Yes, it is extremely selfish.

Nope. Biological drive is strong and without it we wouldn't exist as a species.

Yes, it's selfish (and I have kids). I didn't think about this until I already had them.

Yes, it is selfish. The population of the world is exploding and humans use far too many natural resources and are poor about replenishing them. Additionally humans pollute the world and are damaging the world with their living habits. The earth would be better off if the human population stabilized or decreased somewhat, but humans are not likely to stop that.

So, yes, it is selfish, but it is the natural order of things, selfish or not.

Anonymous wrote:Having a child is the opposite of selfish…you stop being yourself.

I've never found that to be the case. Having a child might develop different aspects of yourself, but in general, selfish people are still selfish after they have kids. Whatever kind of person you were before you had kids, you're still basically that person. It's just that your self-interest includes your kid and what you want for them.

Most people have children because they want them. So yes, it's selfish in the sense that no one is having kids for altruistic reasons (whatever they tell themselves). They are having them to satisfy a want or desire. That doesn't mean it's wrong, it just means it's a fundamentally self-centered decision.

It is an evolutionary drive to continue one's genes.

No. It’s the natural outcome, and ostensibly, the telos, of sex.

Yes, but so is virtually everything else humans do.

Raising a child well, to be a good and empathetic person, is the opposite.

Everything humans do is selfish.

I am not sure if this is a good-faith question, but I'll answer: I think it is selfish!

Raising a child well is completely selfless. But just having one? Unless it looked like the human race was in danger of dying out, I don't think there is any altruistic reason to have a child.

And this, by the way, is one of my motivations for being a good parent. My kids didn't ask to be born, so I owe it to them to raise them the best that I can.

Having a child is the opposite of selfish…you stop being yourself.

This is the relationship discussion. Bye.

No. It's a basic purpose in life. All animals reproduce. Having a child and then buying them the world and stealing from others might be selfish.

Given the state of the world and the fact that children born there n the United States use 13 times the resources of those born in poor countries, is having a child selfish?