Is it wrong to get pregnant in today's world?

Originally posted by becomingaware
The first step is to understand that there is an opportunity for each and everyone of us.

People survive on instinct. Humans are very adaptive to the world around us, give yourself some credit. The world won't fall to pieces if we don't allow it. If we don't have kids, and teach them what principles to live by, then who will? Don't ever give up, don't ever give in.

Im about to be a new father, and I struggle everyday. Life is tough. My father died in 07' and something that he used to tell me is "anything worth doing, should always be a challenge".

I'm with you becomingaware. My wife and i are expecting our third son at around the end of the month.

Though i must admit that i had doubts about having another child, for some of the reasons stated in the OP, in the end my decision was based on the following:

1. If we stop having children, we have already given up on life.
2. I do my best to raise my children to be free and critical thinkers with an open mind, and the world can never have enough of those.
3. I already have two children, and so i know that it is impossible to regret having a child.

Soulwaxer

reply to post by Domo1


I Agree with you entirely...

I had a similar conversation with my 80 year old aunt about not having kids, her response was as follows.

"I grew up when a mad man was trying to conquer the world, where the US had been attacked on its own soil, when millions lost their lives in WW2, I saw Japanese friends being taken away by their own government to internment camps. We didn't not have kids because the world was so bad, we had kids in the hope it would make the world better, that by raising them right they would be a force for good in the world, that you would be creating someone who you would raise to be better than you where, yes we thought the world was bad but we knew we could change it... I don't know whats wrong with your generation, seems to me its selfish and lazy"

I just stood there staring at her, she kinda had a point.

She also said that the "worlds always ending, the question is are you willing to try and hold it off for a little longer."

reply to post by daynight42


I would like to point out that not everyone "gets pregnant". Some people do plan to have children and take the time to ensure their child will be born into a loving, supportive, and secure family situation.

I'm not sure why you think the world is any worse now than it was at any time in the past? There have always been wars and plagues and famines and crime and evil people and portents of doom. What makes it different now?

Yes, the world's problems weigh heavily on our consciousness because, through the recent addition of technology to our world, we can now see everyone's problems at the click of a mouse.

We have become a society of worriers and have forgotten how to be warriors.

Be a warrior for change, and you will not have to wonder about how the future will be - you will be making it!

It really is a personal decision whether or not to bring children into the world, but do not despair. Not all of our children will live awful lives. Some of them will make our world a much better place through their compassion and empathy and motivation.

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by Amanda5

 

So go over there and help them. Sell you computer, cancel the internet and send the money. You having a kid isn't going to change anything and I was not referring to you caring about others, rather statements like this:

"Send more money" and there'll be16 mouths to feed...
youtu.be...

Originally posted by Domo1

Students come to school and struggle to focus - to learn - to participate - to even try - it's as if they know they have been born into the world at a very difficult time.

Best time in the history of mankind. Sure, if you're living in Africa or some third world hell hole I can understand the bellyaching but seriously, you are on the internet, complaining life is rough. It's pathetic.

edit on 12-12-2011 by Domo1 because: (no reason given)

reply to post by daynight42


Short answer is no.
You might as well ask the question was it ok to get pregnant during the crusades?
Or during the times of any sort of killing or genocides.

Should you not get pregnant because you may give birth to the next hitler?

All those questions are moot. The human race only survives if we have children.

To not bear kids would be going against the words in the bible.

Well....

I really dont think the world is as bad as some folk make out,

Yeah economy is all over the place, we are on the brink of a possible war, the earth is going through a cold cycle (from all evidence of previous cold cycles) and there is genuine scientific thought towards the dangers of the sun based radiation hitting the earth and a possible pole shift of sorts being a concern....


However... waking up and your child being there in the morning, is amazing... seeing the look on his (or her) face when you play with them, helping them to learn, teaching them, being there evrything makes all the things complained about worth while,... makes me a stronger person... im not going to complain about the above, im going to do what needs to be done for my family, and its because of my family i have the will and strength to do it...

i think if everyone had the chance to be a father (or a mother) no matter what the world is like around us in the west you should, its puts all the worlds problem into perspective, my life isnt so bad.. and guys if your online complaining about the world from your own computer... in the grand scheme of things your life isnt really.


so no... its not wrong getting pregnant in todays world, infact it would be an awsome reality check for doom and gloomers so certain the world will be over next week.



Just my thoughts though.

Your question would require people actually giving consideration to the merits of reproduction. In this world that is the exception and not the rule. People allow their instinct and ignorance to rule their bodies and minds, for most a child is brought into this world because it either happens or they want it despite the means to care for it. It is a symptom of the selfish disease that wraps itself around every tenant and action in peoples lives and the destruction laid in it's wake is evident in the world we live in today.

Having a child in absolutely no way makes you a better person or superior to others. It proves nothing more than you are a creature bound to your instinct and if you do well you did it right but for most it's just a long trail of self righteous delusion. It also makes people miserable, some may find joy in it but count them the few because so many lies follow ones progeny it's a wonder why there are so many of us in the first place.

