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But why are my genes any better than anyone else's though? What if I have a family history of hereditary diseases or mental illnesses?
What I'm really asking is, now that we are no longer cavemen, living off the land and fighting for survival, is the biological urge to pass on my genes a good reason to procreate in modern society?
It may or may not be a *good* reason, but you cannot dispute the fact that we are programmed this way. And what if I have a history of giftedness and genius or artistic talent or musical talent? What if we don't know about any history of diseases or mental illness?
What you are asking does not really make much sense.
They do want children, but have made a conscientious decision not to have them for various reasons.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lizardspock
Listen, I'm not asking if it's "right" or "wrong" for people to have kids. I'm only asking if people think there's a logical reason to have kids.
I was very logical about my decision to have children because I had many logical reasons to not have children for over a decade. Finances was one of them, but the biggest one was I felt I didn't have patience. In my late 20s, I no longer had logical reasons to not have children because I was financially more secure, and I was a more patient person. Your friend may similarly change their minds as the circumstances surrounding their conscientious decisions change.
At the same time, I have a friend in her early 30s who has never wanted children, and I don't think she ever will. She has no logical reasons for not wanting children aside from simply not wanting them. She makes no excuses for it and doesn't provide a list of reasons. I'm the only person in her life who doesn't pressure her to have children. I fully respect her decision, and it doesn't need to be logical.
That's a pretty good answer. But, self preservation (eating, breathing, sleeping, etc) directly impacts our own individual well-being. Having a child (or not) does not. And there are far more orphans than we can ever hope to adopt in this day and age.
So, my question stands. Give me a logical reason to procreate? If you believe there is no logical reason to procreate, then why continue to do it?
Because human beings are very complex and you must know that many of our choices have NOTHING to do with logic. Thank God we are also emotional and spiritual beings. I cannot imagine how boring life would be if our entire being was logic based.
But why are my genes any better than anyone else's though? What if I have a family history of hereditary diseases or mental illnesses?
What I'm really asking is, now that we are no longer cavemen, living off the land and fighting for survival, is the biological urge to pass on my genes a good reason to procreate in modern society?
Yours genes aren't better. They are simply your genes and thus will create similarities in you and your child who shares some of those genes as you and your extended family (assuming they are genetically related to you). So you may be more qualified to raise that child and they child may feel more at home with you because of the shared genes. No one said your genes or anyone else's are better, at least I did not see that stated.
And I mean to actually conceive, carry and deliver your own biological child.
What's your reason? Is it emotional? Biological? Spiritual?
Not passing judgement. Just want to know others' thoughts on the subject.
To have someone to take care of.
To help shape a human life from infancy to adulthood.
To see traits of the person and their spouse combined into a unique person, their child.
To pass on life lessons to someone else and hope they can have a better life than the parents or who can be more effective in their pursuits.
To care for someone who they feel qualified to nurture by virtue of sharing similar genes and thus other similarities.
To have an active family life at home.
To contribute to the greater, extended family.
To satisfy a biological/instinctual drive.
They believe the combination of their and their spouse's genes will create a great unique person with much to contribute to the world.
They believe the combination of their and their spouse's genes will create a great unique person who will bring a lot of joy to their family and daily life.
They believe the combination of their and their spouse's genes will create a child that they will love in a very strong way that cannot be achieved through other means.
I'm sure there are many reasons. The above area just a few. Some of these would be satisfied through adopting too, but not if the parent desires raising a child who shares the genetics of themselves and their spouse and their families. Also adoption is not the equivalent of having your own genetic child. The child is affected by adoption too and not everyone wants or feels they are qualified for that parenting experience or wants to raise a child who is separated from the biological/genetic parents. There are also ethical concerns for some with adoption, such as whether some parents are coerced, or worse, to give up their children. To each his own. Some people want to birth and raise their genetic child, some don't, some are open to a variety of parenting experiences, and some don't wish to be parents at all.
A hundred years ago or so in rural parts there was a more logical reason for having kids - to work on your farm, but nowadays kids cost more than they bring in so you don't have that logical, rational reason any more. But biology has a tendency to trump logic - we have a biological drive to continue the species.
I have a very rational and logical reason not to have any more biological children (my pregnancy was absolutely horrid) but I expect my biological drive will override that sometime in the next few years.
It's pretty difficult to NOT conceive when you are having regular sex unless you take unnatural measures. It's also easier and cheaper than having to do all the things necessary to adopt. Basically it's the default mode and default can't really be selfish since it's natural, logical and practical.
And I mean to actually conceive, carry and deliver your own biological child.
What's your reason? Is it emotional? Biological? Spiritual?
Not passing judgement. Just want to know others' thoughts on the subject.
It's not logical, it's not rational. Do you have an issue with it?
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