Why have kids?

[satanboy]

...

Not having to grow old with only old people around you....

sorry...got some bad news for you...

 

[BobsLawnService]

have you looked around you and seen how many are really loved?
so 10 (maybe) out of one billion will make a difference to the future every 20 years

I really don't care if other people don't love their kids, I love mine. Also bonding with your kid releases ungodly amounts of Oxytocin which is a hormone that makes you feel awesome. Better than any drug I've tried. Oddly enough the inability to secrete oxytocin and feel empathy is linked to sociopathy, psychopathy, narcissism and general manipulativeness.

are you trying to be an arse?

No, it just annoys me when people say rubbish like: "There are too many people on the planet so you shouldn't have children" or "We should cull people because we are overpopulating the planet". If they really had the courage of their convictions they would put their money where there mouth is and choke on a shotgun. Decrease their carbon footprint and arsehole quotient.

 

[biometrics]

Oddly enough the inability to secrete oxytocin and feel empathy is linked to sociopathy, psychopathy, narcissism and general manipulativeness.

Are you saying what I think you're saying?

 

[satanboy]

No, it just annoys me when people say rubbish like: "There are too many people on the planet so you shouldn't have children" or "We should cull people because we are overpopulating the planet". If they really had the courage of their convictions they would put their money where there mouth is and choke on a shotgun. Decrease their carbon footprint and arsehole quotient.

I never said you should cull or kill your children...it isn't just about you.

I am saying that people that don't have, should think before they act. Is that so insane?

 

[BobsLawnService]

I never said you should cull or kill your children.

Straw man is made of straw. Your exact words were : "Look around you, the world is in a mess. Isn't 7 billion people enough? ".

The implication is that people shouldn't have kids because there are too many people on the planet. I get that some people don't want kids, I have no problem with that. To say that other people shouldn't have kids is just ridiculous. You want your genetic line to die out, that is fine with me. Maybe yours doesn't have anything good to add to humanity. I know mine does.

 

[cerebus]

another one that can't argue the question but instead attack the person...how sad

But for those of us who love our children, who raise them properly - so that they get welcomed where we go, and contribute to society - why on earth wouldn't we have them? Frankly nothing on earth could persuade me to forgo the immense, humbling privilege of fatherhood.

That would have been my answer to the question:
1) We love our children.
2) We try to raise them properly with a view that they will contribute to society.
3) The experience of parenthood is an immense, humbling privilege.

 

[Nanfeishen]

Someone has to promulgate the species.

Yes, we are in so much danger of extinction :wtf:

No, it just annoys me when people say rubbish like:"There are too many people on the planet so you shouldn't have children"

How about people actually planning families, how about people taking the precautions to ensure that they can afford to feed, clothe, school and support the child or children they have.

There is a big difference between you planning for your child/children, and the millions of unplanned unintended births that take place annually due to lack of birth control, lack of access to any form of birth control, and most importantly lack of education with regards to sex education and family planning.

Its not about not having children, its about being intelligent and enlightened enough to know when and how many.

 

[marine1]

Let me guess, you are in your early 20's and have never had a serious relationship?

But to answer your question - children are incredibly rewarding, it is also important to bring children into this world who are loved and educated and who can make a positive impact on the future for mankind.

Also, there are 7 billion people on the planet, why don't you kill yourself?

I am 36 and have had many relationships and completely agree with him.
Stop having babies, the world cannot sustain all these snot nose brats and future drain on this poor planet

 

[MickeyD]

I am 36 and have had many relationships and completely agree with him.
Stop having babies, the world cannot sustain all these snot nose brats.

I disagree with you and endorse the advice/opinion below (not above):

How about people actually planning families, how about people taking the precautions to ensure that they can afford to feed, clothe, school and support the child or children they have.

There is a big difference between you planning for your child/children, and the millions of unplanned unintended births that take place annually due to lack of birth control, lack of access to any form of birth control, and most importantly lack of education with regards to sex education and family planning.

Its not about not having children, its about being intelligent and enlightened enough to know when and how many.

 

[marine1]

I disagree with you and endorse the advice/opinion below (not above):

Try explaining that to the billions of poor and uneducated who think it is their god given right to keep having as many babies as possible.

