Discussion I doubt that things like desire to have children are even "natural"

[KillingPain267]

I never thought of having children much as a teenager, then for a while I had a desire because of political ideas of "blood"lines, but when I discovered antinatalism is a thing (especially the consent argument), that desire went away literally in an instant. All due to a simple philosophical argument. At most, I think the desire to have children is natural in a way to pretend being immortal, but nothing more. And since I have no desire to be immortal (in this life and universe) I have no desire to leave a genetic mark or legacy on this earth.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

On a fundamental level, humans are biologically programmed to want to reproduce, sometimes in ways that aren't always explicitly noticeable. There is a reason why there are periods where we may notice increases in our sex drive, specifically during moments when we are at our most fertile. Urges to reproduce might be further reinforced by other factors, from politics to culture, but that biological element is still there. The desire to reproduce is a desire that is partly rooted in nature despite it also being influenced by nurture. It's also important to note that not all of our desires or urges are necessarily explicit either, so sometimes we may not consciously recognize our desire for certain things, including to reproduce.


I'm saying all of this as someone who also doesn't want kids and finds the idea of pregnancy to be repulsive. There is likely a natural aspect to to wanting to have kids. Reproduction is a goal seen amongst nearly all organisms, so I doubt that humans are exempt from this. It is just that we aren't strictly controlled by our innate urges, we are also influenced by other things that may lead some of us to not want to have kids.

 

[pollux]

It's most definitely natural and adaptive; organisms that don't want and/or care for their offspring get selected out.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

I on the other hand, after reading all the antinatalism arguments and discourse on this site and all over the web, ended up wanting to procreate more than I ever did before. Even if I have no good or rational arguments against antinatalism, my lizard brain or primal urges or whatever you call it decided that none of that matters and that it now seems way more alluring because of just how immoral it is.

 

[lamargue]

we can certainly overcome our instincts, but procreation is a matter of course in the development of modern societies, particularly in the developing moral characteristics of the age built around nuclear families. the biological sets a blueprint for how we interpret our own instincts, which are reinforced by cultural expectations toward reproduction. perhaps if in the future anti-natalism becomes commonplace, then will procreation be seen as a defiant and heroic act.

 

[AbusedInnocent]

Now that I think about it it's quite strange that I have no desire to reproduce, even though it's the most basic instinct.

I guess that lessens the load on my moral compass so I can focus it on other things, like beating SI.