Why people have so many children?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the motivations and considerations behind why individuals or couples in the first world choose to have multiple children, exploring various personal, social, and environmental factors influencing these decisions.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express confusion over the desire for more than 1-2 children in the first world, questioning the practicality and challenges of raising larger families.
  • Others suggest that personal life experiences and religious beliefs can significantly influence the decision to have more children.
  • A participant shares their perspective of wanting a larger family due to their own experiences as an only child, while another contrasts this by preferring a smaller family after growing up in a large one.
  • Concerns are raised about the economic implications of having multiple children, including the stress of managing finances and responsibilities.
  • Some participants argue that societal and environmental considerations, such as sustainability and the impact of population growth, play a crucial role in family planning decisions.
  • There is a viewpoint that having children is a personal choice that comes with inherent challenges, and that many parents do not regret their decision despite these challenges.
  • Discussion touches on the ethical considerations of bringing new life into the world, questioning the implications of sentient life and parental control.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on family size, with no clear consensus. Some advocate for smaller families due to environmental concerns, while others emphasize personal choice and the desire for larger families based on individual circumstances.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference historical movements like "Zero Population Growth" and discuss the evolving societal norms regarding family size, indicating that perspectives may be influenced by personal backgrounds and generational shifts.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals exploring family planning, sociologists studying demographic trends, and those interested in the intersection of personal choice and societal norms regarding child-rearing.

  • #31
MotoH said:
For everyone that doesn't have children to reduce the population, I will have 3.

I am thinking of starting a farm and having my stock work there for free. 1,000 acres of corn harvested by children. Now that is they way I want to live.

For some reason, my first thought was "Please God, kill me now". [URL]http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy250/HughOfBorg/SuicideSmiley.gif[/URL]
 
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  • #32
Borg said:
For some reason, my first thought was "Please God, kill me now". [PLAIN]http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy250/HughOfBorg/SuicideSmiley.gif[/QUOTE]

You have just earned 10 more children, and 15 more acres.
 
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  • #33
MotoH said:
You have just earned 10 more children, and 15 more acres.

You are too weird. :smile:
 
  • #34
MotoH said:
For everyone that doesn't have children to reduce the population, I will have 3.

I am thinking of starting a farm and having my stock work there for free. 1,000 acres of corn harvested by children. Now that is they way I want to live.

What will happen to the land when you die and those 3 kids who would have to decide themselves how to distribute the output?
 
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  • #35
rootX said:
What will happen to the land when you die and those 3 kids who would have to decide themselves how to distribute the output?

Nonononono. The Ratio is 1:3. For every 1 couple/person who decides to not have kids, I will have three kids. Therefor I will hopefully have enough kids so they won't be over worked plowing and harvesting my 1,015 acres of land.
 
  • #36
I've never understood why anyone would chose not to have children, provided they have the means and a partner with whom to raise them. I respect that decision, but I don't understand it.
 
  • #37
There is an idea floating around that minorities can increase significant legal change simply by having more of minority population(in the effort to raise it to a majority)
That type of idea works extremely well in a democratic society.

Very disturbing, but totally legal.
 
  • #38
pallidin said:
there is an idea floating around that minorities can increase significant legal change simply by having more of minority population(in the effort to raise it to a majority)
that type of idea works extremely well in a democratic society.

Very disturbing, but totally legal.

bs 2
 
  • #39
rootX said:
bs 2

It's a true story. You know that.
Don't call something that's common sense BS.
 
  • #40
Just like the Labour party wants more immigration in conservative voting towns to increase the labour party vote.
 
  • #41
pallidin said:
There is an idea floating around that minorities can increase significant legal change simply by having more of minority population(in the effort to raise it to a majority)
That type of idea works extremely well in a democratic society.

Very disturbing, but totally legal.

But, in the US at least, by the second and definitely by the third generation they've totally integrated into mainstream culture.

Some of the most adamant people I know for tough immigration standards are the kids of immigrants, at least among my friends.
 
  • #42
pallidin said:
It's a true story. You know that.
Don't call something that's common sense BS.

Yes, immigrants tend to segregate and promote laws favorable towards them but it is bit more complicated than that. There are far too many variables to consider e.g. their contributions. And, there are differences between different immigrants' generations. A big and complicated topic IMO that is not related to this thread.
 
  • #43
I've never understood why anyone would chose not to have children, provided they have the means and a partner with whom to raise them. I respect that decision, but I don't understand it.
Weighing the pros against the cons, it's not even close. I can't see why anyone would choose to have children. I can think of very few pros while on the other hand, I can make a list of cons that doesn't end.

What's not to understand?
 
  • #44
leroyjenkens said:
Weighing the pros against the cons, it's not even close. I can't see why anyone would choose to have children. I can think of very few pros while on the other hand, I can make a list of cons that doesn't end.

What's not to understand?

I am going to assume you have never had a child. Children aren't the "problems" you think they are.
 
  • #45
leroyjenkens said:
Weighing the pros against the cons, it's not even close. I can't see why anyone would choose to have children. I can think of very few pros while on the other hand, I can make a list of cons that doesn't end.

What's not to understand?

Just because you have decided to not have children doesn't mean that it's the best decision for everyone.
 
  • #46
GeorginaS said:
Having children is also very, very frequently an unintended consequence.
Pregnancy is frequently an unintended consequence. Having children, and raising them, is less unintentional than an unplanned pregnancy.
 