 

[MickeyD]

Try explaining that to the billions of poor and uneducated who think it is their god given right to keep having as many babies as possible.

I'm not disagreeing with you at all on the above opinion. If the individuals cannot control their procreative urges (as below) does it become the responsibility of the State to regulate birth control? As in China...

There is a big difference between you planning for your child/children, and the millions of unplanned unintended births that take place annually due to lack of birth control, lack of access to any form of birth control, and most importantly lack of education with regards to sex education and family planning.

Its not about not having children, its about being intelligent and enlightened enough to know when and how many.

 

[marine1]

China has the right idea.

 

[wrathex]

I'm not disagreeing with you at all on the above opinion. If the individuals cannot control their procreative urges (as below) does it become the responsibility of the State to regulate birth control? As in China...

It will eventually come down to legislation probably in the form of a tax penalty or tax rebate.

At the moment we, the taxpayers pay/reward people to have children they cannot afford in the form of welfare monies.
In the future, people will be taxed per child conceived or those that go for voluntary sterilisation will be rewarded. (tax rebate)

Now you should understand why there will always be a minority of very wealthy and educated people.
The poor masses, through their unplanned breeding, are impoverishing themselves, year after year, decade after decade.

There is a momentum behind our civilisation which is difficult to control, slow down, speed up, change or influence. It is the momentum of 7 billion souls going about daily lives, living in the now and not being able to see the future hole they are digging for themselves.

Humanity has a chronic inability to manage resources (humans being the number resource). Humanity is just waking up to the shock that planetary resources are finite.

There is much heartache in store for humanity, there will be nothing fair about the coming resource wars. The majority of poor and destitute are likely to overrun the minority and educated classes through sheer numbers, and when the hunger comes and when the power fails, the middle classes will improve their personal security, keep their their heads low and try and ride it out, but in third world countries, many will be slaughtered, punished for having more, for having lived frugally.

If you think my synopsis is too negative - give me an alternative outcome ?

 

[bwana]

If you think my synopsis is too negative - give me an alternative outcome ?

It's the storyline for Idiocracy.

 

[MickeyD]

It will eventually come down to legislation probably in the form of a tax penalty or tax rebate.

At the moment we, the taxpayers pay/reward people to have children they cannot afford in the form of welfare monies.
In the future, people will be taxed per child conceived or those that go for voluntary sterilisation will be rewarded. (tax rebate)

Now you should understand why there will always be a minority of very wealthy and educated people.
The poor masses, through their unplanned breeding, are impoverishing themselves, year after year, decade after decade.

There is a momentum behind our civilisation which is difficult to control, slow down, speed up, change or influence. It is the momentum of 7 billion souls going about daily lives, living in the now and not being able to see the future hole they are digging for themselves.

Humanity has a chronic inability to manage resources (humans being the number resource). Humanity is just waking up to the shock that planetary resources are finite.

There is much heartache in store for humanity, there will be nothing fair about the coming resource wars. The majority of poor and destitute are likely to overrun the minority and educated classes through sheer numbers, and when the hunger comes and when the power fails, the middle classes will improve their personal security, keep their their heads low and try and ride it out, but in third world countries, many will be slaughtered, punished for having more, for having lived frugally.

If you think my synopsis is too negative - give me an alternative outcome ?

I share a similar outlook.

However... on the tax penalty; how can you apply it to a person who does not pay Income Tax? You can only increase VAT and sin taxes as that is all that impacts directly on most people who already receive welfare/social grants.

The sad reality is that young, unemployed girls are deliberately falling pregnant to be able to claim child grants, totally ignorant of the impact on the taxpayer and our finite resources.

It's a downward spiral to the destruction of civilisation as we know it today.

 

[wrathex]

I share a similar outlook.

However... on the tax penalty; how can you apply it to a person who does not pay Income Tax? You can only increase VAT and sin taxes as that is all that impacts directly on most people who already receive welfare/social grants.

The sad reality is that young, unemployed girls are deliberately falling pregnant to be able to claim child grants, totally ignorant of the impact on the taxpayer and our finite resources.

It's a downward spiral to the destruction of civilisation as we know it today.

