post by David_Cook
Almost everyone is equipped with the ability to reproduce. As a society we've decided that some people are more suited to having kids than others but really this is nothing more than a value judgement. Some societies value children very highly so they do all they can promote the concept of the family ahead of ideals like 'sustainability' or the environment. This seems like a far more positive approach to life to me.
Just because you have a womb or testicles, it doesn't mean you should use them.
Not everyone is suited to having kids - hence why there are 91,000 children in care in the UK, the majority of whom are there due to abuse or neglect. I'd argue that drug addicts, alcoholics and people with a history of child abuse / neglect - i.e. those who will actively / passively harm a child in their care - aren't suited to reproducing.
It's not all about sustainability.
Original post by Viva Emptiness
I have no intention of ever having children...funnily enough because I'm too selfish! By that I mean I'm not ready (nor can I imagine every being) to sacrifice every aspect of my life and privacy (even my ability to go the toilet unharassed would be compromised!) to a little person that ruined my body and put a strain on whatever relationship I was in. I always think of that episode of the Simpsons "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays":
Bart: Also, Maggie puked in your purse again.
Lindsey Naegle: Poor me… all my purse is full of is disposable income.
I want to be Lindsey. I don't believe that my actions will affect the outcome of humanity, so I don't really care if people think it's selfish, and if you don't like it, well then I guess you won't want the child support my taxes pay you!
Bart: Also, Maggie puked in your purse again.
Lindsey Naegle: Poor me… all my purse is full of is disposable income.
I want to be Lindsey. I don't believe that my actions will affect the outcome of humanity, so I don't really care if people think it's selfish, and if you don't like it, well then I guess you won't want the child support my taxes pay you!
High five! I want to be Lindsey too!
Not having children is not automatically selfish, there's lots of reasons why people might not want children. My reasons just happen to be completely selfish. Aside from what it says above, I'm also not willing to sacrifice my body to pregnancy.
no. it's a personal choice
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
It's not selfish. Nor is having children selfish. Some people have a deep desire to have children, and some don't. I'm one of those who don't. I'm not maternal, and even though I like children and don't mind babysitting, I'm also very happy to hand them back to their parents.
In my opinion, it would be selfish of me to have children for the sake of it. Just because it's the done thing. That wouldn't be fair on my children. It's far preferable that kids are born to people who really want them.
In my opinion, it would be selfish of me to have children for the sake of it. Just because it's the done thing. That wouldn't be fair on my children. It's far preferable that kids are born to people who really want them.
There are enough people in the world who actively want to have children and can do so to meet all the sustainability requirements for the species. That means those people with no interest in reproducing should surely be under no moral obligation to procreate against their will. If everyone hated the idea of having children, then there probably would be some moral force to saying that some people should grit their teeth and have families as a service to humanity but that is clearly not the case. It is illogical to conclude that because we need some people to have children it is therefore an obligation for all people to have children.
how so? it's their choice in how they want to live their life....
It depends on perspective. In terms of overpopulation it is not wrong to have couples on earth who are without children.
Original post by syrettd
High five! I want to be Lindsey too!
Not having children is not automatically selfish, there's lots of reasons why people might not want children. My reasons just happen to be completely selfish. Aside from what it says above, I'm also not willing to sacrifice my body to pregnancy.
Not having children is not automatically selfish, there's lots of reasons why people might not want children. My reasons just happen to be completely selfish. Aside from what it says above, I'm also not willing to sacrifice my body to pregnancy.
Your body has been designed to withstand physical exertion that accompanies childbirth! You wouldn't be doing it a disservice by raising a family, on the contrary you'd be realising it's full potential. Reproduction is also an entirely natural part of life. I fear for the mental health of those who seek to override their maternal/paternal instincts with this pessimistic form of logic.
(edited 10 years ago)
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