What if your child never wanted to be born?

[Anonymous]

It's hypothetical,

and I'm not saying that he's depressed and wants to commit suicide

The fact that he had no choice/consent in wanting to be born, it was forced upon him simply by the selfish actions of the parents to carry on their genes

The fact that there is a guarantee of suffering in someones life and a potential risk of great suffering

why have a child only for it to experience suffering

it seems almost irresponsible

it doesn't matter that people have lived good lives or that there is good, it's just that there may be bad which shouldn't be brought upon someone

If life ends, suffering ends

Opinions?

('antinatalism')

[TwistedLogic]

Man, this is unbelievable, I was talking with a friend about this yesterday! I wanted him to tell me one reason of having kids that isn't selfish, and he failed.

Having children was originally done for the purpose of expansion and survival, and then when kingdoms were formed and the concept of war was introduced, kings, and rulers started promoting this idea to accumulate larger numbers of people to serve them and fight for them. Then religions came along and emphasized this idea.

I remember asking my mother and father about why did they ever had me and my sister. My father said that "your child is an improved version of yourself, you get to correct the mistakes you have done through him", which is funny because my dad and I are complete opposites and he's never been involved in my problem-solving process. My mother, however, told me that I will understand when I get married, and I will not comment on that lol.

The reason I think people are having children nowadays is because everyone else is doing it. It's like "the right thing to do" or like a common social function that everyone has to go through. Not to mention they think that it's a sign of responsibility and maturity. Frankly, I can understand adopting more than having children, because when you adopt a child you're saving a life of a human being, and providing him/her a better environment. But those people in Africa who live under the worst conditions (and I'm not trying to ridicule them or anything) keep having more and more children, for what purpose? Survival?! It's really unfair and ignorant.

It makes me laugh when people say that you should be forever thankful to your parents for everything they've gone through to get you here, lol. Nobody really asked them to do that, they chose to have a child and they agreed on everything that comes along with that. Some would respond and say: "well, they could have been abusive and sh*tty parents", to make you feel as if you are the luckiest person on Earth...

Lol, I just reread your question, and I realized that there's no question to answer. So, I guess I should stop typing. xD

[Asker]

yeah it was just to gage opinions

I just found out about it yesterday

and it was really thought-provoking

[yopyopyop]

It is uncaring and selfish.

That's why some people shouldn't think the work is done once the baby is born. It's a 30 years long effort.

But if you look closely, you'll notice that everything ever undertaken on this planet is uncaring, and that selfishness is one of the greatest engines of mankind.

[Asker]

but there always be suffering as long as life lives

always someone who is affected

having a child when it will experience suffering

is wrong

life is just a wildfire happening in the universe

and it's better if it ended

[yopyopyop]

Suffering is part of the random game called "life". What I mean is don't get kids if you're not going to take the responsibility for them. People seem to only want children because they want them. What makes the difference between a happy child and one who will grow up as bitter, is how they are taken care of. And that's the longest term thing human beings have to face in their life.

[Asker]

it wouldn't matter if this person was happy

with life, comes with it suffering

When a supernova happens it isn't evil when it obliterates anything

only living things can apply to suffering

so it's better if there were none

[dwiller943]

Well babies can't choose. And some of us want kids. And it's not the world that's fucked up. It's PEOPLE. And we need to continue having people in this world. Problem is, is that not enough people are being taught how to make the world a better place.

[Freetobe007]

I'd feel like I had failed as a parent because it was my duty to build a framework for their lives that made them love the way their life is

[yesokfine]

I would tell him I completely understand because life sux big time. And if he feels this way as a child wait til he gets out in the real world as an adult. No one prepares you in school for how F-in tough life is, all the A holes you come across, and the injustice in this world is beyond comprehension and never ending. I often wish I was never born. I hate life. I really do.

[Asker]

it's different,

if you're family were rich and you had a wife and kids

had a job you love

you probably wouldn't be unhappy

for the hypothetical child his life doesn't matter

to the suffering that happens to everyone

where there is life there will always be suffering

[yesokfine]

ur probly right but I'm none of those things

[Asker]

yes, but you realize you could be happy

if you had those things

just have to strive for it

[josesmaf]

What if my child never wants to die? Tough luck, it happens. It's the situation you're in, so what will you make of it? Will you make the world a better place despite your troubles, or will you wallow in what seems like misery? It's the decision you have to make daily. You either get better or worse each day. What will it be?

[Asker]

it's not your decision to make whether it should be born

as long as there is life there will always be suffering

you can't reduce to that to zero

unless life ends

[josesmaf]

When you say it's not my decision to make that my child should be born, what exactly do you mean?

[josesmaf]

The shadow proves the sunshine.

[Asker]

the child doesn't choose

you force it to be born

[josesmaf]

Nature forces the birth. I do not stop it.

[Love_is_in_the_air]

what have you been smoking? how can something without a brain make a decision?

life is a blessing not a curse

[Asker]

how is it a blessing?

what if someone didn't want to be born

[Love_is_in_the_air]

Its survival instinct, there's a reason animals don't wana die and we are animals too

[Asker]

survival from what?

suffering,

so if life would end suffering would end

it's not a popularity contest on what's logical

[MyNameIsJonas]

Then roll over and die.

[Asker]

It would cause suffering to others

which anti-natalists are against

somebody has to spread the word

[tenofthepeaks]

so you're a depressive? ok.