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Very good points. Though I'm pretty sure that people who refer to child-free people as "evolutionary dead ends" are lashing out because they have some sense of

by Teever 3y ago

Very good points. Though I'm pretty sure that people who refer to child-free people as "evolutionary dead ends" are lashing out because they have some sense of jealousy.

sho_hn 3y ago
Jealousy of what exactly? :)
- Teever 3y ago
  I dunno, I just have a rule of thumb with online conversations that the harsher the language that someone uses the more they're doing it for personal reasons.
  - sho_hn 3y ago
    I don't think it's harsh language, it's just factual. I actually think it's more interesting why child-free people would consider it harsh or react sensitively to it, at least when it's a conscious choice.
    - Teever 3y ago
      Whether or not something is factual is besides the point. Pregnant women are smug.[0] Pregnancy often ruins women's bodies. People with five children have too many children. I consider these things to be very factual. You won't find me saying them to people though. As to why people 'react sensitively' to these kinds of comments is quite simple. People, especially women, very strongly dislike being reduced down to their reproductive ability. I guarantee you that someone like Rosalind Franklin has contributed so very much more to 'evolution' and the wellbeing of our species, however you want to measure it than your stereostypical redneck pumping out a dozen kids in the trailer park. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbTB3ASkdOo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbTB3ASkdOo
      - sho_hn 3y ago
        That's mistaking the scientific theory of evolution as we define it today for something that it isn't. I'm not making value-statements about anyone's contributions to society, because it's unrelated to modern evolutionary science. I agree people have a lot more to contribute to society than whether they have children or not. It would be patently silly to suggest otherwise. I admire a great many people who didn't or won't have any! It won't change that your hypothetical redneck passes on more genetic material than they do.

by Teever 3y ago

Very good points. Though I'm pretty sure that people who refer to child-free people as "evolutionary dead ends" are lashing out because they have some sense of jealousy.

sho_hn 3y ago

Jealousy of what exactly? :)

Teever 3y ago
I dunno, I just have a rule of thumb with online conversations that the harsher the language that someone uses the more they're doing it for personal reasons.
- sho_hn 3y ago
  I don't think it's harsh language, it's just factual. I actually think it's more interesting why child-free people would consider it harsh or react sensitively to it, at least when it's a conscious choice.
  - Teever 3y ago
    Whether or not something is factual is besides the point. Pregnant women are smug.[0] Pregnancy often ruins women's bodies. People with five children have too many children. I consider these things to be very factual. You won't find me saying them to people though. As to why people 'react sensitively' to these kinds of comments is quite simple. People, especially women, very strongly dislike being reduced down to their reproductive ability. I guarantee you that someone like Rosalind Franklin has contributed so very much more to 'evolution' and the wellbeing of our species, however you want to measure it than your stereostypical redneck pumping out a dozen kids in the trailer park. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbTB3ASkdOo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbTB3ASkdOo
    - sho_hn 3y ago
      That's mistaking the scientific theory of evolution as we define it today for something that it isn't. I'm not making value-statements about anyone's contributions to society, because it's unrelated to modern evolutionary science. I agree people have a lot more to contribute to society than whether they have children or not. It would be patently silly to suggest otherwise. I admire a great many people who didn't or won't have any! It won't change that your hypothetical redneck passes on more genetic material than they do.