Having Children Is Irresponsible.

[rainman]

You're right, I didn't post it in my original post, but I did write it a couple of posts down. Note that in my original post, I was talking about my opinion, not saying what everyone else should do. But then, some people decided to jump in and basically compare me to Hitler and saying I am a threat to society for not wanting children. At least that's what I think he meant by 'treat'. Or maybe he meant I was a 'treat to society'. Those people should compare themselves to Hitler for not being able to accept other people's opinions.

To say the least, that post was very amusing and made my day.

[villagefarang]

My thoughts are more along the lines that children are smelly, noisy and destructive. Why would I want children when I know that I have no patience and I am entirely too selfish to spend time with them.

that was my opinion too. then i had one.

That is my opinion too and that is why I don't have one and never will.

[Acquiesce]

I have been talking to the boyfriend about adopting, he is not interested and thinks it would be strange for two gay guys to have a kid.

Oh well you can't always get what you want.

But if you try some times you just might find you get what you need.

[TAWP]

I have to apologize. My thread title was probably a bit off. As you may have all read, through the whole thread I haven't said that you shouldn't have children, I just stated that in my opinion, 1-2 should be the limit for the sake of humanity's future. I personally don't see having myself having children of my own, adoption is an entirely different thing though.

In a very non-gay way I would still like to say this: Rainman, looking over the pic of you and your missus I would say that you are requested upon mankind to have children. There is always room for good looking people.

Besides, you might find out that kids can be a load of fun too.

[llewynx]

Most 1st world countries don't have enough children to provide a decent sized work force for the future and you want to cut the population further? Forget it!

Where do you get that rediculous assumption from - the world is over populated. The main concern of many governments is depopulation. We are actually running short of resources. Immigration is a massive problem, wake up.

No, it's not. Your second last statement shows what kind of peson you are and for what reason you state such trite and false facts.

In a lot of countries, outside the few larger cities, there is huge amounts of open space. And this without having to cut any trees down or remove farms.

The overpopulation/too crowded/no space/no food-myth is just that, a myth.

We could feed everyone in the world over without problems, if transporting the food wasn't an issue. Oh, Star Trek, where is your technology now?

Oh yeah?

Overshoot day

[MrSquigle]

The only thing irresponsible about having kids is if you do not look after them as intented and as they should be.

[AlexLah]

Nobody has ever responded on my statements, so here they are again.

always thought I was a bit of a weirdo when I told people that I think/feel couples that decide to have kids do this for a few reasons.

1. Religion tells humans should reproduce

2. People are a bit bored with their relation and sort of think that having children will improve the relationship

3. Women hope the partner stays with them

4. Others feel that it is a logical result of being in a relation

Please tell us why you choose to have children?

[xyborg]

<br />Nobody has ever responded on my statements, so here they are again.<br /><br /> always thought I was a bit of a weirdo when I told people that I think/feel couples that decide to have kids do this for a few reasons.<br /><br />1. Religion tells humans should reproduce<br />2. People are a bit bored with their relation and sort of think that having children will improve the relationship<br />3. Women hope the partner stays with them <br />4. Others feel that it is a logical result of being in a relation<br /><br />Please tell us why you choose to have children?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

1 i think all religions do this otherwise no religion (not my reason)

2 yes if they are bored but then having a kid is a BIG comittment ,very big and very long and may not cure the problem. I think more affluent nations are having less children as the money saved can be spent on holidays, cars, etc enjoying your own life without the huge sacrifice of children

3 hmmmmmmmm maybe in Thailand but in the west Im not so sure about this one.

4 Dont see anything logical about having them more vanity, mini me etc etc

PS I have none at the moment.

[siamamerican]

Nobody has ever responded on my statements, so here they are again.

always thought I was a bit of a weirdo when I told people that I think/feel couples that decide to have kids do this for a few reasons.

1. Religion tells humans should reproduce

2. People are a bit bored with their relation and sort of think that having children will improve the relationship

3. Women hope the partner stays with them

4. Others feel that it is a logical result of being in a relation

Please tell us why you choose to have children?

1. Have no religion

2. Find children boring

3. Not a woman, so don't know

4. Logical or more often a consequence. Logically it doesn't add up and luckily the sex hasn't resulted in a child.

[TAWP]

Most 1st world countries don't have enough children to provide a decent sized work force for the future and you want to cut the population further? Forget it!

Where do you get that rediculous assumption from - the world is over populated. The main concern of many governments is depopulation. We are actually running short of resources. Immigration is a massive problem, wake up.

No, it's not. Your second last statement shows what kind of peson you are and for what reason you state such trite and false facts.

In a lot of countries, outside the few larger cities, there is huge amounts of open space. And this without having to cut any trees down or remove farms.

The overpopulation/too crowded/no space/no food-myth is just that, a myth.

