I think that halving children is an important part of personal human development.

Did you spell it that way on purpose?

By the way, I'm undecided.

I'm strictly against having children. There are enough disease-ridden diaper-shitters in this putrid overpopulated world as it is.

Rimbaud III wrote:Much to the irritation of my mother and father - who'd like to see some kind of dynasty established - I'm never plan on having children. I'd like to eliminate the possibility of having children entirely, but I'm told that a man of my age can't just walk into his doctor's surgery and be granted a bollock-blocking. They need to refer me to the quacks first.
I suppose it's because I'm just so wilfully selfish and irresponsible. I don't think I could be trusted with children (but not in a Michael Jackson sense, mind you). I don't think any woman would trust me to give her babies either.

Yo, if you still feel this way in three years, when I graduate from medical school, ,make an appointment with Dr night_tools and I'll cut 'em off for free. I hope you don't. For mine, I don't really see the point of life if you don't have kids. What else are you going to do?

night_tools wrote:

Rimbaud III wrote:Much to the irritation of my mother and father - who'd like to see some kind of dynasty established - I'm never plan on having children. I'd like to eliminate the possibility of having children entirely, but I'm told that a man of my age can't just walk into his doctor's surgery and be granted a bollock-blocking. They need to refer me to the quacks first.
I suppose it's because I'm just so wilfully selfish and irresponsible. I don't think I could be trusted with children (but not in a Michael Jackson sense, mind you). I don't think any woman would trust me to give her babies either.

Yo, if you still feel this way in three years, when I graduate from medical school, ,make an appointment with Dr night_tools and I'll cut 'em off for free.

I should have posted my message in the Tech Room.

I'm holding you to that Mr _tools. Yes, that's right, I'm holding you to my balls on that.

I don't really see the point of life if you don't have kids. What else are you going to do?

I'm doing the world a favour, trust me. It needeth not more Rimbaud IIIs. The world's heading towards over-population anyway, so I see what I'm doing as a worthy sacrifice. People should be stopping me in the street and shaking my glands in appreciation.

In place of children, I will have the proportionate amount of money that's been saved by not having any (molten down into the shape of little children).
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I think of friends who've been damaged by parents who didn't want to have them, and think that people who don't want to have children shouldn't. So I wouldn't want to lecture the people who don't want them--they're honest about this, and can behave in a way that doesn't bring unwanted children into the world. Not wanting children ever, and so not having them: not crap.

As the inverse of that, having children when you have no interest in the actual resulting children: crap.

On the other hand, if their parents hadn't had them, these friends wouldn't exist, and they're great people in their own rights. The existence of these friends: not crap.

People having children who really do want the children: not crap.

My nearly six-month-old son, sitting next to me now: ultra not crap.

I never thought I wanted kids, but I knew my wife wanted a child. We were getting older, and I realized time was running out, so I sort of decided for us, since there was much discussion of whether we were fit, or financially able.

I see nothing wrong with not having children, tho for me it has been a profoundly satisfying and emotional experience. I am aware enough that I do not spout about my daughter's childish achievements to people who are not interested. It seems perfectly natural that my childless friends would not care.

There is nothing about parenthood that is not understandable from the outside, and it is not an experience you need to go through to "get", but it does feel like there is a conceptual veil. Before we had her, I could only see the edges of the experience mostly. I could imagine it accurately, but not grok it for an extended period.

I know why people are hooked on their children, they give you an understanding of the value of your own life. It is amazing I am not sobbing all the time, I find it so moving. My daughter is still young enough that she is completely innocent, She has never lied, and she has never been disappointed. I am completely dreading her first understanding of what the world is really like.

Johnny 13 wrote: It is amazing I am not sobbing all the time, I find it so moving.

Nice post...and same here... it is very often overwelmingly amazing.

Mayfair wrote:

Johnny 13 wrote: It is amazing I am not sobbing all the time, I find it so moving.

Nice post...and same here... it is very often overwelmingly amazing.

I agree with the astute gentlemen above. We've got two over by me. Having JUST RECENTLY had the 2nd one), I'm currently reconsidering going for the hat trick...It's really really great. It's really really INTENSE over by me right now.

Herr Tim wrote:I'm strictly against having children. There are enough disease-ridden diaper-shitters in this putrid overpopulated world as it is.

Right on. I recently had to babysit a dog while a friend was in the pokey. The dog was as tame and housebroken as they come. Yet, it destroyed the carpet and whined when we tried to confine it to a small room (dishwasher).

I would imagine that a baby would be like that, except it makes random sirens at all hours of the night, and if you accidentally kill and eat it, you can go to jail. Why would anybody want that?

Despite rapid population growth, and the resulting environment (everything that's bad now being worse in 20-30 years) I think it may be important for good people to have children. I think that qualifies many of the people on this board. Intelligent, open to new information (i.e. not mainstream religious) concerned with values other then monetary/status.

That said, I at present do not want to have children. I don't like them/want time for other things/fear the responsibility for another person/don't want them to be miserable/etc.

Something's missing here.