I Hate Children

This kind of story makes me anxiously await the day that the hostile aliens arive, judge us to be a species unworthy of existence, and vaporize us all with their Kill-o-Ray. I just hope I escape the anal probing first.

Look, of course there is an inherent selfishness in the very act of having children, regardless of the circumstances. Whether you believe in 'carrying capacity', or are worried about overpopulation, or whatever your ecological causus belli, you have to admit that there are a lot of unhappy, suffering people on this planet, including lots of children who could probably have a much better life if they were adopted into your family, and my understanding is that there is no shortage of them.

But I understand that the desire to procreate is entirely natural, given that, you know, we wouldn't be here if our ancestors hadn't had that selfsame urge. Plus, sex is fun (you don't get that kind of deep insight and analysis in The New York Times!) So I don't begrudge people that right and opportunity. Besides, I imagine I will probably have biological kids myself someday, and while I do believe in the old saying about 'A foolish consistency', I like to think I'm a little above outright hypocrisy.

But come on...you really think the best possible use of your resources is to spend tens of thousands of dollars, flying around the world, getting yourself artificially inseminated, so that you can bring into the world extra children, who are at significantly increased risk of birth defects and lifelong genetic conditions, and who will in all likelihood see their parents dead before their 30th birthday? If our society is at the point where we are this self-involved, all I have to say is, bring on the revolution.