We could feed everyone in the world over without problems, if transporting the food wasn't an issue. Oh, Star Trek, where is your technology now?

Oh yeah?

Overshoot day

Yeah, that was a credible source.

[midas]

I share the OP's views.

Having kids is nothing more than for the benefit of stroking the ego of the parents -otherwise we would all

approach raising families in a more intelligent way for the good of the planet and future generations.

We can all see that a world population of more than 6 billion is already leading to serious

environmental problems and yet we go on talking about it but do nothing. If we really

had genuine compassion for the welfare of our children and their children we would

make the difficult decisions that need to be made right now in our lifestyles to

prevent them from suffering in the future - but we don't. We just go on in our selfish way

driving SUV's and worrying more bout consumer goods

If people had real compassion for the world's children they would worry more about

taking care of all the unwanted orphans instead of making even more little clones of themselves.

We are still such a primitive species.

A friend reminded me once that in this world you need a licence these days to almost everything

- except to have kids -anyone can do that despite the consequences and depsite many

ending up being uncared for

[meemiathai]

I share the OP's views.

Me too.

[mark henry]

I think this is a silly post, we need more people not less. The population in the developed world is actually decreasing, China will soon be populated mainly by old folk and i'm led to believe Africa needs a huge increase in its population if it's ever to dig itself out of hunger/poverty.

The issue is not one of population but rather how we use the natural resources to take care of the worlds population, this means for example less land turned over to grazing for beef which is having a devastating impact on our environment, as more and more land is cleared for pasture with subsequent and significant increase in methane in the atmosphere from yes cow farts!!

[midas]

I think this is a silly post, we need more people not less. The population in the developed world is actually decreasing, China will soon be populated mainly by old folk and i'm led to believe Africa needs a huge increase in its population if it's ever to dig itself out of hunger/poverty.

The issue is not one of population but rather how we use the natural resources to take care of the worlds population, this means for example less land turned over to grazing for beef which is having a devastating impact on our environment, as more and more land is cleared for pasture with subsequent and significant increase in methane in the atmosphere from yes cow farts!!

your post is equally silly ! whoever told you that ? We need more humans that

can be useful resources may be but not just breeding for the sake of breeding!

So you're saying it doesn't matter who has children or where

as long as we breed furiously -okay lets encourage all the Africans to breed like buggery

- ten kids each ?what's so they can have more fighting or they can all hop on more boats to escape to Europe

which they think is the promised land And in China doesn't matter to you that the Gobi desert

is now almost at the doorstep of Beijing and at the Olympic Games next year we will see

just how good quality of the air is ? The issue is most definitely the population

[AlexLah]

The OP'S question and consideration on overpopulation is real.

Governements are working on this, some are obvious some are secret meassures taken.

- An obvious one, One child policy in China.

- Minors who are pregnant in the US can have an abortion withouth parental notification.

- Madeline Albright insisted that the word "genocide" must not be used in the conflict in Rwanda where over a million people where killed.

- More people die of malaria compared to HIV, no cure has yet introduced same for HIV by the way.

- DDT was used against mosquitos and proved to be very effective but was withdrawn just because of that.

- Darfur, you wanna know how many people die there each day?

I can give many more examples but if you want to know about what is being done to control and reduce the population please do some research yourself.

Open your eyes and educate yourself and others.

Stop looking TV and reading the mainstraem media.

The world is not what it seems.

Alex

Edited October 12, 2007 by AlexLah

[Ulysses G.]

- DDT was used against mosquitos and proved to be very effective but was withdrawn just because of that.

-Open your eyes and educate yourself and others.

-Stop looking TV and reading the mainstraem media.

Read underground comic books and nutty Internet sites while taking large doses of pure LSD. Only then will you know the truth!

[tartempion]

It's far worse than what you might think.

In fact the human species is the worst thing that happened to this planet.

If anyone thinks we are a positive contribution to the universe...well....

I do regret John F. Kennedy did not nuke the planet.

We are the cancer of the universe.

[sibeymai]

IMHO, there is a degree of irresponsibility, or at least selfishness, to have your own children when there are so many orphans or kids who need good parents. If ever there was an argument for not having kids this surely must be number 1. Don't all the kids already here deserve caring parents before creating any more ?

Unfortunately it's not always easy to convince one's partner of the above, thus before the detectives amongst the TV community accuse me of being a hypocrite I'll admit my wife and mine's selfishness in having our own baby.

Much the same really as buying a new car when the world probably has enough for sale in second hand car yards that there'd still be enough cars to go around even if new ones weren't produced for some time.

Human nature I guess...greed and selfishness will destroy us all in the end.

[jumnien]

Why did I have a kid? Well, someone had me and I felt like it was the least I could do to return the favor! It looks like my son is rather enjoying it!

