I am judging. People who don't have kids are worthless evolutionary dead ends.

11/16/2012 12:15:35 PM

i am a worthless evolutionary dead end

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 12:17 PM. Reason : ]

11/16/2012 12:16:08 PM

Quote :

"I would like to know what gives you purpose and meaning."

My life, my fiance, my mom, my sister, my dog, my friend...etc.

11/16/2012 12:24:22 PM

i will soon not be able to post in this thread. I am getting "the pressure"

11/16/2012 12:26:55 PM

Marriage is a losing proposition.

If two people were meant to be together forever, it would happen naturally.

11/16/2012 12:31:22 PM

Bottombaby, what if you could not have children? Would you kill yourself?

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 12:32 PM. Reason : .]

11/16/2012 12:31:55 PM

Quote :

""What the hell do you do with your life if you don't have children?""

Some people don't have adequate food, housing, clothing and other necessities. Some people are handicapped and won't ever enjoy walking, exercising and other things most people do on a daily basis. Some women can't have kids yet all of aforementioned find a way to be happy and get justification out of their existence. You have to squirt out another little turd to feel like your life is justified? Are you mormon?

As far as having meaning and stuff to look forward to...Going to chick-fil-a for lunch, watching football this weekend, hanging out with my gf later, thanksgiving next week...

11/16/2012 12:50:47 PM

Quote :

"my fiance"

my fiancée

11/16/2012 1:10:03 PM

Quote :

"I am judging. People who don't have kids are worthless evolutionary dead ends."

you can say that without judging, though

of course they're evolutionary dead ends...and what's what our species should hope for them to be (to an extent)

from a purely anthropological standpoint, we should be glad that those who don't wish to have kids DON'T actually have them because they wouldn't be good parents

now, before anyone throws a fit over assuming that i'm insulting them for not wanting kids...i'm not

just think about it...it makes sense (on a large scale, not necessarily in each individual case) that those people who WANT kids will look out for them, spend more time with them, care for them, etc...while those that won't will be less inclined to do all of those things because they're resentful or uninterested

sure, there are always exceptions...people who have kids might have THOUGHT they wanted them (they liked the idea, thought it would solve a relationship problem, etc) and it turns out that they didn't want them at all...and sure, some folks who want kids are just shitty parents

but on the large scale, it's much better for those who don't want to kids to allow their genes to die off and those who DO want them to pass that desire onto the next generation

11/16/2012 1:16:14 PM

^^though if he's gay it's still fiance

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 1:17 PM. Reason : .]

11/16/2012 1:17:32 PM

Quote :

"what gives your life purpose and meaning ? "

fishing, hunting, shooting, doing stuff with my wife. eventually i'd like to retire (relatively) early and open up a business as a sort of hobby. sell tackle, maybe guns, maybe work on boats on the side.

11/16/2012 1:18:43 PM

Quote :

"you can say that without judging, though of course they're evolutionary dead ends...and what's what our species should hope for them to be (to an extent) from a purely anthropological standpoint, we should be glad that those who don't wish to have kids DON'T actually have them because they wouldn't be good parents now, before anyone throws a fit over assuming that i'm insulting them for not wanting kids...i'm not just think about it...it makes sense (on a large scale, not necessarily in each individual case) that those people who WANT kids will look out for them, spend more time with them, care for them, etc...while those that won't will be less inclined to do all of those things because they're resentful or uninterested sure, there are always exceptions...people who have kids might have THOUGHT they wanted them (they liked the idea, thought it would solve a relationship problem, etc) and it turns out that they didn't want them at all...and sure, some folks who want kids are just shitty parents but on the large scale, it's much better for those who don't want to kids to allow their genes to die off and those who DO want them to pass that desire onto the next generation"

You're assuming that the continuation of the human race is the desirable goal, of course

11/16/2012 1:53:29 PM

Quote :

"You're assuming that the continuation of the human race is the desirable goal, of course"

naturally

11/16/2012 1:56:25 PM

like mold on a peice of bread

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

11/16/2012 2:01:25 PM

Quote :

""I'm one of those folks who cannot wrap their mind around someone choosing to be child free. What the hell do you do with your life if you don't have children? There's like nothing to do or look forward to. Just work and play until you die."

Here are some ideas and what I did the past 14 months:

Got married in Switzerland.
Drank at the Ritz Bar in Paris and had the best bartender in the world get a driver for us and take us home because we were so wasted.
Spent time in Greece drinking local wine and grilling a squid as large as my head.
Moved to San Francisco, saw redwoods, spent time in Napa experiencing California wine, Yosemite trips, Skiing in Tahoe.
Sat in parks smelling weed, looking at the city and drinking wine.
Business in Colorado and skiing there.
Skydiving and making out with my wife in freefall.
Helped found a company was just mentioned in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and most of the major tech press.
Jumped off a few bridges.
Was part of a deal involving with some of the largest VCs in Silicon Valley.
Sat in a business meeting with people mentioned in the Steve Jobs biography.
Watched all of Breaking Bad.
Kept up with Dexter and Boardwalk Empire.
Moved to LA on the beach.
Went to Vegas to drink, gamble, and eat the worlds most expensive mashed potatoes.
Worked late most every day this year.

