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Should we be having kids in the age of climate change?
- Thread starter uncelestial
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We can never ever make humans extint via volunteers who don't have kids. There will always be those want kids.
Let's have 50% less, the earth would thank us.
Is the ratio of smart and conscientious kids raised by smart and conscientious parents insignificant or what? Do you have any stats or did you just want to seem clever and smug?
Daffy Duck
Member
What if the child you never had grew up to save the planet from climate change?
A Fish Aficionado
I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
That's not how populations work. We'd be in a similar position as Japan. An inverse population pyramid is a sign something is wrong.
Is it not a sign of baby boomers?
NiiloPielinen
Member
I'd say that a child born in first world country has more power to stop the climate change despite the tons of carbon dioxide produced by the child's existence.
That child is going to be more educated*, have more financial power and has more political influence to pressure first world countries to work on the problem. Like it or not, this problem will be solved by mostly first world countries** (either through policies pressured unto other countries or scientific progress).
*(and thus will have better understanding about the seriousness of the issue and more likely to actually become a scientist working on the problem)
**(With russia and china being exceptions)
That child is going to be more educated*, have more financial power and has more political influence to pressure first world countries to work on the problem. Like it or not, this problem will be solved by mostly first world countries** (either through policies pressured unto other countries or scientific progress).
*(and thus will have better understanding about the seriousness of the issue and more likely to actually become a scientist working on the problem)
**(With russia and china being exceptions)
Subpar Scrub
Banned
I'll have children, yeah. Probably 1-3, depending on what my SO wants. Just because the world is in dire straights doesn't mean humans should stop pro-creating... that's stupid.
They likely aren't and probably never will. That's why it's so easy for them to say never.
I don't take much stock in the opinions of many Gaffers here due to their depressing, nihilistic post history. It's easier to say "it's all over" than actually do shit.
Lmao
They likely aren't and probably never will. That's why it's so easy for them to say never.
I don't take much stock in the opinions of many Gaffers here due to their depressing, nihilistic post history. It's easier to say "it's all over" than actually do shit.
Lmao
Yes humans are resilient . Once the world realises were fucked well collectively come together and fix it somehow . We put a man on the moon in the 60s I'm sure if you pour in the worlds intellect into combating climate change with political will well find a way ...
Essential trajectory of science major advances happen all the time but given urgencies with funding and directed approaches humans figure a way out normally . Were the smartest organisms on the planet so far .
Edit on a purely logical sense think about it we have the smartest ppl working on disparate fields if it came to an existential threat a vast majority of those minds will work and fix it ... Yes the scientists will bail us out not the politics which made a mess but that's the job of scientists anyway overall bailing out and helping humanity if need be. Let's hope it doesn't come to that if it does I'm pretty sure well fix it.
Essential trajectory of science major advances happen all the time but given urgencies with funding and directed approaches humans figure a way out normally . Were the smartest organisms on the planet so far .
Edit on a purely logical sense think about it we have the smartest ppl working on disparate fields if it came to an existential threat a vast majority of those minds will work and fix it ... Yes the scientists will bail us out not the politics which made a mess but that's the job of scientists anyway overall bailing out and helping humanity if need be. Let's hope it doesn't come to that if it does I'm pretty sure well fix it.
Really which other smarter life form are you aware of ? From a purely logical point of view human intelligence is the best defense you have against any form of extinction event
Edit oh I see grammar while typing on my iPad yeah hope you had a good laugh ...
And now USA.
Political will will flow from first world countries . Intellectual manpower not so sure at this point were moving very swiftly towards a globalised perspective on "solving" things intellectually as you out it . A vast amount of the legal and appreciated migration to first world countries is from other countries brainpower. The initiative will probably come from first world countries but I wouldn't go so far as to say they will by themselves solve it .
nuttyevans
Member
There's no way me and my gf could ever afford to have a kid so unless that changes I feel our decision is already made for us.
Lord Thrappleper The 49th
Member
Dont have a car. I cycle everywhere. I'm doing my part.
BudokaiMR2
Member
Yup I am doing my part here. Just had my second child, Ayane, yesterday!
Come at me antinatalist GAF
I don't think the world cares if a few people in the Western world have less kids while people in 3rd world countries continue to fuck like rabbits. It's not us to drive the overpopulation of the planet and it's not us who can stop it by absenting.