Me; I will just sit back and enjoy what life has to offer without self inflicted burdens, delusions or stress blessed with a partner who shares my views. Good luck to you though.

Originally posted by LaughingatHumanity
Your question would require people actually giving consideration to the merits of reproduction. In this world that is the exception and not the rule. People allow their instinct and ignorance to rule their bodies and minds, for most a child is brought into this world because it either happens or they want it despite the means to care for it. It is a symptom of the selfish disease that wraps itself around every tenant and action in peoples lives and the destruction laid in it's wake is evident in the world we live in today.

Having a child in absolutely no way makes you a better person or superior to others. It proves nothing more than you are a creature bound to your instinct and if you do well you did it right but for most it's just a long trail of self righteous delusion. It also makes people miserable, some may find joy in it but count them the few because so many lies follow ones progeny it's a wonder why there are so many of us in the first place.

Me; I will just sit back and enjoy what life has to offer without self inflicted burdens, delusions or stress blessed with a partner who shares my views. Good luck to you though.

See maybe having kids isnt for everyone... if you feel it would be a self inflicted burden then its probably better you dont have a child, if you feel you cant support a child then again yes i agree you shouldnt have one.


I know there are many parents on this site that will disagree... its somthing i never new could be a thing untill i had a child but any amount of what you class as burden that i would actually class as occasional slight hardships are more than outweighed by the enjoyment you have from having a child, the feeling of being a parent, getting to bring another (hopefully) well rounded human into society.

I can honestly say without a shadow of a doubt the single greatest thing i have ever done, the best i have felt about myself and the happiest i have been in my life was to have a child, i didnt even know i was unhappy untill i discovered how happy it made me.

I've thought about this a lot, especially since all of these huge earthquakes and Fukushima. What I keep coming back to is really the hallmark of life on this planet - perseverence. No matter the natural or manmade disaster, life goes on. For example, green eventually sprouts in a scorched forest and critters creep back in.

You have to have hope.

reply to post by TheInterceptor


Dear Interceptor. Thanks for intercepting my post.

I think you may have misunderstood me.

The problem though is that if people who are intelligent enough to question the logic of having children now persist at not having children - we will have a situation in our near future similar to the one that the movie "Idiocracy" showcased.

The people who do not give a rat's-ass about the future of the planet or that of their own children are the ones who keep procreating like a bunch of rabbits.

Here I am admitting that it is important for intelligent people to keep on having kids, as we need that part of the gene-pool to keep on going as well. This is necessary in order to avoid the “I have 15 mouths to feed – you need to feed them” mentality from overtaking the rest.

I have also made the decision not to have kids. I am too worried for their future sakes - and I am worried about my own ability to truly provide for them. Perhaps my opinion about this matter will change in due course.

Here I am simply stating that I have made the decision not to have kids. Because

a) I am worried for their future as we may be living in the best part of history from a war-and-poverty perspective, but we also have no fish left in the oceans, we now have the great pacific garbage patch, and we also have only about half of our earth-lungs left

And

b) I do not have enough faith in my own ability to provide for them at the mo. From a financial perspective.

So nowhere is mentioned that I reckon that I am intelligent. In fact – I can be a real dumbass. If you saw what I got up to this afternoon in my garden – you would have concurred that I am indeed a dumbass.

But the most important part of that sentence is this bit right here:

"Perhaps my opinion about this matter will change in due course."

What that really means is that I do think having kids are absolutely fantastic and that I may have one or two or a bunch – if or when I am ready for it.

You obviously forgot to quote the most important part of my post. This bit right here:

I can say this though - the "lack of means" actually means nothing. It comes down to the loyalty of the parent to the child - the steadfast dedication and devotion to its education and its character. A responsible and good parent means much more to a child than all the money and means in the world - because (in my experience anyways), such a parent provides much more security than can be measured in worldly means.

Here I am actually encouraging people to be good parents – not discouraging them from having kids. Big difference me thinks.

So when omitting vital parts of a post (in an attempt to make yourself look like an anonymous “smarty-pants” on an internet forum) that is supposed to give the complete picture of somebody’s thought process, it actually ends up turning into junk when only bits of it is quoted.

Dont hate so much.

Hate? Hah! You obviously don’t know me. I don’t hate. I cannot hate. I love every living creature with a free abandon and zest – with a love greater than my heart can hold. That is my greatest weakness. The fact that I love this planet and all of life on it so much – as well as my dearest humanity – that I take such care in thinking out a vital matter such as “having kids”.

Sincerely wishing you all the best. Shimmer

IF you can properly take care of your child, then it is not wrong, on the contrary, it is the best age in history to have a child. Your child will have a better life than 95 % of other people that passed through this realm.

EDIT: but dont forget the IF, otherwise Id advise you to buy a cat instead..