Something tells me kids would make all that a little hard and you have no imagination... Which is fine. Most of my high school friends said we would do things different and wait to have kids, but alas I'm one of the only hold outs. I am a little old (32) to be having this much fun, but at 22 looking forward I wouldn't have it any different. The wife is 23 so we have time Cradle robbing it.

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 5:28 PM. Reason : a]

11/16/2012 5:28:16 PM

Quote :

""I am judging. People who don't have kids are worthless evolutionary dead ends." "

Yeah Tesla and Turing didn't push humanity forward a few hundred times more than the average meth addict that has children in a trailer....

11/16/2012 5:36:31 PM

I've always thought those people that feel they have to have kids in order to be fulfilled are compensating for deficiencies in life, whether they be subconscious, social, financial, work-related, etc.
[begin arguments here]

If you can't find fulfillment in the world around you, then something's wrong...the world is awesome

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 5:38 PM. Reason : ]

11/16/2012 5:37:39 PM

^ +1

11/16/2012 5:40:51 PM

^^ You can say that about the desire to get married too. I completely agree that people should be able to find fulfillment in and of themselves, but there's an extra layer of fulfillment that can come from getting married or having kids, even to people who are perfectly well fulfilled on their own. I don't feel like I'd have to do either of those to be happy, but I have a deep desire for both of them because I think without them, I won't have lived the life I want for myself.

11/16/2012 5:52:14 PM

I would be just as fulfilled with Kodiak if we weren't married

the marriage is just for legal assurances

it doesn't prove anything, or add anything (that wasn't already there) to my life

so I guess it's just what you see as valuable

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 5:56 PM. Reason : if you value having kids, have them]

11/16/2012 5:55:26 PM

True. I guess in my argument I consider marriage as long-term companionship, i.e., finding fulfillment in a mate. Not the piece of paper.

11/16/2012 5:57:02 PM

I really hope that you're all intentionally missing the point.

Philosophically, what gives your life meaning and purpose? What are you here to do? Not what are you literally going to do with your amazing free time and money. But what is your cosmic purpose? What gives you an intrinsic feeling of worth and value? Without meaning and purpose, then there is no point to living. You have no value or worth. What makes you feel as though your life has purpose?

Obviously, I get mine from going forth and propagating with the hope that my children have something positive to give the world. As a child free person, where does your sense of a purposeful and well lived life come from?

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 6:03 PM. Reason : Skwinkle gets it!]

11/16/2012 6:02:12 PM

No, I think you're missing the point by not answering your own question.

Quote :

"Obviously, I get mine from going forth and propagating with the hope that my children have something positive to give the world"

So PERSONALLY doing work for the betterment of the human race isn't enough for you? My own contribution (through my job, through service, through interactions with people) to the world is somehow meaningless without a child?

That's where you lose me entirely.

11/16/2012 6:13:18 PM

Quote :

"Philosophically, what gives your life meaning and purpose?"

What

ever

I

choose.


You chose kids. I can choose whatever I want.

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

11/16/2012 6:13:22 PM

One of the truest marks of civilization is when an individual has more to contribute to subsequent generations than just his genetic information.

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 6:14 PM. Reason : ]

11/16/2012 6:13:24 PM

ya'll trolls postin in a niggaz thread

11/16/2012 6:13:28 PM

I feel the same as you in that I want to make babies, but I also think that it's fine (and a good thing, even) that some people believe their purpose in life is simply living well while they're on this rock. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to live and be happy without having kids. It's not like the Earth needs more people on it.

11/16/2012 6:14:41 PM

^^AHAHAHAHA so true. black people do have illegitimate kids

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

11/16/2012 6:15:29 PM

Jesus Christ, I don't give a shit what someone else thinks gives my life value and you shouldn't either. That's what I think gives my life value. I'm asking you what you think gives your life value. It's a simple fucking question.

11/16/2012 6:15:34 PM

Quote :

"Obviously, I get mine from going forth and propagating with the hope that my children have something positive to give the world. "

What are some examples of positive things to give to the world that you hope they might do, beyond genetically contributing to the next generation so they can give to the next?

Do you mean things like cure disease, invent a new gadget that makes life easier, write music that moves people? Or more mundane like be kind to the people in their lives?

I think I see what you're saying, but examples might help people latch on to the ideas you're trying to convey.

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 6:19 PM. Reason : .]

11/16/2012 6:16:07 PM

people have answered that

my work and my relationships give my life meaning

no kids required

11/16/2012 6:17:06 PM

Nothing gives my life value. It is not real. Its an illusion.

If I were to kill myself right now. Somebody else would get hired at my job. Somebody else would date my gf. Somebody else would have this argument on another website. I am not some unique puzzle to the universe. I can choose to give to society, to take from society or to just act without thinking



I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

11/16/2012 6:18:00 PM

Quote :

"Nothing gives my life value. It is not real. Its an illusion."