I mean you could go and do like Haviland Tuff does in GRRMs "Tuff Voyaging" and forcibly make certain parts of the population impotent, but unless you want to go there all that can be done is trying to convince those people in places where having like 8+ children is normal to have less children.
having kids right now is selfish as fuck. my generation and the ones before ruined the world for them. they're gonna suffer and so will their kids and their grandkids. fuck that shit
and so many kids out there right now need homes and families. they need us more than our "future" kids do
and so many kids out there right now need homes and families. they need us more than our "future" kids do
TBiddy
Member
That attitude makes me angry. I'm gonna restrain myself, in order to not get banned, but my girlfriend is currently pregnant, and it annoys the hell out of me that you think we're selfish, because you have some skewed view on how the world actually works.
Honestly, the only way we'll stop global warming is for all humans to just cease to exist. We're a literal plague on this planet and because of our selfish nature we've not only lead countless species to extinction, but we're doing the same to the planet we live on.
I don't think we should cease to exist, because I personally like living, but unless we change our ways then this is going to be a constant driving factor whatever happens. If we colonise another planet then we'll destroy that as well. The uneducated (and sometimes educated) mass of people just simply don't care. If it doesn't directly impact their own freedoms then they don't give a shit and by that time it's too late to do anything.
I don't think we should cease to exist, because I personally like living, but unless we change our ways then this is going to be a constant driving factor whatever happens. If we colonise another planet then we'll destroy that as well. The uneducated (and sometimes educated) mass of people just simply don't care. If it doesn't directly impact their own freedoms then they don't give a shit and by that time it's too late to do anything.
chillybright
Banned
I am glad to see many gaffers are against this bullshit and having kids. Long live and prosper, GAF.
King Gilga
Member
No, but there's a lot of things that we shouldn't be doing, basically everything.
So fuck it who cares.
So fuck it who cares.
Good evening, President Elect
Doug Stanhope accurately covered this a while ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkgDhDa4HHo
Trouble is, nobody is taking impact of population seriously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkgDhDa4HHo
Trouble is, nobody is taking impact of population seriously.
LookAtMeGo
Member
If I decide I want to have a kid and meet a nice girl who I think would be a good mother and also wants to have a kid then yes I will have a kid. Thats cool if you choose not to, I probably wont have a kid. I don't really give a fuck about if people think thats selfish or not. If thats selfish of me then consider me selfish.
If billions of People had this mentality, yes. If millions of People had it, it would lead to less human beings, less overpopulation. less emissions and less global warming.
Auto-Reply
Member
From a mathematical/cold pov we probably should be less humans on this planet in general... we also should live under different systems that sustain our needs and guarantee our survival (short-term survival that is). We don't really undertsand all the implications we have on our environment and once we do then we are incapable to adapt in time to prevent serious outcomes.
It is what it is I guess, maybe one of these "great filter" scenarios, or maybe we just walk willingly into catastrophic events like this will eventually become one and for the people that will look back at it it will be clear that it was bound to happen like that with the way it was and they wont make the same mistake twice... until they eventually do.
It is what it is I guess, maybe one of these "great filter" scenarios, or maybe we just walk willingly into catastrophic events like this will eventually become one and for the people that will look back at it it will be clear that it was bound to happen like that with the way it was and they wont make the same mistake twice... until they eventually do.
One would have thought they think China's one child policy didn't go far enough.
Airola
Member
It's odd when people are saying it's selfish to have children when they often are basing their choice in not feeling good or right about it if they would bring a child in this world.
I mean, isn't that a selfish choice too? You don't do it because it feels bad to you. You don't do it because you feel better if you don't do it.
This post is golden and it explains pretty well how the "selfishness" thing really goes:
I mean, isn't that a selfish choice too? You don't do it because it feels bad to you. You don't do it because you feel better if you don't do it.
This post is golden and it explains pretty well how the "selfishness" thing really goes:
You realize the earth does not give a fuck whether it even exists
WaterAstro
Member
Again, not having kids is not going to solve climate change. We have the resources to support a bigger population, but we're extremely wasteful with it.
More than ever, people who are doing their best to mitigate climate change should be having kids in order to pass down social and cultural habits that are needed to reduce emissions.
