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Realistically, when parents get old, it is their children who become responsible for them. I feel like this is quite common sense... especially seeing as childr

Realistically, when parents get old, it is their children who become responsible for them. I feel like this is quite common sense... especially seeing as children inherit from their parents...

paulryanrogers 5y ago
Consider that parents may have children in their mid 40s. These children are effectively dependent until ~20. Often they'll accrue significant debt to pay for college. Then 10-15 years later their parents may need significant care. If those parents weren't wealthy or careful to save then these children could find that they've few if any years free of heavy financial or caretaking burdens. Then consider they may want children of their own. The lack of a real social safety net in the US really feels like previous generations pulling up the ladder.
- Judgmentality 5y ago
  > The lack of a real social safety net in the US really feels like previous generations pulling up the ladder. At first I misread the last word as 'latter' and I was confused because it completely reverses the meaning. English is fun sometimes.
fineIllregister 5y ago
Except parents can will nothing to their children if they choose? Many people inherit absolutely nothing from their parents.
s1artibartfast 5y ago
Parents choose to have a child and should have the responsibility to care for them. Despite this, there are still mechanisms by which parent can legally abandon their children. Children do not choose to be born, so the moral contract is different. I would agree that most people who were cared for as children should care for their elders, and should want to. But what if they hate or despise their parents. Do they “owe” for what the parents did despite never agreeing to the obligations.
- vincnetas 5y ago
  Children do not choose to be born, don't want to sound cynical, but they can undo it quite easily. If you think about it, being born is best thing that could have happened to you. Because without it actually nothing could have happened to you. So being alive is better than not to exists at all.
- notsureaboutpg 5y ago
  Choice isn't the basis of most moral contracts if you really sit and think about it. People don't choose to be born citizens of any country and yet they are still bound to be dutiful to that country, to not commit treason or undermine the country, etc. They may renounce their citizenship sure, but children can also renounce their lives (a bit more gruesome, still)

Realistically, when parents get old, it is their children who become responsible for them. I feel like this is quite common sense... especially seeing as children inherit from their parents...

paulryanrogers 5y ago

Consider that parents may have children in their mid 40s. These children are effectively dependent until ~20. Often they'll accrue significant debt to pay for college. Then 10-15 years later their parents may need significant care. If those parents weren't wealthy or careful to save then these children could find that they've few if any years free of heavy financial or caretaking burdens. Then consider they may want children of their own. The lack of a real social safety net in the US really feels like previous generations pulling up the ladder.

Judgmentality 5y ago
> The lack of a real social safety net in the US really feels like previous generations pulling up the ladder. At first I misread the last word as 'latter' and I was confused because it completely reverses the meaning. English is fun sometimes.

fineIllregister 5y ago

Except parents can will nothing to their children if they choose? Many people inherit absolutely nothing from their parents.

s1artibartfast 5y ago

Parents choose to have a child and should have the responsibility to care for them. Despite this, there are still mechanisms by which parent can legally abandon their children. Children do not choose to be born, so the moral contract is different. I would agree that most people who were cared for as children should care for their elders, and should want to. But what if they hate or despise their parents. Do they “owe” for what the parents did despite never agreeing to the obligations.

vincnetas 5y ago
Children do not choose to be born, don't want to sound cynical, but they can undo it quite easily. If you think about it, being born is best thing that could have happened to you. Because without it actually nothing could have happened to you. So being alive is better than not to exists at all.
notsureaboutpg 5y ago
Choice isn't the basis of most moral contracts if you really sit and think about it. People don't choose to be born citizens of any country and yet they are still bound to be dutiful to that country, to not commit treason or undermine the country, etc. They may renounce their citizenship sure, but children can also renounce their lives (a bit more gruesome, still)