[mrt273nva]

no need to worry. we have wonderful diseases such as cancer and AIDS that help to control the population. as the population continues to grow there will be more disease to naturally curb the population. if there isn't then there is a term known as "population bomb" which will doom our species. but personally i have faith in illness and death.

[AlexLah]

- DDT was used against mosquitos and proved to be very effective but was withdrawn just because of that.

-Open your eyes and educate yourself and others.

-Stop looking TV and reading the mainstraem media.

Read underground comic books and nutty Internet sites while taking large doses of pure LSD. Only then will you know the truth!

Please show me I am wrong.

I like to know the truth, how about you?

As far as taking LSD, did you ever try taking any mind altering substances?

Stay in your cave, the truth will come out even without you.

I do not need any drugs to find the thruth.

[MrSquigle]

My 2yo daughter, cute as a button...came up to me today and said 'daddy I love you big as the sky'

Thats enough reason.

[Neeranam]

Wouldn't you want some kids?

If yes, you can have mine - they're driving me crazy!

Edited October 13, 2007 by Neeranam

[Lucifer]

"The Sky's Falling In, The Sky's Falling In"

World population growth is a proven fact, the sky falling ...um, isn't. So why don't we leave that away?

Take a look at these numbers:

World Population in 1804: 1 billion

Years until next billion: 123

World Population in 1927: 2 billion

Years until next billion: 34

World Population in 1961: 3 billion

Years until next billion: 13

World Population in 1974: 4 billion

Years until next billion: 13

World Population in 1987: 5 billion

Years until next billion: 12

World Population in 1999: 6 billion

Years until next billion: 12

World Population in 2011: 7 billion

Years until next billion: 13

World Population in 2024: 8 billion

Notice at how we've somewhat stabilized the growth rate to the next billion? That's a start, but it's not going to solve our future problems. We're still going to have a billion more in a few years. Earth doesn't have an unlimited amount of resources or space.

If only your parents were as smart as you.

[Lucifer]

no need to worry. we have wonderful diseases such as cancer and AIDS that help to control the population. as the population continues to grow there will be more disease to naturally curb the population. if there isn't then there is a term known as "population bomb" which will doom our species. but personally i have faith in illness and death.

....and George Bush...don't forget him. He's doing a sterling job.

[meemiathai]

I am quite sad and disappointed with the existing behaviour of human beings. I see from my eyes this world full of brutalities, coldness and sufferings. Is it true, is it just my imagination, or is it just me going mentally ill?

I am watching a program on TV now saying how the Great Apes are dissappearing on earth. Is it true or is it just propaganda?

They are disappearing due to them ending as bushmeat and loss of habitat.

There are so many sad things in this world:

people in Myanmar,

people in North Korea,

seeing politicians and government officials lying in public makes me sick. (I work in the government and have seen the ugly faces of high rank government officials in person and the beautiful faces of them in TV)

So many things can be named. Do I want any children? NO. Will I have any, most probably yes, for the sake of my wife.

I am not saying that there aren't any good in life but the bad things and problems outweigh the good things enormously.

[PeaceBlondie]

We need the best kind of people to solve the future problems of the world. Being childless will not help solve problems, unless you spend the rest of your life solving them. I don't think we need a billion more hopelessly poor, diseased people, but we do need a few million more good problem solvers.

[meemiathai]

The problem with problems of the world is that human beings don't think that there are problems. It is only a problem when it is your problem , once it is passed to another person, it is no longer a problem.

I don't think things are ever going to change. This is the nature of life. Be it human beings or animals. We have been killing and hurting each other for centuries and the only things that have changed are the methods.

[AlexLah]

I am happy to see from the responses some people here have an open mind.

Take care all.

[dieter1]

Rainman:

I think the main reason for you not wanting kids is something else , not what you are saying. May be a feeling of being unsecured, of your future, your partnership, not trusting yourselve, whatever.

Overpopulation is not a problem for the societies in the first world. In these countries, there is enough food and children can have a good education. In fact, nowadays we don't have enough kids to full fill the needs of the economy in Europe !

Kids with good education-university degrees. We don't need people from Africa ore wherever, who don´t have a good education or are not willing to integrate in our society. In Germany, half of woman with university degrees have no children.

The most children have Muslim people, especially from Turkey. Most of them are not willing to integrate in our society. even in the 3 th generation, they are not able to speak German in a correct way. At home (in Germany)

they still speak Turkish. Germany is only their second language (born in Germany !) Most of them are not able to get higher degrees in school.

In a ranking for education, Germany loose its place every year. Countries like Singapore, China, India etc. are doing better every year, Germany is struggling to hold the niveau. In Germany, we have now about 1.2 children per couple !

So don´t tell me of irresponsibility of having children. The world is in need of well educated young people like my daughter, who feel responsible for this world.