Discussion The 'do no harm' principle and why being born traps us all. (Anti- natilist perspective.)

[Forever Sleep]

This isn't actually in regard to the pledge doctors take to 'do no harm'. Not specifically them anyway. But, I feel like it is (or probably should be) impressed upon us, as soon as we are able to understand that our actions affect others.

In effect though- it means that we can't suicide or at least- we really struggle to emotionally because- we know it likely will cause immense harm.

It's one of the reasons I hold anti- natilist views. Because birthing someone here creates a co- dependency where their actions have such a profound effect on a parent. Even if the parent is extremely open minded, our emotional bond to them means we are emotionally responsible for them as well as (theoretically) vice versa.

That isn't a fair position to put someone in, should their life turn out to be intolerable. Which is a real possibility. I feel as if we are all born with the pledge to 'do no harm', ironically despite what harm is done to us- sometimes by parents!

 

[JassieDusk]

Good post.
I have always thought that having children is selfish, trapping them in a prison and making escape a taboo.

It's cruel to force someone into existence and not giving them the option to back out when they choose, using guilt ("i'll die if you ctb"), fear ("you'll go to hell") and threats ("we will force you into treatment") to force an individual to accept this torturous existence which continues for decades.

If we don't have a choice regarding birth, why can't we have one regarding death?

 

[badatparties]

Just go the the regretful parent sub Reddit. It's truly pathetic what humans do because of hormones.

 

[RosebyAnyName]

Reminds me of all the times my parents got frustrated at me because I wasn't coddling them. Meanwhile, they brushed me off and called me sensitive whenever I was upset.

I agree with you. Most people don't realize it, but even "good" parents don't just randomly plan to have children for nothing in return, it's never a selfless act like people pretend it is. Nobody says "I want a child that grows up to be a failure to launch social reject!," and yet, every failure to launch socially rejected adult had to come from somewhere.

Those parents who "did everything right" only had kids under the expectation that it will be rewarding in some way. In reality, parenting is almost never rewarding, people just don't want to admit they were suckered in by the propaganda. So, we get a vicious cycle of people lying about how great it is and suckering more people into having kids. The people who suffer the most are the children, who never had a choice in the first place.

 

[like_a_bird]

Just go the the regretful parent sub Reddit. It's truly pathetic what humans do because of hormones.

This and the special needs parenting subreddit are some great arguments for antinatalism

 

[ObsidianWatcher]

I decided a long time ago not to have children. At the time it was merely a decision of convenience and rebellion, as I simply didn't like the idea of raising them despite the social pressure to do so. As I got older, the world only reinforced and validated my choice. I didn't consent to this life. Even if there was some special purpose for us to exist, I did not consent to it. I won't inflict that injustice on another.

 

[avalokitesvara]

I was watching a video recently about a young man with Epidermolysis bullosa. An entire life spent in agony. His hands totally deformed and unusable due to scarring. Wounds on every inch of his body. Bandaged neck to toe. Unable to move. Blisters and wounds inside his mouth, nose and throat. Even his internal organs blistered and ruined by the condition. His hands crippled and unusable due to scar tissue. In and out of the hospital with colitis, pressure sores, blood clots, sepsis. Agony inside and outside. Unremitting. With no cure. A lifetime of that. And his mom sitting there smiling and talking about how brave her son is. Why don't we have the conversation of guilt and shame. Why would we be expected to agree that it was still better for this person to have been born than not? That his suffering is somehow valuable? I can't agree with it.

 

[TheMadmanJL]

Every time I think about my parents biggest mistake "me" I get get gas, and all I can think about is how dumb my parents really were!