It's going to one of our greatest challenges, to find a way to curb population growth of the poorest, and as you said, if you can't hit them with tax, what do you do when people believe it is their god given right to having large families whether they can feed and clothe that child or not.

In the end then, it will have to be involuntary, like in China, and it's not going to sit well with people at all, and will probably lead to increased terrorism.

Educating people is a slow process, but it does have merit, I am afraid though that we are running out of time with regards to waiting for education to have a through-put effect.

I expect the above problem to cause much consternation, anger, violent action and hatred in the near future, when this critical issue is put on the agenda, expect it to divide society, and even families and governments.

This is the heavy issue, this is the issue politicians fear to touch, this issue will divide humanity more than any other, it will involve religious revolt (Christianity and Islam and Judaism), it's going to be very very messy for a long time, before the issue is resolved.

 

[GreGorGy]

It's the storyline for Idiocracy.

Mike Judge's best work. It trumped Office Space for me.

I think once a year, satanboy and satangirl get hammered and regret not having children or having an abortion or something and then he convinces himself things are okay by posting this thread

I'll tell anyone who'll listen though: the best reason to have kids is the inner joy and peace you get when you drop them off at school playing your old fogey tunes and then they ask you in future not to drop them so close to the gate.

 

[Nanfeishen]

I'm not disagreeing with you at all on the above opinion. If the individuals cannot control their procreative urges (as below) does it become the responsibility of the State to regulate birth control? As in China...

China has the right idea.

You are both right and wrong about China'a one child policy, it is a good idea for a means to ensure sustainability, however it cannot and doesnt work very well, as was found out, when introduced into a culture that values male children over female children.

Try explaining that to the billions of poor and uneducated who think it is their god given right to keep having as many babies as possible.

The problem is not the poor and uneducated, many of them know and realise this fact.
It is abundently clear that undeveloped and developing countries are held back due to the poverty within.
This poverty is exacerbated by the lack of access to family planning.
In many developing countries, "their god given right" is even legislated.
This legislation by state is often strongly endorsed or backed by influential religious groups in prohibiting and restricting access to birth control measures, as being unnatural or anti-faith.

One need only to compare the abortion statistics between developed countries and undeveloped countries to see that many poor uneducated people recognise their dilemma, but have no viable alternatives.

 

[Fng]

This is my story;

I was never interested in any serious relationships; it was all about having a good time. I was the guy that would rock up at your house unannounced to suggest we go for a drink or two, only to return home the following morning at 4 o’clock. I always used to say that I don’t want kids nor did I wanted to get older than 40. Life was good, never had to explain to anybody what I was doing, and the only responsibilities was my monthly bills. Refused to handle any kids, and not even mention that changing nappies. I also had the mindset of the OP. Why do something that stupid.

Then I met my wife and it was smooth sailing. Kids’ wasn’t part of the plan but till I received a note to say she was expecting. As to many things in my life I just went with the flow. This is now almost 4 years back; oldest are turning 3 in March and the youngest one just turned 1.

I don’t think it is possible to explain what kids do you as a person or to someone that doesn’t have children. Yes, they make you tired, they do take a lot of your time but it simply put I will not change that for nothing in this world. Everybody is busy, thinking they won’t have time for kids or money for that matter. You will be surprised how many people will change employers; professions just too spent more time with the kids.

All I am saying is don’t dismiss it as something of no value, rather something of great value. The word “unconditional love” only became meaningful to me after the kids became part of my life.

If I look back now, only then do I realise I had nothing.

 

[Carol35]

In all honesty, I have absolutely no answer to your question even though I have 2 of my own. I dont know why I had them, it was just the next progression after meeting my husband I suppose, what was expected of me.

Parenting must be the most thankless job known to man and dont flame me but sometimes I think my life would have been more pleasurable if I didnt have kids. They are lovely, endearing and cute when they are little, but they dont stay that way. We have very high hopes of my son being an intelligent, productive member of society but I can see his free spirit. Its a constant worry (especially when he announced he has no plans of going to uni/college and will get a job serving pancakes at the beach. :erm: )
and it seems we would have paid 15 plus years of education fees and all the extra's for naught.

That being said, dont get me wrong..I adore my children. They do bring me great joy and constantly shower their affection on me but yes, I do wonder if there was more to life than this.