Not Op but there’s a inch of people asking why, and I have a similar feeling to op so here’s my post hoc justification for a weakly held and poorly supported prejudice:

It’s really because statistically, in my experience people without kids are more selfish than those without. This is more in description than judgement, but it’s true in my experience. We can speculate as to reasons, but looking after kids does train a certain kind of selflessness. Agreed we might be doing it for ultimately selfish reasons (self presentational or for care in old age or whatever). But for a good chunk of the time, caring for kids seems to require the fairly consistent subjugation of personal preferences, and a degeee of perspective taking, that I just think people without kids don’t have. And that often shows in their interactions at work and in daily life. Obviously there are myriad exceptions. But it’s true enough in my experience.

The wanting to live forever part also seems weird to me, and correlated with a certain sort of self regarding perspective. It seems obvious to me that I (or my generations) need to die for my children and grandchildren to have a good life. To try and subvert that also seems selfish or self important somehow.

I’m not really arguing this is a correct or good or just position. It might be terrible! But it did resonate..

> It’s really because statistically, in my experience people without kids are more selfish than those without.

I've witnessed the opposite: Having kids made people much more selfish. Resources were plenty before they had kids, so they would spend a lot (time and money) on others - be it friends or the general public.

When kids come along, two things happen:

1. Resources are limited, so a lot less goes outside the family.

2. At least one parent will put the foot down when being generous to people outside the family - even if the wealth/income supports being able to do so. Tribalism sets in.

The wanting to live forever part also seems weird to me

Wanting to die after a handful of decades seems weird to me, especially if you're in good health.

It seems obvious to me that I (or my generations) need to die for my children and grandchildren to have a good life

That is very much not obvious.

Paying full taxes to support a society where people with kids pay less taxes and receive more benefits from the State is certainly not selfish. That's the case in my country, at least.

> It’s really because statistically, in my experience people without kids are more selfish than those without.

That would certainly be your opinion. I think the ultimate selflessness in a world being more and more damaged by humans would to elect not to perpetuate the species, and help try to leave the world a better place for those who do choose to have kids.

This aligns with my own experience to a T.

>in my experience people without kids are more selfish than those without

This goes so far against my own (equally anecdotal) experience that one of us must be living in a bubble

>It’s really because statistically, in my experience

Uhh, no. Your experience is not data.