h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ok This is the query. As a man of 37 I have accepted that I will not have any children. This of course is a personal choice. Am I, as I think Desmond Morris argues in 'The Human Zoo' actively contributing to keeping the population levels static, (6 billion plus and counting)along with others such as monks, clergymen, nuns etc, and thus ensuring that others will benefit; Or, am I cheating the "selfish gene" by not adhering to its imperative that it, above all else must survive into the future. Your thoughts please.

no ,unless that is the reason for you not having children, excuse spelling ,(preemptive warning grammers lousy as well) as to actively keeping levels static, nature and monosodiom-glue-to-me rybenomorechilderen ,are more likely to suceed here, are you and your
father the only males in your family group then?

I have two brothers who each have one male child. I'm gay hence the no children, (out of choice remember).Is it selfish of me NOT to reproduce?

no it selfish if anyone expects you to have children, just to keep the family line going,if we where liveing 150 years ago the ways of society
dictated the need for income bringers, being the main reason for them,
science ect has meant more offspring are suriveing so the need to have spares seeing a lot of mortality in juveniles meant most family has 3+
in quike succesion(personal obsevation only)

Yet this victorian legacy has not been filtered out of society as a whole, must get some kip catch you later

Tactitus, I'm in exactly the same position as you. I see my childlessness as a natural consequence of my sexuality. Sure, I could end up as a father, but it would involve far too much of the laboratory and not nearly enough humanity. More 'traditional' methods are simply out of the question.

I feel no obligation to leave descendants. I'm sure my mother would like to be a grandmother - eventually - but she'd also like to be a politician, an artist, and (more often than not) a hermit. She can't have everything. Nobody can have everything...

Ivan.

What I meant to add to that is that I do like to see myself as doing my bit for Zero Population Growth. That way, I feel that there is a point to what I'm doing - or not doing, more to the point.

Ivan.

Well technically it will be minus one population growth because when you pop your clogs, there will be no-one to replace you!!!

Someone will replace me - they just won't be of my genetic material.

Surely it would help the world more if you could adopt a child, even if it's just the world of that child that it would help?

As a 44 year old hetero single male with no kids, I am more concerned about the selfish youth of today who does weaken the gene pool. By producing mewling brats that have zero parental control, who is rewarded for not working and also claims maximum benefits which I pay.
I get a trifle concerned that, as a single male, who is putting no burden on the state for education, health, or any other service that a child would be entitled to, it is time we were given a break surely.
In answer to your question, irrespective of sexual persuasion, not producing offspring is a plus point not a negative.
Would you really want to bring a child into this crazy mixed-up world?
Not me.

Who woke up the Tory????

No i am with him on that one being almost a decade ahead of him,and
whilst i got get no help whatsoever ,when i was repossed ,following
redundency, then to cap it off was again thrown out of lodgeing at 2am, by some one who has a threebedroomed house paid for by social security, claiming and recieveing gov grants as well, and it was considered legal for her to keep all my posssesions ,for four weeks then blackmail me for storage fees, yes i am well with him on that one.

A good question, tactitus.

As a mother of four, I've already contributed to the future of the human race.
I also wonder what kind of a future my grandchildren will have, what state the planet will be in when they inherit the earth.

We can only hope the next generation will be wiser, learn from our past mistakes.

Personally I'd like to make recycling a law instead of voluntary contribution. But I digress.

My parents had 4 children (who survived).
My mother's brother had one child, a daughter, who has married but never wanted children.
My own brother is married but doesn't want children (neither, thankfully, does his wife).
It's all a matter of choice, gay or straight, you either want children or you don't. My second daughter is gay, but she didn't want children of her own even before she realized she was gay. My older daughter gave me a grandson at the age of 17 (and has since married his father) but they've had no more, and have no intention of having any more. (He's almost 8 now).

A girl I went to school with - got married and had 2 daughters. Those two girls married and have had 7 sons between them in 6 years.

Such diversity, you might as well roll the dice.

Personally, I'm against things like artifical insemnation in the case of Michael Jackson producing more offspring, and test-tube-treatment enabling women of 50+ to have babies.

But it is not for me to judge.

Maz
I agree with you regarding the selfishness of the youth today (not ONLY the youth)...if a mother/father does not want to stay home to raise their own children...they shouldn't have any...this is why there are so many problems with kids these days. Brought up by day care or baby sitters who couldn't care less... Whatever disipline, values, morals these kids have are distorted.

It is unfortunate that some parents don't get it....If a parent is crude, obnoxious to others, how do they think their children will act? I always laugh when I see parents trying to discipline their children when they are out in public...They scream, curse, and act like savages....What are we to expect from these children in the future? It scares me.

Adoption is a wonderful option. These children are already here in the world...not their choice. It's unfortunate that the parents chose to give them up, but at the same time, perhaps it is for the best. It is a WISE choice when you know you don't want the responsibility of raising a child and decide to give a child up for adoption. At least then there is a chance of a successful outcome.

And I agree with Galaxy Babe about artificial means of contraception. If it can't happen naturally...adopt a child in need. And a woman even in her 40's having a child...hey...it's work...the older you get..the harder it is to raise a child....who wants to be retired with a teenager? And a woman in her fifites? Crazy lady if you ask me.
what took so long to wake up?

And as far as CHOICE of having children or not....that is entirely up to the individual. I just became a grandmother...my daughter and son-in-law are very happy and want more children...they can afford it (it costs $$$ these days for education). I am a very happy "gramma"!

My son on the other hand is 32, single..doesn't want children...which I think is fine. I don't think anyone should be pressured into having children for the sake of "the family line" BS. I think there are enough humans in the world to keep our place in the food chain...unless of course the roaches become real big and eat us all up! LOL It seems "they" have survived "all". Barb

Would you say the urge to have children is a product of our selfish need to 'live on' in our children etc etc or merely the selfish gene exerting it powerful force for its own survival. In my opinion the former is an supreme example of self delusion as any genetic material that is passed on will (obviously) be 'diluted' by your partner etc etc. and any learned behaviour can be achieved through adoption. Similarily my genes in a sense ar shared by all the other humans on the planet, the mitrochondrial Eve, thus negating the need to have children! Qui?

It would even help slightly if every couple had just one child - thus when the couple dies they leave just one child to replace them. Eventually the population will go down if everyone did this. If everyone had 2 kids the population would remain stable, and 3 or more makes it go up. But of course it'd take a while for everyone to die.