  • #47
rootX said:
I don't understand why someone in the first world would want more than 1-2 children. Even now, some people prefer to have more than 3 children.
How is it logical that one or two children are acceptable but more than three children are not?
 
  • #48
thack45 said:
How is it logical that one or two children are acceptable but more than three children are not?

Because the Earth has limited resources. If every couple has one or two, the population stays stable or shrinks. More than that and the population grows. Eventually there will be so many people that the Earth will not be able to support them all.
 
  • #49
I am going to assume you have never had a child. Children aren't the "problems" you think they are.
I don't have to have a child to see lots of other people raise children, or know how hard of a time my parents had with my sister.
Just because you have decided to not have children doesn't mean that it's the best decision for everyone.
Everyone should do what they want. I never want to tell anyone what to do. But I can express my opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of those choices.
People always say how children are a miracle and a blessing and how wonderful and glorious and whatever else it is. But that's not saying anything. If someone wants to list the advantages of having a child, they'd have to use more quantifiable terms. Even saying it's their "best" decision, isn't saying anything. "Best" is vague and almost always needs to be elaborated on.
 
  • #50
Huckleberry said:
Pregnancy is frequently an unintended consequence. Having children, and raising them, is less unintentional than an unplanned pregnancy.

You're kidding me, right? You're busting out semantics suggesting that by "having" you meant "raising" children rather than "pregnancy/bearing" children?

So in here

Huckleberry said:
Having a child is a conscious choice, not merely a selfish or subconscious one.

I know a few thirty-something women who had decided earlier in their life to not have children and now are pulling their hair out about finding the right guy to have them with.
(emphasis mine)

you meant "rear" not "bear". If your intended use of language is so precise, maybe you'd like to use that precision when you write so you're clearly understood. Just a suggestion.
 
  • #51
Borg said:
Because the Earth has limited resources. If every couple has one or two, the population stays stable or shrinks. More than that and the population grows. Eventually there will be so many people that the Earth will not be able to support them all.

Eventually there would be. But! Spiffy new research:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0807085839/?tag=pfamazon01-20
 
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  • #52
Borg said:
Because the Earth has limited resources. If every couple has one or two, the population stays stable or shrinks. More than that and the population grows. Eventually there will be so many people that the Earth will not be able to support them all.
Then wouldn't it be logical to have no children to make up for those among us who aren't aware of this?
 
  • #53
I want to have more than 5 children
Because I do not want be alone when I am old
I don't want to waste my life for lonely death and fade
I would love to see my next generation
I can stay alive without food, water and shelter, but I can not live in loneliness
 
  • #54
GeorginaS said:
You're kidding me, right? You're busting out semantics suggesting that by "having" you meant "raising" children rather than "pregnancy/bearing" children?

So in here

(emphasis mine)

you meant "rear" not "bear". If your intended use of language is so precise, maybe you'd like to use that precision when you write so you're clearly understood. Just a suggestion.
I did assume the OP meant the bearing to term and rearing of children in the use of the word 'have'. I thought it was more germane to the topic to discuss children that are a part of the population, rather than ones that died in infancy or were terminated during pregnancy. I'm sorry if I misunderstood the OP's use of the word 'have'.

Unplanned pregnancies may happen frequently as a result of subconscious drives, but at some point bearing a child becomes a conscious choice that is not unintentional. Hopefully you understand why I thought we were applying the word 'have' to different meanings. I was trying to clarify a misunderstanding, not trying to be semantic.
 
  • #55
quickme said:
I can stay alive without food, water and shelter, but I can not live in loneliness

You should go out on the streets, don't eat and drink for a weak and then come and share the result. :rolleyes:
 
  • #56
bp_psy said:
You should go out on the streets, don't eat and drink for a weak and then come and share the result. :rolleyes:

What? He said he can't stay alive without those things
 
  • #57
Office_Shredder said:
What? He said he can't stay alive without those things

He clearly said "can," not "can't."
 
  • #58
Office_Shredder said:
What? He said he can't stay alive without those things
Where? Unless i didn't get some form of sarcasms his post says that he can live without food, water and shelter
 
  • #59
leroyjenkens said:
I don't have to have a child to see lots of other people raise children, or know how hard of a time my parents had with my sister.

Everyone should do what they want. I never want to tell anyone what to do. But I can express my opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of those choices.
People always say how children are a miracle and a blessing and how wonderful and glorious and whatever else it is. But that's not saying anything. If someone wants to list the advantages of having a child, they'd have to use more quantifiable terms. Even saying it's their "best" decision, isn't saying anything. "Best" is vague and almost always needs to be elaborated on.

Raising your own child and observing someone else are entirely two different experiences. Having been in both situations, raising my children has made me a better person. Many parents who do raise children also go through an amazing transformation of their perspectives that make them a better person. This is certainly something that can happen without having children, but a parent who has the dedication and love to raise a child NEVER regrets it.

Kudos to you that you have decided to not bring children in this world, it's probably for the best for you personally.
 
  • #60
bp_psy said:
Where? Unless i didn't get some form of sarcasms his post says that he can live without food, water and shelter

Wow, I thought it said "cant" in his post. It seemed like a really profound proclamation at the time. Ignore me, I'll crawl away now
 

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