I think it just boils down to cost-benefit analysis in most cases. My wife and I are happily married and decidedly childless. Why is it not justified for me to

I think it just boils down to cost-benefit analysis in most cases. My wife and I are happily married and decidedly childless. Why is it not justified for me to ask what I get out of the massive investment that goes into having kids? I don't see kids being able to support my wife and myself when we are old or even being around physically for any kind of help whatsoever. I am hardly able to do any of that for my own parents. I don't even think it makes any sense for me to have such expectations of such payback. We are told that we are missing out a deep satisfaction that supposedly comes from raising kids. I don't doubt this. However, all the costs that are associated with the pursuit of that intangible feeling seem to be very high. In my country, public education infrastructure is a sham. Cost of sending a kid to a private primary school these days will set me back by around a fifth of my salary for a mediocre one. And I am definitely in the top 10 percentile in terms of purchasing power in my country. It's quite bewildering to see some of my colleagues opt in to raising two kids and a mortgage despite that leaving them without any extra income whatsoever. They are typically 1 firing away from complete bankruptcy. I try hard not to scoff at them when they tell us we should try having kids all the while juggling desperately to make ends meet. Honestly, I consider people who choose to have kids despite not having the financial wherewithal to ensure a wholesome upbringing for them quite irresponsible bordering on immoral. It's ok to gamble with one's own life but making that choice for another human being you choose to bring in to the world is quite reprehensible IMO.