To think that having kids is selfish in today’s world?

[WorthyRedBeaker]

With the planet facing overpopulation, climate change, and dwindling resources, isn’t it selfish to keep having kids? AIBU to think that choosing to have children now is more about personal desires than about what’s best for the world?

Great place to ask this question!

Not this one again OP

Everyone stop having children immediately because the OP has spoken and see what happens in 40-50 years time.

OP are you always this silly, naive and ignorant

The UK's birth rate is slowly declining. So who are you aiming the question at, OP? Other countries? Immigrants to this country who come with large families? Would you like to tell other countries that they should stop breeding?

I don't think that is normal thinking. Are you getting help? Many people die too young so why don't you try and enjoy it?

The only purpose of the human race is to procreate. If everyone decided that was too selfish and 'the planet' is more important, what do you think would happen?

I guess it's selfish to get health care as well.

People used to die when they were about 40-50 years old, now they go and get better and live much longer which is terrible for the planet 🤔

Yes indeed. Back when I had my children 30 years ago, I sat down and thought long and hard about whether it was best for the world. Had it not been I'd not have dreamed of putting my desires before 'the world' and I don't know anyone who would. These days people are very selfish.

I would never stop eating meat. Wouldn't bother me to not fly again. Currently pregnant with third. Accident but a happy one

No, I said, “incentivize not having children.” That’s different than punishing people for having children.

Isn't that what life's as all about in the end?

Having kids who you know will be brought up in poverty is selfish certainly. There's a difference between falling on hard times with existing kids in tow to bringing kids into the world when living in hard times.

Throughout history people had big families, people struggled but little was expected of people as most were in the same boat, expectations were lower (as in what material possessions you had/no high fly careers/fancy cars/big houses), and no one expected anyone to pay for their kids.

We now live in times where having more kids (usually) requires more on the state, there's less family help around, and life expectancy is far longer so the pressure is high all round!

Among traditional western cultures. Plenty of other cultures (i.e. Muslim/parts of Africa) still have plenty of kids and won't be slowing down.

It's true that incentivising people (women tbh) to not have children is very effective. The more educated, and therefore more likely to have control of their lives and ability to make money, the women of a country are, the lower the birth rate.

No point incentivising Western countries though as we're already mostly falling below replacement level. Concentrate your efforts in Sub Saharan Africa and improving women's prospects in those countries = fewer babies and the ones that they do have will be more likely to be well and thrive.

Throughout history people had big families, people struggled but little was expected of people as most were in the same boat, expectations were lower (as in what material possessions you had/no high fly careers/fancy cars/big houses), and no one expected anyone to pay for their kids.

When was this?

There was certainly more social & council housing when I was young.
The equivalent to child benefit wasn’t means tested.
FSM had a higher threshold (it hasn’t increased)
The 2 child benefit cap only came in about 8 yrs ago.

We now live in times where having more kids (usually) requires more on the state, there's less family help around, and life expectancy is far longer so the pressure is high all round!

People aren’t having loads of dc though?

AIBU to think that choosing to have children now is more about personal desires than about what’s best for the world?

As opposed to when? 30 years ago when it was also more about personal desires? 100 years ago when there was less choice about it (contraception etc), but it certainly wasn't about what was best for the world?
When has anyone ever had a child because it's what is best for the world?

Well it's pretty self regulating. At some point of population collapse, society will collapse, at which point contraception will no longer be available...

Well it's pretty self regulating. At some point of population collapse, society will collapse, at which point contraception will no longer be available...

Plenty of other cultures (i.e. Muslim/parts of Africa) still have plenty of kids and won't be slowing down.

They are slowing down though.

“The IHME study said by 2050, more than three quarters of the countries will be below replacement rate. By 2100, it will be 97%.”

“The only countries projected to have more than 2.1 by then are Samoa, Somalia, Tonga, Niger, Chad and Tajikistan.”

It's a biological imperative for most people and for the species. Children have been born into war, feudalism, plague, serfdom etc. Selfish or altruistic doesn't really enter into it.

There's an absolutely nutso couple in the US who have children for the good of the world because their genes are so fabulous. I think they may even be part of some movement to spread middle class New Yorker seed.

Edit: This lot - America’s premier pronatalists on having ‘tons of kids’ to save the world: ‘There are going to be countries of old people starving to death’ | Life and style | The Guardian

AIBU to think that choosing to have children now is more about personal desires than about what’s best for the world?

Why did your parents think you were best for the world as opposed to a personal want?

Potayto potahto. I'm sure the Chinese government felt they were "incentivising" not having children. Anyway, the end result is the same. Too few young people trying to support an aging population. An inverted triangle is very unbalanced, and you'll find lots of Asian counties now trying to up the birth rate to compensate, essentially incentivising having kids. Lol. Alongside most of the Western world, in the UK fertility rate is below the replacement level anyway, so there's no need to incentivise not having kids. It'll naturally even out.

There is no actual "purpose" to the human race, though. It just is. As individuals we just have to be. And, if we think it's only right that we should try to live our lives to their natural end, avoid dying early if at all possible. This has been much easier to achieve the past 100 years or so, so there is no purpose in having lots of children because we don't now have as much of a risk of earlier death through disease or loss of the infants or mothers during birth.

When has anyone ever had a child because it's what is best for the world?

And dont people realise people in the UK are having less dc?

If everyone stops having children we'll go extinct