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The decision to have children (or not to have children) is a very personal one; but nevertheless one that directly affects society as a whole, and thus it is a decision laden with responsibilities that far outweigh our selfish desires either way. Not all persons should have children. Many have children for all the wrong reasons, and as many make for poor parents that treat their children as no more than personal possessions. Indeed, most people give more thought to buying a puppy than they do to bringing a child into the world. As Darwin observed: “Man scans with scrupulous care the character and pedigree of his horses, cattle, and dogs before he matches them; but when it comes to his own marriage he rarely, or never, takes any such care. . . .” Charles Darwin, Descent of Man, Ch. XXI, “General Summary and Conclusion” (1871). The principal distinction between man and the rest of the animal kingdom is the ability to reason; and yet how little consideration is given to such an important matter as rearing a child. One would think that we had but small brains for the lack of foresight as to the consequences of our decisions.
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