Thread: Is it our moral duty to voluntarily not breed?

Well you folks give me hope.... Thank you!

I don't think that people are inherently the problem, but too many people using too much.
I often come across arguments such as "There is plenty of land we haven't used yet! We can cut down the last of the forest for farming our food! There is still wilderness out there we haven't raped for resources yet!" and honestly that argument only proves my point! Lol... Those are the people I wish weren't born... kind of being facetious and kind of being serious. I think that the animals should have rights to the land as well and we should share with them.

The suffering and happiness thing is interesting. Yes bringing a child into the world will bring them suffering because this world is crazy. Yet there is the potential for them to find happiness as well. But the amount of suffering available far outweighs the amount of happiness available.... But that isn't really what this debate is about, although it is interesting to think about. I like the idea of quality of life over quantity of life, as if we need to have as many people as possible in order that the most people as possible can experience happiness.

But thanks again folks, I am feeling more hopeful after reading these comments... Keep it up!

Originally Posted by Dannon Oneironaut

Well you folks give me hope.... Thank you!

I don't think that people are inherently the problem, but too many people using too much.
I often come across arguments such as "There is plenty of land we haven't used yet! We can cut down the last of the forest for farming our food! There is still wilderness out there we haven't raped for resources yet!" and honestly that argument only proves my point! Lol... Those are the people I wish weren't born... kind of being facetious and kind of being serious. I think that the animals should have rights to the land as well and we should share with them.

The suffering and happiness thing is interesting. Yes bringing a child into the world will bring them suffering because this world is crazy. Yet there is the potential for them to find happiness as well. But the amount of suffering available far outweighs the amount of happiness available.... But that isn't really what this debate is about, although it is interesting to think about. I like the idea of quality of life over quantity of life, as if we need to have as many people as possible in order that the most people as possible can experience happiness.

But thanks again folks, I am feeling more hopeful after reading these comments... Keep it up!

Suffering outweighs happiness and darkness out competes the lights in the night sky but you don't notice the darkness, you notice and cherish the light. No matter how few and few between the light is, it's there. And because it's there, it dominates the void. When I was traveling, I had the choice of focusing on the indifference and cruelty of the people I met, or focusing on the kindness. And sometimes acts of kindness were as few and far between as specks of light in the void of space, but they fueled me forward. Even the tiniest little acts of kindness, the tiniest drops of humanity and compassion, were enough to keep in connected with my indomitable spirit.