AR Master on 8/7/2009 at 13:18
Birthrates in the Western world are far below the replenishing standard; we're not even breaking even. I suppose it is the inevidible end to an increasingly materialist culture, if you stay single and childless until you die you'll have a much higher quality of life and you can sleep around with anyone you want. really what is the utility of marriage and children to someone who lives to consume.
To be honest I find the "childfree" attitude an unattractive, anti-social extremism, but it's your life
Thirith on 8/7/2009 at 13:24
Quote Posted by AR Master
Birthrates in the Western world are far below the replenishing standard; we're not even breaking even. I suppose it is the inevidible end to an increasingly materialist culture, if you stay single and childless until you die you'll have a much higher quality of life and you can sleep around with anyone you want. really what is the utility of marriage and children to someone who lives to consume.
To be honest I find the "childfree" attitude an unattractive, anti-social extremism, but it's your life
That's exactly the kind of twattery that gets up my nose. You might just as well turn it around and say that people who have kids these days in spite of a surfeit of consumption and a tendency towards over-population are anti-social to an extreme. Let's not even mention how "choosing not to have kids" is equated with "sleeping around". And then ending it with the snide "but it's your life" is the cherry on top.
AR Master on 8/7/2009 at 13:29
stick it up your ass you shit who the fuck you think you are backtalking me like a little bitch
the only people overpopulating are the chinese and the muslims. if you want your next gen iphone that badly then please no do not have kids with the rest of the okcupid wiccians and prius fuckers, let your whiny, emasculated feminine genetic line wither and die like the untermensch you are
BrokenArts on 8/7/2009 at 13:32
For awhile, I didn't want kids. Why bring them into this shit hole of a planet we live on. But, accidents happen. I can't see imagine my life without her now.
Scots Taffer on 8/7/2009 at 13:36
Quote Posted by lomondtaffer
sometimes when I see a lovely, talented teenager doing something that must make their mum's heart swell with pride and love, I feel a wee pang. But hey, that's pretty rare, compared to the times I see a MONSTER throwing a tantrum in a supermarket, and think 'phew.. glad that's not mine!
Just two cents worth from a fuddy duddy traditionalist who always intended on having kids and has one young daughter now and another spawn on the way (that's all though! I'm no sadist.) but it's the tantrums and little things that are the rare moments that come nowhere touching the good stuff. Attached is an image that literally wakes me up every morning and I can't help but starting nearly every day with a smile. And that's without touching on the stuff that having a child changes about you (no, I can still make dead fetus jokes just fine actually) and that enriches you as a person. Caring about someone other than yourself can be a beneficial experience.
Even just in three and a bit years I've grown immeasurably as an adult as the result of caring and being responsible for my daughter. It's not for everyone, Dia is bang on there - too many people have kids who shouldn't and very often those who I wish were having kids aren't (career, money, other reasons why it's not "a great time right now"). I don't harbour any ill will towards those who don't want kids, I just hope that their feelings on the matter are well thought out and true to who they'll be for the rest of their lives and not just what they feel in their carefree 20s or cynical 30s.
Vasquez on 8/7/2009 at 13:40
AR, you're a prime example what I meant when I said it's not always wise to admit not wanting to have kids ;) Some people spin into this weird rage over other peoples' procreation, or lack of it.
Also, your attack is misplaced - Thirith is not voluntary childless.
Anyway, my observation is that families with children tend to consume more than people without children ;) They need/want bigger cars, bigger houses, not to mention the roomfuls of plastic cra.. I mean toys many parents seem to think their kids can't live without.
I have also heard straight from the horses mouth: "Oh I can't be bothered to think about environment and such, my children take all my time and energy!"
Of course, the real truth is that how you consume, how much you sleep around, do you have alcohol/drug problems or are you an absolutist, are you an utter, selfish asshole or not - none of that has anything to do with whether you have/want kids or not.
The global resources won't last forever with this consumption rate. Isn't it just for the better that some of us save more for your kids, by not having kids of our own?
Thirith on 8/7/2009 at 13:41
She's lovely, Scots. And from what you've posted here, she couldn't have a much better dad. And I'm not just saying that because you've got the good taste to dislike Indiana Jones IV. ;)
Scots Taffer on 8/7/2009 at 13:44
Vas, you've always struck me as someone who has a real stick up their ass when it comes to people wanting to have children - don't get me wrong, I can find a lot of parents obnoxious, ignorant and total wastes of space, the examples you cite would make my blood boil too and that's without touching on the camps that turn into pitchfork waving, torch burning looneys at the very notion of child abuse and so on (not that I don't utterly condemn such abhorrence), but that ain't all of us! I would've thought that gross generalisations were something you were above.
Vasquez on 8/7/2009 at 13:48
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
I would've thought that gross generalisations were something you were above.
Huh? :weird:
AR Master on 8/7/2009 at 13:52
Quote Posted by Vasquez
AR, you're a prime example what I meant when I said it's not always wise to admit not wanting to have kids ;) Some people spin into this weird rage over other peoples' procreation, or lack of it.
Also, your attack is misplaced - Thirith is not voluntary childless.
Anyway, my observation is that families with children tend to consume
more than people without children ;) They need/want bigger cars, bigger houses, not to mention the roomfuls of plastic cra.. I mean toys many parents seem to think their kids can't live without.
I have also heard straight from the horses mouth: "Oh I can't be bothered to think about environment and such, my children take all my time and energy!"
Of course, the real truth is that how you consume, how much you sleep around, do you have alcohol/drug problems or are you an absolutist, are you an utter, selfish asshole or not - none of that has anything to do with whether you have/want kids or not.
The global resources won't last forever with this consumption rate. Isn't it just for the better that some of us save more for your kids, by not having kids of our own?
i dont really "rage" against people who don't want to have kids; i was 14 once too. What I don't like is the attiude behind it often, that they're somehow the universe's savior because of shit like "overpopulation" or "limited resources" or "hell hole world" or "crotchspawn" or whatever. You know, if a couple is barren or just can't afford kids there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but when one is too busy being self involved and parades their decision around like it's the first step towards sainthood then it irks me. You don't see this attitude often because being childless is fairly rare still but with the internet anyone who labels themself "childfree" is generally like this in my experience
I disagree that families consume more than couples. Maybe they buy things in bulk and drive an SUV but a couple in their late 30s, early 40s committed to never having kids I can guarantee you will be spending at least an equal amount of money on things, whether trips, hobbies, vacations, etc. I've never known a childless couple to die rich on purpose
Again the birthrates in our countries have been falling for quite some time and we're below the standard for just breaking even (2.1) so people who harp about overpopulation are looking in the wrong place
