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

Third time in a month I blame 2legs.

Someone clever enough to make 3 QOTD's in one month should certainly procreate.

Especially someone so good with maths...

Now that would be scary. You don't want to overpopulate the world with mathematicians whose quote make it onto hootoo's front page

I dunno... it'd be fun seeing if the sums'd work out...

But this is not a thread about convincing me. Rather, I'm collecting examples of people who had to face the problem, 'cos I don't know that many really.

Example no.

I don't know if I want kids, OH definitely doesn't. I'd at least like to have the option, we broke up.

I think it's one of those things it's kind of fundamental to agree on in a relationship!

I would find it odd if someone was to get married without ever discussing such a thing first. It seems so fundamental.

But love is a drug - and it does very odd things to you!

in my experience, having a strong view one way or another is usually expressed reasonably early on. It's when you're not bothered either way that you dont tend to bring it up...



i'm a young-un though, I guess different folks work differently and I suspect different age-groups are more or less likely to have had discussions about it, or to even have mentioned it.

It could be that you don't really think you are being bothered either way, but upon reflecting the question you find out that you are. Or you secretly believe you might change your (or, better still, your partner's ) mind.

It is surely a human instinct to have children - an animal instinct even. People who say they don't want children are suppressing this natural instinct. Which leads to the conclusion : either they're kidding themselves or they do really have an extremely good reason (their own health, for example).

I read a CFBC (child free by choice) board in another place in cyberspace you would probably be amazed at how annoyed your post would make the posters there!

There are plenty of rational women who have decided that on balance, they don't want to have children. They aren't kidding themselves and don't have health issues - they just either don't like or don't want kids and are perfectly happy with their lives without them.

In some cases they have said things like they just don't have a mothering instinct and have no inclination to want to change their lives in order to satisfy what society sees as 'normal'.

they are deadends on the evolutionary ladder then

Don't suppose they care about that. Plenty of people don't or can't have children and I doubt that any of them are much concerned with progressing evolution. The human race certainly isn't going to grind to a halt without their offspring.

<< The human race certainly isn't going to grind to a halt without their offspring.>>

some beg to differ


http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2002/feb/03/genetics.research

The Human Race has run its course. We have reached the evolutioanry finishing line, and all thats left is to dish out a few medals, pack everything up and go home. The TV rights to the whole event were sold to Rupert Murdoch, who shoved a load of tedious advertising between the good bits, and then the banking system collapsed.

Men have a primal driving force to have sex not children. Progeny are just the result of the slavering lust that fills a mans soul, and the aim is to spread the seed as far and wide as possible. Society is the creator of the family unit, and that in turn has been shaped by the church (doesn't matter which one, as they are all as guilty as each other).

To summarise - Cancel your Sky subscription, stop the needless running around, and berate the nearest vicar. Have a cup of tea and a long serious think about how best to spread your seed and pay for the resulting carnage.

I wanted to carry on the end of evolution discussion, so made a new thread here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/F135418?thread=6015257 I'd also like to hear more about this thread's original topic, since I worry it's a problem I might have in the future.

Over the weekend I had words with a couple of male friends of mine and yup. The ones who had strong views I knew what they were (exes and friends were polled) and the ones I wasn't sure on, weren't sure. (had no opinion or a 'one day if I get settled with the right person' attitude.)

There are a plethora of examples where a relationship has ended when the sometimes difficult subject of having children is raised, and the party opposed to the idea has then gone on to meet someone else and started a family. It usually means they were just treading water in the relationship and felt the commitment was a step too far.

Having children is an wondrous adventure, and should be viewed as one with all concerned. It is exausting, frustrating, and bewildering, but ultimately rewarding. I'll let you know if I change my mind when mine hit puberty.

Get all your travelling, binge drinking, house renovation plans, and basket weaving projects out of the way first, and then when you start to run out things to talk about have children. If you leave it too late you end up looking like grandparents down the park.