Why would anyone want to bring a child into a world like this?

[Darkover]

It baffles me how parents don't feel guilty about bringing children into this world. The state of society and the planet is only going to get worse over time, let alone in my lifetime.

Subsequent generations will be forced to deal with the effects of climate change, which will lead to global natural catastrophes. Oil resources are rapidly depleting. Poverty, which is only becoming more of an issue as time goes on. Increasing house prices. Overpopulation (the world population increased by 2 billion people in just 25 years). Species extinction. Rates of crime. The utterly terrifying amount of waste produced each second. The detrimental effects of social media on mental health. These aspects of economic, societal and environmental decline are hugely concerning. And they're only going to get worse in the next 50 years.

I barely manage to make ends meet economically, barely keep it together on the daily emotionally, and I do suffer from multiple mental and physical illenses that are at least partially genetical and will be passed on. I will never again be able to work, and I will never have enough energy to keep up with a kid. I don't hate children, but I am neither emotionally, financially, nor mentally ready to ever be a parent. I am 100% certain I would not be the parent a child deserves, and I would ultimately make them suffer the same emotional abuse my parents did with me no matter how much I would try to not do so. I can not protect them from myself any other way, so the only responsible thing is to never have children.

 

[conarc]

It baffles me how parents don't feel guilty about bringing children into this world. The state of society and the planet is only going to get worse over time, let alone in my lifetime.

Subsequent generations will be forced to deal with the effects of climate change, which will lead to global natural catastrophes. Oil resources are rapidly depleting. Poverty, which is only becoming more of an issue as time goes on. Increasing house prices. Overpopulation (the world population increased by 2 billion people in just 25 years). Species extinction. Rates of crime. The utterly terrifying amount of waste produced each second. The detrimental effects of social media on mental health. These aspects of economic, societal and environmental decline are hugely concerning. And they're only going to get worse in the next 50 years.

I barely manage to make ends meet economically, barely keep it together on the daily emotionally, and I do suffer from multiple mental and physical illenses that are at least partially genetical and will be passed on. I will never again be able to work, and I will never have enough energy to keep up with a kid. I don't hate children, but I am neither emotionally, financially, nor mentally ready to ever be a parent. I am 100% certain I would not be the parent a child deserves, and I would ultimately make them suffer the same emotional abuse my parents did with me no matter how much I would try to not do so. I can not protect them from myself any other way, so the only responsible thing is to never have children.

Parents are selfish, driven by media, religion and big companies. Basically almost everyone lives in illusions. No rational thinking and responsible person would bring a child into todays world.

 

[snoot]

You summed up all my exact thoughts. I think it's so incredibly selfish to have children, yet childfree people are the ones being told we're selfish lol. I think 99% of people who have kids don't actually take a second to think about it as deeply as those who choose not to have them.
Love the Terence pic btw.

 

[Alpercino]

I feel the same with looking for a partner, my mental state will only make it worse for both. With 28 i am already walking death, wtf is gonna happen when i am 50,60,70,80,90

 

[FuneralCry]

I see procreation as an absolutely disgusting, criminal act as existence itself is ultimately the cause of all the suffering humans go through and if humans were compassionate and aware enough to leave the non-existent alone in peace no human would ever have to suffer again.
I believe that people so cruelly and harmfully procreate because of selfish reasons or because they are so blinded by delusional beliefs.

If all humans were capable of rational thought this harmful species would have went extinct a while ago. I find it so tragic how this futile cycle of senseless cruelty continues all because of delusional humans who procreate into this hellish reality where there is no limit as to how much one can suffer.

 

[crowstepz]

parenthood is a very selfish thing honestly. you bring someone else into the world forcibly, someone who never wanted to be here, and you force them to adapt to this shitty world. i love the idea of having children, but i can't see myself ever genuinely having them.

 

[Tobacco]

The only loving parents are the ones who don't have any children

No matter how many people argue that the opposite is true, there are no loving parents, as bringing a creature into this world could never be an act of love; it is an act of pure selfishness. The child is not asking you to bring them here, you bring them here to fulfill whatever desires you have...

sanctioned-suicide.net

As you can see in the exchange in this thread, natalism is born from ignorance (you can see natalists defending themselves). They have an optimism bias that could very well be biologically imposed. They think of their children growing up to be doctors, lawyers, engineers. They don't think for a second they could be sexually abused, murdered or being caught in a fire.

"Most people love their lives, my children will grow up loving them too!".

 

[DEATH IS FREEDOM]

Animals are programmed to reproduce - even the human animal. That is why people have children. They only think about themselves. But to have children on a dying planet of suffering, wars, environmental destruction, climate change and overpopulation is stupid. Antinatalism is the only solution to these problems.

 

[Forever Sleep]

Yeah, I feel desperately sorry for children. They will grow up knowing they have been birthed onto a dying planet and it's up to them to fix it- no pressure.

 

[tiger b]

I worked with young children for many years. When discussing the environmental issues facing the world, very often they express alarm and surprise as to how it got in this state. It's quite clear who's responsible, and it isn't them.

I've had children as young as eight say how unfair it is, they never asked to be born into such a world. And pretty much the whole class, who had dropped their guard, agree with them. I never say they are wrong to feel this way - I felt the same, as I'm sure many of you do.

I think people do have children out of selfish reasons, sometimes that's understandable and sometimes less so. What put me off is if my child thought like me, that they had to experience the pain and suffering that I did, and they confronted me: how could I defend that? I couldn't. Even if I was a good parent, I'd just have perpetuated suffering on a blatantly dying planet for my own selfish desire for some mini-me. Simply liking children alone shouldn't be reason enough for having one. I mean, I like tigers but...

 

[Kattt]

I had two kids in my late teens and early twenties. That was thirty years ago now and as much as I love them more than anything, there are definitely plenty of times when I wish I hadn't done it.
In my opinion, this truly is not a world fit to bring a child into.