Birth is as inevitable as existence, there is no opt out in the grander metaphysical scheme of things.

Also just a thought - is that really your reason for not having them? If a person truly believes the bad outweighs the good I'm less inclined to believe them when they're still among the living, because the choice to stay alive shows they see some inherent value in the state of being alive.

Personally I'm clear on why I don't want kids: because I'm a hedonist.

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card_zero 10 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Hedonism itself isn't very clear, if basic gratification is vacuous. You end up seeking gratification through aims, because having a goal is satisfying, and then you're reintroducing values other than pure pleasure, by the back door (ooer).

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dns_snek 11 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> the choice to stay alive shows they see some inherent value in the state of being alive.

Eh, you don't choose to live any more than you choose to breathe. Even if you don't want to live anymore you can't simply "choose" to no longer be alive. There's no suicide-fairy that neatly and quietly removes you from existence on command, and that would keep taking care of anyone who's depending on you.

	▲	LoganDark 3 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		There are some countries where assisted suicide is legal, if you can afford to make it there, and can make the case that it's truly what you want and believe is right for you. But, as you've noted, that doesn't take care of dependents unless they join you... Not that it can matter to you after your end, but in many cases, the emotional weight of what one's loss could do to others can indeed discourage them from going through with it.
	▲	cindyllm 6 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		[dead]

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LoganDark 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

> Birth is as inevitable as existence, there is no opt out in the grander metaphysical scheme of things.

I can opt not to assist in one myself. That's not me having anything against birth or trying to do anything in the grander scheme of things, it's just my choice.

> Also just a thought - is that really your reason for not having them? If a person truly believes the bad outweighs the good I'm less inclined to believe them when they're still among the living, because the choice to stay alive shows they see some inherent value in the state of being alive.

I'm broken and mentally ill, so part of the reason I'm still among the living is because I'm conditioned to crave the pain and suffering. There is much good, and it may even outweigh the bad, and I'm still optimistic where I can be, so I'm not suicidal, but I use this existence in ways I wouldn't recommend, and couldn't condone.

Basically, I wouldn't want to stick someone with it; I wouldn't want to put them in the world that created it. Even if many of my inciting events were unique to me, there is so much in the world right now that I just, don't know if my best would be able to prevent that suffering...

On the other paw, when someone is already stuck with it, and already suffering, that's less of a dilemma for me, especially when their situation is so bad that I couldn't possibly count the number of ways I can make for better...