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?

The birth rate is dropping but there are more people to have kids in the first place and people are living longer so the population of the world is growing by about 67 million a year. We don’t need more people, the world is very overpopulated already. I don’t think it’s necessarily selfish to have kids (it is a very natural thing) but we certainly shouldn’t use the argument that we need more kids to support our aging population because we are killing the planet already and we don’t own it! Humans seem to think our needs trump that of the planet. We should look for other ways such as AI to support our aging population.

Let me guess, you’ve got kids but you had them during the Cold War when things were oh so much better and brighter 😂😂.

If everyone stops having children we'll go extinct

I think some actually want that. Not for them of course but others.

We are mammals. We’re programmed to keep ourselves alive and reproduce. All the navel gazing in the world will never stop this.

The birth rate is dropping but there are more people to have kids in the first place and people are living longer so the population of the world is growing by about 67 million a year. We don’t need more people, the world is very overpopulated already. I don’t think it’s necessarily selfish to have kids (it is a very natural thing) but we certainly shouldn’t use the argument that we need more kids to support our aging population because we are killing the planet already and we don’t own it! Humans seem to think our needs trump that of the planet. We should look for other ways such as AI to support our aging population.

So take a poor country in Africa where someone in poverty might have 4 dc. That family will have a smaller carbon footprint than a couple in the West & likely experience more effects from Western consumption & will die earlier. What right do we have to say to that mother & father you shouldn’t be having that many dc?

You could say that the biological desire to reproduce is in itself a selfish act, but then so are many other human desires and actions. We're essentially programmed (to different levels) to want to survive and produce young, just like all other animals, and we also adapt to our environment, just like other animals.

Because those dc might starve? Having dc to match your conditions is a start.

Turn this argument on its head, OP. If we should be so worried about population growth, why should we try so hard to keep people alive? Why save premature babies? Why keep people on life support machines? Why use antibiotics and immunisations - why don't we just let infections and disease run riot so that population increase isn't as much of an issue?

Nope If I'm not at work I sleep because I genuinely hate life. If I didn't have a fear of pain I'd have ended my life by now. I just don't see the point of my existence, don't see the point of being here, So why would I bring a child into the world and put them in this horrible world and misery of life? It is selfish to have kids but it's not wrong but because of how my life is I will never bring anyone into this world.

Throughout history, sorry to be sarky but history meaning before 20th century modern life. Waaay before anyone's living memory now

Speak for yourself, I did a deep dive into the possible state of the world for the next 100 years before deciding whether to have a child. Pretty poor show if you didn't 😁

Turn this argument on its head, OP. If we should be so worried about population growth, why should we try so hard to keep people alive? Why save premature babies? Why keep people on life support machines? Why use antibiotics and immunisations - why don't we just let infections and disease run riot so that population increase isn't as much of an issue?

Quite.

Honestly, women can't do anything right. We're selfish if we have kids, we're selfish if we don't. It's exhausting 😩

To answer your question, I think it is selfish to knowingly have more children than you can financially or emotionally cope with.

We need kids though. As pp have pointed put we will be in a very bleak position if people stop having them

This comes from someone who doesn't have them.

Throughout history, sorry to be sarky but history meaning before 20th century modern life. Waaay before anyone's living memory now

😆😆😆

Completely agree. It's the problem that you aren't allowed to mention. Too many people in the world. But will have to reduce the expected standard of living to enable reduction of population.

I know some think history means "the 70s" lol

When looking back on family trees it wasn't uncommon to have 6/7/8 children. There wasn't the expectations like nowadays though and certainly no state one supported them!

The average age may have been 50 for a lot of history but that's because of infant mortality. If you made it to adulthood, you had a good chance to make it to old age.

This is smart. But we need smart people to keep reproducing so it cancels itself out.

The population is on course to drop once the 20th century baby boom has lived out their lives. By 2050 it will start shrinking. We need more babies not less!

Choosing to have children now or in the past is of course about personal desires its never been about what’s best for the world! Who on earth ever said I would rather not have a child but i will as its good for society.

Honestly, women can't do anything right. We're selfish if we have kids, we're selfish if we don't. It's exhausting 😩

Haha this! Besides, I doubt the people saying its "selfish" to have kids will be saying that when they are elderly and infirm and there are less doctors, health professionals, and paid carers to look after them and support them in their old age. I wonder if then they'll be happy to struggle on alone so selflessly?

Can we keep the deranged anti-natalism on Reddit pls

In the UK no our birth rate is falling, in Africa maybe.

It wasn't a choice to have large families.