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I think you should respect his choice, but we can argue about the reasons and argumentations for that choice. I don't know if Mr. Stallman has siblings. But if

I think you should respect his choice, but we can argue about the reasons and argumentations for that choice. I don't know if Mr. Stallman has siblings. But if not, it means that his bloodline will end with his death. Let that sit for a moment and think about it. Think about the hundreds of people in your ancestry that lived through world wars and the dark ages and all kinds of other "bad times," compared to the hundred or so years we are currently living in so that you can make a choice to end your bloodline for good. While he has some pretty compelling reasons, he also potentially denies humanity not only the best version of himself and his values but maybe one of the greatest minds of their time. If you don't have kids, you'll never know or see their real potential. I personally think you owe it to the people who went through pain and hunger, slavery, world wars, and all of the kind of other terrifying things that we can read up in our history that you keep the bloodline going. So while I respect the choice he made, I wouldn't necessarily call it clever for a man with his intellect. It is only one thing for sure and that is egocentrically and selfish. On the other hand, if he truly thinks he has nothing of value to pass down the line, be it genetic material or his values, then it is a good thing he decides to have no kids.

fourthark 10y ago
You can certainly pass values down to the next generation without having kids.
- Jamesbeam 10y ago
  Sure you can, it's not exclusive to your kids. But let me give you an example. My ancestry is very well documented back to 1100ish. Most of my ancestors had either a military function or later on were law enforcement officers. When I grew up, my parents left me the choice to do anything I want.My grades were good enough to go to a University and become a doctor or lawyer. But since I've been a child I had a natural desire to protect people. I did that in school. And well I am retired now, but I did that for all of my life more or less. This could of course just be imagination as there is no scientific proof. But I think that some of these values were passed down our bloodline. And that is just different than learning values from someone else. It's like an imprint. So if you decide not to have kids and you don't have a brother or sister who can keep the bloodline going that is an absolutely fine choice, but it's also a shame that that genetics and traits that were passed down for centuries get lost. English is not my mother tongue, I hope you can get my point.
  - Thiez 10y ago
    > So if you decide not to have kids and you don't have a brother or sister who can keep the bloodline going that is an absolutely fine choice, but it's also a shame that that genetics and traits that were passed down for centuries get lost. That's silly, unless you family has been has been having a single child for each generation the last 9 centuries, the genes of your ancestors from back then will probably be in hundreds or thousands of people living today. On average, people have been having more than two children per family for hundreds of years, so each generation you go back will have exponentially more descendants, and up to some limit the number of ancestors you have also doubles each generation you go back. Of course once you go back far enough it turns out we're all related. So it may be the case that some of the genes of your direct parents will not get passed on if you and your siblings never have children. But it's extremely unlikely that this means the end of a 900 year bloodline.
joecool1029 10y ago
There's no logic to this. Let me shorten: 'I'm supposed to have feels about people who are dead that I never knew.' If you do that's fine. Just don't expect that feeling to be universal and don't try to guilt it onto people that don't

fourthark 10y ago

You can certainly pass values down to the next generation without having kids.

Jamesbeam 10y ago
Sure you can, it's not exclusive to your kids. But let me give you an example. My ancestry is very well documented back to 1100ish. Most of my ancestors had either a military function or later on were law enforcement officers. When I grew up, my parents left me the choice to do anything I want.My grades were good enough to go to a University and become a doctor or lawyer. But since I've been a child I had a natural desire to protect people. I did that in school. And well I am retired now, but I did that for all of my life more or less. This could of course just be imagination as there is no scientific proof. But I think that some of these values were passed down our bloodline. And that is just different than learning values from someone else. It's like an imprint. So if you decide not to have kids and you don't have a brother or sister who can keep the bloodline going that is an absolutely fine choice, but it's also a shame that that genetics and traits that were passed down for centuries get lost. English is not my mother tongue, I hope you can get my point.
- Thiez 10y ago
  > So if you decide not to have kids and you don't have a brother or sister who can keep the bloodline going that is an absolutely fine choice, but it's also a shame that that genetics and traits that were passed down for centuries get lost. That's silly, unless you family has been has been having a single child for each generation the last 9 centuries, the genes of your ancestors from back then will probably be in hundreds or thousands of people living today. On average, people have been having more than two children per family for hundreds of years, so each generation you go back will have exponentially more descendants, and up to some limit the number of ancestors you have also doubles each generation you go back. Of course once you go back far enough it turns out we're all related. So it may be the case that some of the genes of your direct parents will not get passed on if you and your siblings never have children. But it's extremely unlikely that this means the end of a 900 year bloodline.

joecool1029 10y ago

There's no logic to this. Let me shorten: 'I'm supposed to have feels about people who are dead that I never knew.' If you do that's fine. Just don't expect that feeling to be universal and don't try to guilt it onto people that don't