I think the fundamental disconnect here is that there are, honestly, perfectly rational reasons to not do this. A dear friend of mine in high school has a sist

I think the fundamental disconnect here is that there are, honestly, perfectly rational reasons to not do this. A dear friend of mine in high school has a sister with Downs Syndrome who is 13 years younger than she is. My friend's parents have missed out on so much of what most people view as the good parts of life. They missed my friend's college graduation because her sister refused to go. Literally, "we can't make it because your sister doesn't want to go." They missed their son's wedding and the birth of his first child because of this as well. They have to spend tens of thousands of dollars a year on care to be able to work, and they can't quit their jobs to care for her because of insurance and income reasons. They are both well into retirement age at this point and they are forced to work demanding jobs still. It's put a strain on the entire family, and the only time my friend's life is ever discussed in any way is when she's making 'wrong' choices. When she graduate college, she didn't get so much as a congratulations; when her brother married, he and his wife received a rushed phone call congratulating them and nothing more. I am fully on board with the idea that there is an essential dignity to all people, but I think that asking why people make these choices is still a completely valid question to ask, especially when you consider the blatantly deleterious effects that such a choice can have. Even if for no other reason than understanding, this is an important question to ask.