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Technically that makes everyone who's over the age of 60 a sort of parasite. That doesn't mean we look down on them. Is a childless teacher refusing to do thei

Technically that makes everyone who's over the age of 60 a sort of parasite. That doesn't mean we look down on them. Is a childless teacher refusing to do their part to create the next generation? Arguably a good teacher can have more impact on society than any parent will. How about someone who invents a technology that has decades long repercussions. George Washington didn't have children. Was he a parasite taking just the benefits from society? I've got kids, but I'm not naive enough to think that people without kids are all parasites. I think a healthy society has a balance of people doing different things - raising children needs a huge amount of attention and emotional labour, and it's definitely not for everyone. But you can contribute to society in other ways.

NoMoreNicksLeft 3y ago
> Technically that makes everyone who's over the age of 60 a sort of parasite. That doesn't mean we look down on them. No, they just frontloaded their contribution. Nothing in the definition says that it has to perfectly meter out its contribution to the symbiosis so that there's never a second where it's not giving some little portion. > Is a childless teacher refusing to do their part to create the next generation? I've seen what teachers do, firsthand. It'd be better for everyone if they just sat it out and did nothing. So they're pretty far into the negative. > but I'm not naive enough to think that people without kids are all parasites. Nothing naive about it. It's just the definition of parasitism. Taking from the host, giving nothing in return. Sure, some may have some medical issues that prevent it... they have my sympathy. Maybe that's Georgie W's excuse, dunno. But for those that make it a choice, yes, 110% parasite. > I think a healthy society has a balance of people doing different things There's nothing healthy about a society that doesn't make the next generation. > and it's definitely not for everyone. The trouble is that it really is for everyone. If you think that someone else can have children for you, then you don't get to make society. Which might be a bit of a problem for you, considering that you live in it.

NoMoreNicksLeft 3y ago

> Technically that makes everyone who's over the age of 60 a sort of parasite. That doesn't mean we look down on them. No, they just frontloaded their contribution. Nothing in the definition says that it has to perfectly meter out its contribution to the symbiosis so that there's never a second where it's not giving some little portion. > Is a childless teacher refusing to do their part to create the next generation? I've seen what teachers do, firsthand. It'd be better for everyone if they just sat it out and did nothing. So they're pretty far into the negative. > but I'm not naive enough to think that people without kids are all parasites. Nothing naive about it. It's just the definition of parasitism. Taking from the host, giving nothing in return. Sure, some may have some medical issues that prevent it... they have my sympathy. Maybe that's Georgie W's excuse, dunno. But for those that make it a choice, yes, 110% parasite. > I think a healthy society has a balance of people doing different things There's nothing healthy about a society that doesn't make the next generation. > and it's definitely not for everyone. The trouble is that it really is for everyone. If you think that someone else can have children for you, then you don't get to make society. Which might be a bit of a problem for you, considering that you live in it.