That was one of my philosophy professor's go to answers for the meaning of life. That there is no objective or universal or metaphysical meaning to any of it, but you can feel meaning for yourself in terms of settings goals and objectives and trying to complete them.

11/16/2012 6:21:20 PM

Don't get me wrong. That isn't an excuse to be a dick or to abuse the gov't or anything but be a good person because you want to not because of some ulterior meaning or 3rd party.

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

11/16/2012 6:22:56 PM

The Trash Bin called

it wants its thread back

11/16/2012 6:23:55 PM

I dont think ive met a couple married for 20 years that voluntarily decided against children.

11/16/2012 6:26:49 PM

I can't believe I'm saying this, but Krallum gets it. He has a drastically different philosophical view, but he gets it.

What makes you more than just an ant? Is it your job that will make a mark on this world that will leave you feeling as though your life was well lived? Is it charity? Is it the lives that you have positively impacted? Or are you living to soak up as much fun as the world has to offer and everyone else be damned? Children aren't required. It's just my own personal philosophical bent that keeps me from just saying fuck it all.

Oh and Supplanter, I'm not looking for my children to do "great things." I just want to raise kind, happy people who are a positive influence on the people that they encounter. If they happen to do things bigger than that, so be it. But I am satisfied by attempting to leave behind kind happy people who will hopefully pass that on to others.

11/16/2012 6:27:12 PM

^^i have. my aunt and uncle.

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 6:27 PM. Reason : adfs]

11/16/2012 6:27:35 PM

Quote :

"Philosophically, what gives your life meaning and purpose? What are you here to do? Not what are you literally going to do with your amazing free time and money. But what is your cosmic purpose? What gives you an intrinsic feeling of worth and value? Without meaning and purpose, then there is no point to living. You have no value or worth. What makes you feel as though your life has purpose?"

That I spend all my creative energy on building a product for others to spend their creative energy on--creating happiness for those that are consumers of art, and enabling people to pursue their own creative passion.

Human achievement in all forms gives me a woody. I can appreciate a painting, a song, a cocktail, or someone riding down a mountain on a bike. Look at where we are as a species... We'll see interplanetary travel in our life time. How can you not stand in awe of life?

11/16/2012 6:30:21 PM

Thank you. That's exactly what I was looking for.

11/16/2012 6:31:48 PM

Quote :

"I just want to raise kind, happy people who are a positive influence on the people that they encounter. If they happen to do things bigger than that, so be it. But I am satisfied by attempting to leave behind kind happy people who will hopefully pass that on to others."

You would be satisfied raising kind, happy children who have a positive influence on others, but you "can't wrap your head around" how a person could "just want to be a positive influence on others" (without a child) as a philosophy for their own life?

because I would think that at least that one, which you want for your own kids, would be an obvious possibility

^^ I also think our very own human achievements are definitely reasons to strive, to have purpose

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 6:49 PM. Reason : l]

11/16/2012 6:44:36 PM

Quote :

"Or are you living to soak up as much fun as the world has to offer and everyone else be damned? Children aren't required. It's just my own personal philosophical bent that keeps me from just saying fuck it all."

Yeah this shit never crosses my mind


...well sometimes i think other people have resorted to it

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 7:12 PM. Reason : ]

11/16/2012 7:12:10 PM

Holy shit. I like where slaptit's and CaelNCSU's heads are at.

Quote :

"If you can't find fulfillment in the world around you, then something's wrong...the world is awesome"

+1

Quote :

"Human achievement in all forms gives me a woody. I can appreciate a painting, a song, a cocktail, or someone riding down a mountain on a bike. Look at where we are as a species... We'll see interplanetary travel in our life time. How can you not stand in awe of life? "

+1


[Edited on November 16, 2012 at 7:19 PM. Reason : .]

11/16/2012 7:18:31 PM

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/making_things

11/16/2012 7:43:35 PM

This thread reminds me of Idiocracy,

11/16/2012 7:45:06 PM

Is this thread really happening right now

11/16/2012 8:38:58 PM

well this was a fun read

11/16/2012 9:38:25 PM

I'm 30, she's 29. Married for a little over 3 years. No immediate plans to procreate.

11/16/2012 10:23:03 PM

Whoa, I just read the rest of this thread and it blew my mind.

11/16/2012 11:33:00 PM

First off, I think we should be clear that the vast majority of us "want" kids. The biological drive to procreate is pretty strong, and we're socialized towards parenthood from birth. I mean, if you were fortunate enough to have parents, then that's what life was to you from the start: a family with grown people who care for young people. It's the natural way of things; it's what you're supposed to do, and that's made clear to us all day every day.

But just because we "want" kids, it doesn't mean we have to go out and have them. And just because we "want" kids, it doesn't mean we can go out and have them.

Of course, it's a touchy subject, and you shouldn't question another person's "decision" to have kids or not have kids. But parents do tend to question non-parents quite a bit, which makes me a little suspicious.

Also, I am tired of treating the subject as if it's a decision.

11/17/2012 2:02:28 AM