Growing share of childless adults in U.S. don’t expect to ever have children

[Anonymous]

Hmm…I think my favorite “frivolous pursuit” as a (currently) childfree person is paying many thousands of dollars per year in property taxes so your kids can enjoy good public schools.

[Anonymous]

My kids feel like this - They are 17, 20 and 23 years old. They never want to have kids because they fear climate change and they also feel that the Earth will be inhabitable. They are resigned to more illnessess, crime and in future enslavement by rich people with power.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the climate change reason. You don’t want kids so the earth isn’t harmed? But if we all did this there would be no more people. Is that the point? A humanless planet?

Because people don't want to have a kids destined for a poor quality future or.one wherein they will suffer.

Climate change is already causing more/more serious natural disasters, refugees, conflicts over resources, and the spread of diseases. (Don't believe me? Ask the national security establishment and the military, which see it as a national security threat.) And it's almost certainly only going to get worse, given both individuals' and governments' unwillingness to take necessary actions (which would have been much less drastic if we'd taken the threat seriously in prior decades). So the world my kid will live in will be more dangerous, less stable, and less pleasant. People don't want to have kids if they think they will have a crap quality of life, or will suffer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get are the Millenials who declare they won't have actual children for the sake of the environment, but acquire carnivorous pets instead. Bonus stupid points if they spoil these animals with consumer goods like Halloween costumes and pay for their daily transportation to and from doggie day care.

So true. They don't care for Earth. They care that they cannot have kids and so have pets as a last hurrah. They are also zipping off around the world so that they can "see" everything before it is forever gone.

[Anonymous]

No one is saying that they won't have kids for the sake of environment. They are saying that the climate and environment will be so bad that Earth will be inhabitable. In the meantime. poverty, famine, disease and crime will make lives hard. So why bring a kid in this messed up world? The environment and politics cannot sustain human civilization in a peaceful and positive way.

Just look at how terrible USA has become. It is like a 3rd world country and it is armed to the teeth too. It is a dangerous place.

[Anonymous]

They should get snipped and their tubes tied then. The oligarchs will use their wombs to make more workers and their organs to replace their own aging ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should get snipped and their tubes tied then. The oligarchs will use their wombs to make more workers and their organs to replace their own aging ones.

Actually, true. The demand for young healthy sperm and eggs will get ever higher as the wealthy push their child bearing years later and later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is saying that they won't have kids for the sake of environment. They are saying that the climate and environment will be so bad that Earth will be inhabitable. In the meantime. poverty, famine, disease and crime will make lives hard. So why bring a kid in this messed up world? The environment and politics cannot sustain human civilization in a peaceful and positive way.

Just look at how terrible USA has become. It is like a 3rd world country and it is armed to the teeth too. It is a dangerous place.

Please say more about your concern that the Earth will become inhabitable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get are the Millenials who declare they won't have actual children for the sake of the environment, but acquire carnivorous pets instead. Bonus stupid points if they spoil these animals with consumer goods like Halloween costumes and pay for their daily transportation to and from doggie day care.

Nothing, NOTHING, consumes more energy than creating more little American consumers, who will grow up to need not only dog costumes, but also SUVS, McMansions, IKEA cabinets, scores of iPads and cell phones, etc etc

This!. It's not even comparable

[Anonymous]

Good for them! I don't understand people who become enraged over someone else not wanting to have kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2 older siblings are childless. 38 and 44. The holidays they spend watching Netflix and surfing Reddit. I am sad for them.

Sounds like a dream.

Right? Sounds fun and nothing to pity them about.

Though as the person who was childless for years and spent holidays with family I have to ask why doesn't your family all get together?

Do you only celebrate with immediate family,?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of three kids my issue is I devoted a huge amount of my life to them and literally millions of dollars between cost to raise them and college. They are great kids. All very talented, healthy and beautiful. My one daughter for example literally looks like Scarlet Johansson, award winning artist and is wrapping up college and already has a great job lined up in a FinTech. Between all the work from school, soccer, teaching then to drive, college, even how to sew, cook, shop, home repairs, religion classes etc. if she does not have kids what’s the point. And all three of my kids are that great. My house. My cars. My memories I even existed is worthless without a future generation.

LOL. If you wanted a legacy, you should have skipped having kids and poured your energies into something actually meaningful. Dolly Parton will be remembered.

PP actually gave me some insight into the OTT parents around here. They aren't just living through their kids academics and travel soccer, they are looking to their children to give their enite existence meaning. Wow. Explains a lot. Poor kids!

Good point. I feel sad for people like pp. Kids are great if you want them, but to have no other meaning or sources of happiness in your life is sad to me and also unfair pressure on the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should get snipped and their tubes tied then. The oligarchs will use their wombs to make more workers and their organs to replace their own aging ones.

Actually, true. The demand for young healthy sperm and eggs will get ever higher as the wealthy push their child bearing years later and later.

And when they aren't productive anymore, we can send them to the glue factory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should get snipped and their tubes tied then. The oligarchs will use their wombs to make more workers and their organs to replace their own aging ones.

Actually, true. The demand for young healthy sperm and eggs will get ever higher as the wealthy push their child bearing years later and later.

And when they aren't productive anymore, we can send them to the glue factory.

Handmaid’s Tale much?

[Anonymous]

I would never suggest that anyone have kids who doesn’t want to, but I still find it sad that consumerism has made having children so unappealing and difficult.

Human life has meaning. That’s why I had kids.