Do you think it's selfish not to have children?

Question

I have friends (with children) who say this to me. I think an opposite argument could easily be made. I want to know what *you* think.

Answer 1

Having children is a privilege. And if you don't care to have that privilege, who are they to tell you that you are selfish? Almost sounds like they could be jealous that you have the freedoms that they don't as parents.

Answer 2

No it isn't selfish. What's selfish is thinking that having children is morally superior to not having children. The case could be made that in a world which is increasingly populous, with a scarcity of resources to support the population it already has, that adding more ppl will only hasten the day when we have to fight each other for water.

Answer 3

It is NOT selfish to not have children. Why on Earth would your friends say that? Having no children has nothing to do with being selfish!! It is your life, if you don't want children, then fine. But they can't tell you that not having children is being selfish. The definition of selfish is lacking consideration for others, and in no way does that have anything to do with not having children! Tell your friends to mind their own buisness!!!

Answer 4

Having children is selfish. Just listen to the people that have them justify themselves. They say things like, “My child will take care of me when I get old!”, and “I will always have someone to love me!”. Pretty selfish huh? The fact is they probably didn’t plan their kids. They were just putting their selfish need for sex ahead of common sense.

I chose not to have kids. I had a vasectomy at age 21 (20 years ago). So if having a lot of stamps in my passport, having photographs that I have taken all over the world, and being able to have all the sex I want, is selfish, then so be it. At least I have my freedom, and I don’t have to pay child support.

My mottos:

“Having children – Even a Caveman can do it!”
“Your gifted child just stuck your keys in my light socket!”

Answer 5

I have three children and loving it. But I would respect the choice of others not wanting to have children. Most do have a good reason - too busy tied down to their work, cant afford them or sincerely believe in world over population.
Definitely not selfish choice. I think a selfish choice would be to have children and not to take responsibility for them - i am talking about those who can afford to but dont want to...

Answer 6

I think that having children is selfish. Not that that is a bad thing. But, honestly people don't have kids for the sake of the child, they have children for the sake of themselves...to fill some need, or void, or because they feel like it is the norm. But it certainly is for selfish reasons.

Answer 7

Your friends should mind their own business in this regard. There are so many parents out there who do a terrible job with their kids that I think they are being selfish by choosing to have children. Just because you have reproductive organs, it doesn't mean you'll be a good parent.

Answer 8

Jeez! Your "friends" are morons. I hear the same crap all the time and I CAN'T have kids. When I had to have surgery to keep from bleeding to death, everyone told me that I was being "selfish". People need to get it through their big fat heads that children are NOT mandatory, nor are women without children somehow "unfulfilled".

Answer 9

Absolutely not selfish. I would hate to be the child of someone who thought that way but didn't take good care of me and or abused the you know what out of me.

Answer 10

No, it's not. How is it selfish to want to live your life the way you want to live it? It's selfish to have kids and then not give them the love and attention they need. It's not selfish to not have them in the first place if you aren't ready for them or don't want to have them.