If the next generation of humans are going to only consist of people over-consuming, not caring about the environment, then humanity ends there.
More than ever, people who are doing their best to mitigate climate change should be having kids in order to pass down social and cultural habits that are needed to reduce emissions.
If the next generation of humans are going to only consist of people over-consuming, not caring about the environment, then humanity ends there.
Uhoh, be careful to not cut yourselves on this post guys and girls.
I don't see how it is selfish to devote your life to the preservation of the human race. Last time I checked humans bodies still break down and die, especially around 80 years of age and on. Societies will collapse if there is no new blood. If a great number of people stopped having children now, things would likely get much worse and faster than through climate change.
Yes. You however didn't realize it was a metaphor of our globes ability to sustain life.
teruterubozu
Member
Forever Alone + science. This works!
Well considering Japan is on track to complete economic collapse within our lifetime it may be a good idea if you're over there.
Yeah, don't pay too much attention to those posts.
If we'd listen to GAF, we'd have to let the climate change deniers fuck all they want while we restrain ourselves from having well educated kids.
Also, congrats 
wrong isn't the right word. it simply means that things are correcting themselves. technology and culture change the circumstances we live in so it's only natural to see this reflected in population growth. the conditions of today are simply vastly different than when japan had their population growth. at some point this population decline will reach its apex and the pendulum will change direction again.
The problem if anything is that we view a lack of growth as a problem. I think it's a good thing that there's at least one country that tries to face the decline rather than ensure perpetual growth.
Darth Ghandi
Banned
This is the biggest issue IMO.
Me and my GF have been going strong and I love her to bits, but I'm not sure I can have kids and look them in the eye while the world burns.
We have had numerous fights over this.
The ramifications that global warming will bring are just insane.
Extreme weather causing mass migration.
Totalitarian regimes coming to power cause of civil unrest, and xenophobia.
Not to mention the wars that will be fought over the few resources we have left.
If you can bring a child into that world with out your stomach turning then good on you?
Me and my GF have been going strong and I love her to bits, but I'm not sure I can have kids and look them in the eye while the world burns.
We have had numerous fights over this.
The ramifications that global warming will bring are just insane.
Extreme weather causing mass migration.
Totalitarian regimes coming to power cause of civil unrest, and xenophobia.
Not to mention the wars that will be fought over the few resources we have left.
If you can bring a child into that world with out your stomach turning then good on you?
beato_angelico
Member
slow economic collapse = "things correcting themselves"?
would you wish yourself unborn if the world was struck with disaster tomorrow, or gradually over the next 20 years? If so then what is the threshold where you decide it's better to not just die but to actually forfeit your life until now and become unborn? 10% or 20%, 50%, 90%?
exactly. population growth depends on a series of inputs, it's not magic that determines it but the changing situation of the world. Don't you find it odd that population decline is viewed as disaster in a world where people scream population overgrowth? obviously our economic and political systems are not equipped to deal with reality long-term and so facing these issues head on are the only thing that will lead to a new paradigm.
even if they were, the suffer/flourish equation would have been far bleaker for our stone age ancestors, so how could they still be so selfish and procreate knowing their children would likely suffer?
A Fish Aficionado
I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
Because things aren't as bad as the headlines say they are.
Extremely weather has always driven human migration and development.
beato_angelico
Member
well ok, nevermind all the people that will become poor while you search for a new "paradigm"...
we can only do our best, that's just how things are. we should do what we can to ease suffering but it's inherent with change so there's only so much that can be done to help.
paradise_circus
Member
when did this escapism in GAF started? if you really want to do something good be more aware of your surroundings and if you really care so much about children finance at least NGOs to educate the poorest and weakest in third world countries. you can go further and adopt children or be a godparent.
I'm not blaming the invidual person to not wanting kids for whatever reason, but the arguments in the OP are just the ones of someone lazy.
I'm not blaming the invidual person to not wanting kids for whatever reason, but the arguments in the OP are just the ones of someone lazy.
FantasticMrFoxdie
Mumber
oh man totally forgot about this show and this clip hit me like a ton of bricks
freenudemacusers
Member
'gaf' has been like this for years but the trump election has accelerated the fatalism to a fever pitch.
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