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AIBU?

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to think you can't understand climate science and want kids

257 replies

sensiblefootwear · 18/08/2026 18:32

Hoping that people will (gently, with good evidence) tell me I'm BU.

I love children and have always wanted them. But for the past few years and especially this year I'm finding the science on climate change and the tangible effects of it (houses on fire in nearby towns, schools so hot people's children have been sent home after fainting, looming food and water shortages, etc etc) increasingly difficult to ignore and I can't help but thinking it's an incredibly unwise decision to choose to bring another life into this world.

To be clear, I'm not talking about choosing not to have children because I think it will somehow have any impact on the climate, because of course it won't. I'm talking about choosing not to have them to spare them the horror of what's to come in the next few decades.

Am I being unreasonable to feel this way? I'd really love to hear from people who genuinely understand climate science and know where things are heading, but are still staying firm in their decision to have children in the future.

OP posts:
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BermudaRhombus · 18/08/2026 22:54

Atleastitsnotsunstroke · 18/08/2026 22:48

Well they might decide to get involved, learn green skills, be part of finding solutions so you are unreasonable to assume its all fucked.

This is probably one of the most common points put forward on these threads, that “my child might be the one who fixes climate change”. The odds of that are significantly less than vanishingly small.

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:53

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:51

It's ok it all evens up in the end when we get to choose what care home they go in!

I love my parents. My children love me. And at some point you become functioning independent adults.

warmheartcoldfeet · 18/08/2026 22:53

The instinct to reproduce is the strongest drive in every living thing on earth. It is embedded permanently and deeply into the physiology and psychology of every human.

Reproduction will never stop.

The world isn't going to end.

Humans will survive.

malware · 18/08/2026 22:51

You're obviously a reflective person who is very responsible and take existentital problems seriously. Have you considered that if people like you don't reproduce, but people who don't think as deeply about big problems do, we'll probably be even more screwed?

I'd say you need to reproduce lots.

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:51

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:48

😂 😂 😂 😂

It's ok it all evens up in the end when we get to choose what care home they go in!

BermudaRhombus · 18/08/2026 22:51

Bunnyofhope · 18/08/2026 22:44

Is this a serious question? Yes of course, many many people wish they hadn't been born.

I think there are probably two groups here: (i) those who actively wish they hadn’t been born (or, given the choice, would choose not to have been born); and (ii) those who just recognise that if they hadn’t been born they wouldn’t exist and wouldn’t be missing anything, even if they happen to enjoy their life. I’m more in the second category, but that’s because I am blessed to have a very comfortable life. If things become very tough (be that climate change/ AI / whatever), I imagine there will be many more people falling in the first category.

Atleastitsnotsunstroke · 18/08/2026 22:48

Well they might decide to get involved, learn green skills, be part of finding solutions so you are unreasonable to assume its all fucked.

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:48

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:47

I don't believe in god but to play god to me is creating life and deciding for others they'll have to live on this planet for decades because you've decided what's best for them. It's basically ultimate power and control over another person.

😂 😂 😂 😂

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:47

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:41

How is it playing god? What does playing god mean to you? You suppose and existence of a "god".

I don't believe in god but to play god to me is creating life and deciding for others they'll have to live on this planet for decades because you've decided what's best for them. It's basically ultimate power and control over another person.

Nousernameideaaga · 18/08/2026 22:46

I agree with you OP

I have children. But the world I brought them into felt vastly different than the one we live in now.

I am scared for their futures

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:45

Bunnyofhope · 18/08/2026 22:44

Is this a serious question? Yes of course, many many people wish they hadn't been born.

Okay

Flamingojune · 18/08/2026 22:45

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:39

You're literally responsible for other people being alive. How is it not playing god?

That requires a belief in 'god'

Olive123456 · 18/08/2026 22:45

It's probably for the best if you don't have children.

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:44

BermudaRhombus · 18/08/2026 22:39

Well I enjoy my life, but I wouldn’t be fussed if I hadn’t been born. I wouldn’t know any different.

Exactly. It's obviously very hard for some people to think in the abstract and realise if they weren't born that they simply wouldn't care about life or this planet.

Bunnyofhope · 18/08/2026 22:44

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:34

Does anyone here wish they weren't born?

Is this a serious question? Yes of course, many many people wish they hadn't been born.

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:41

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:39

You're literally responsible for other people being alive. How is it not playing god?

How is it playing god? What does playing god mean to you? You suppose and existence of a "god".

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:40

BermudaRhombus · 18/08/2026 22:39

Well I enjoy my life, but I wouldn’t be fussed if I hadn’t been born. I wouldn’t know any different.

I'm quite happy to be alive.

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:39

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:37

"played god" - having children biologically and normally. If no one has kids the human race just dies out and goes extinct

You're literally responsible for other people being alive. How is it not playing god?

BermudaRhombus · 18/08/2026 22:39

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:34

Does anyone here wish they weren't born?

Well I enjoy my life, but I wouldn’t be fussed if I hadn’t been born. I wouldn’t know any different.

YesIKnowThatThankyou · 18/08/2026 22:39

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:30

I'm convinced there are people out there that have no concept that their kids aren't just objects for their own fulfilment. It wouldn't even cross their mind in a million years to think "would my child actually want to be born"? It's all "me me me, how can I make my own life better?"

Some people maximise their own joy and others try to minimise the suffering of others. The people who have kids probably will win the game of life just because they don't care about the cost.

I agree. I think life would be much more bearable if you can be selfish and not give any / little regard to the implications and impact you have on others (including your children), the environment and other species.

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:37

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:37

I could've done without being here.

Ok

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:37

"played god" - having children biologically and normally. If no one has kids the human race just dies out and goes extinct

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:37

JjfLea · 18/08/2026 22:34

Does anyone here wish they weren't born?

I could've done without being here.

BermudaRhombus · 18/08/2026 22:36

MyLimeGuide · 18/08/2026 22:32

I mean, if everyone had that attitude!

The global population would decline rather than grow from its current level of over 8 billion people.

Firefly1987 · 18/08/2026 22:35

@BermudaRhombus no I know. And yet there are plenty of people who wished they weren't. But their parents played god and made the decision for them.

It genuinely blows my mind that parents get that kind of responsibility to literally create life-80 years of drudgery on this planet all down to your parents decisions!