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What's so wrong with never having children?

fuzzer37 6y ago
This is what I keep getting caught up on. I, for one, don't mind that my sperm count may be lower than my ancestors, or that my partners egg quality may be lower. I don't ever want to have children, so this honestly seems like a good thing to me. I know this isn't true for everyone (I'd say the majority of people _do_ want to reproduce), but for me personally, this kind of thing seems positive to indifferent at best.
- leetcrew 6y ago
  this situation seems like an unhappy midpoint though. the chance of conception is still uncomfortably high for people who don't want children, while frustratingly low for those who do.
  - fuzzer37 6y ago
    Hmm... I hadn't thought about it that way before. When you put it that way it makes more sense.
astrea 6y ago
Well, they were actively deciding to and attempting to have children, for one.
tuckerpo 6y ago
Having children and passing on your genes is literally the entire reason you exist as a living breathing organism.
- 0134340 6y ago
  I wouldn't go so far as self-righteously telling someone what their purpose in life is. Besides that, if you want to go down that road, being in a support class and being a productive, supporting member of society in other ways is an evolutionarily valid position. Perhaps someone views their life's purpose to support close family, even if they can't have any kids, or their definition of family may be much more abstract and inclusive to a larger community. Perhaps they do what they do for humanity rather than for themselves alone.
- Razengan 6y ago
  Wouldn't raping and pillaging weaker communities be the most efficient way of succeeding at that? As it had been for millennia before, I wager.
balls187 6y ago
Nothing is wrong with not having children, if that is your choice. If you want to start a family and are struggling to do so, that is very difficult to reconcile.
jonplackett 6y ago
Nothing, if you don’t want to have children. But when you do, there’s a lot wrong with it.

This is what I keep getting caught up on. I, for one, don't mind that my sperm count may be lower than my ancestors, or that my partners egg quality may be lower. I don't ever want to have children, so this honestly seems like a good thing to me. I know this isn't true for everyone (I'd say the majority of people _do_ want to reproduce), but for me personally, this kind of thing seems positive to indifferent at best.

leetcrew 6y ago
this situation seems like an unhappy midpoint though. the chance of conception is still uncomfortably high for people who don't want children, while frustratingly low for those who do.
- fuzzer37 6y ago
  Hmm... I hadn't thought about it that way before. When you put it that way it makes more sense.

astrea 6y ago

Well, they were actively deciding to and attempting to have children, for one.

tuckerpo 6y ago

Having children and passing on your genes is literally the entire reason you exist as a living breathing organism.

0134340 6y ago
I wouldn't go so far as self-righteously telling someone what their purpose in life is. Besides that, if you want to go down that road, being in a support class and being a productive, supporting member of society in other ways is an evolutionarily valid position. Perhaps someone views their life's purpose to support close family, even if they can't have any kids, or their definition of family may be much more abstract and inclusive to a larger community. Perhaps they do what they do for humanity rather than for themselves alone.
Razengan 6y ago
Wouldn't raping and pillaging weaker communities be the most efficient way of succeeding at that? As it had been for millennia before, I wager.

balls187 6y ago

Nothing is wrong with not having children, if that is your choice. If you want to start a family and are struggling to do so, that is very difficult to reconcile.

jonplackett 6y ago

Nothing, if you don’t want to have children. But when you do, there’s a lot wrong with it.