Procreation fading?

[Ajdub18]

Will humans one day in the distant future just lose the desire to procreate? I feel like some of the most intelligent people I know are slowly fading away from the idea of having kids. When I was younger the thought of raising a kid excited me but now that I am older (not that much older I'm still only 25 which could be the reason I feel this anyway) I feel like I will never want kids and I have friends that are much older who feel the same way.

Or is it probably just that people are wanting to have kids later in life as our life expectancy increases?

[Sockem]

Probably has more to do with the economic climate than anything.

[Ajdub18]

Good point...but i still cant help but feel that one day in the very very distant future it will be deemed unnecessary for one reason or another. I dont know, just a weird thought I have.

[kingjust]

Honestly, I think it has more to do with men not have an equal say or equal rights when it comes to being a parent. The injustice of the family court system towards men is nauseiating. That's why I chose to have my one and only daughter... and would rather adopt. I do not want to feel helpless if I were to ever get into a predicament like that with a female. Alot of good men ie fathers are in jail because of this bias system. That is why procreation will go away, through the desicion of men. And even then, sperm donors are being held legally responsible. WTF!

[orgaelin]

There was a spoof film made about this very question. I can't quite recall the name, but basically the introduction to the movie explained that humanity had descended into a state of utter stupidity in the future.

As you say, the smart people waited till later in life to have children, and it's a biological truth that the longer you leave it the less fertile you'll be and the less healthy your offspring. Meanwhile the 'intellectually challenged' went on breeding like bunnies, and over the course of many generations the entire human race became utterly stupid.

Obviously that's not going to happen, but it's a disconcerting thought nonetheless!

The other thing I would say is that the desire to procreate is probably very, very low any way, and in truth could really benefit from being lower still, because we've already surpassed 7 billion people on earth, and at the current rate of growth we ARE headed for a major population problem.

And that's not happened, because of the desire to procreate, I don't think. Nature instead gave us a desire to have sex. And that takes care of procreation, condoms permitting.

And so look on the bright side (sarcasm) - there'll always be Catholics!

[HelioPrime]

I saw a Sci Fi movie where a group of lesbians in power released a virus that targeted male chromosomes and as such wiped out the male population. They called it judgement for man's errors and established a world where women used cloning and tube babies as means of reproducing only females since males were regarded as the cause of all conflict and strife.

Not much to do with the OP but you might say the lack of a will to procreate among fictional lesbians brought an end to natural procreation.

[stardust]

Quote by: HelioPrime I saw a Sci Fi movie where a group of lesbians in power released a virus that targeted male chromosomes and as such wiped out the male population. They called it judgement for man's errors and established a world where women used cloning and tube babies as means of reproducing only females since males were regarded as the cause of all conflict and strife. Not much to do with the OP but you might say the lack of a will to procreate among fictional lesbians brought an end to natural procreation.

Are you sure it was Science Fiction? Because males actually really are the cause of conflict and strife, no offence.
---

[grandpa]

Quote by: stardust Are you sure it was Science Fiction? Because males actually really are the cause of conflict and strife, no offence.

No offense taken, though I have to disagree that women are wholly different, that they have contributed nothing significant to warfare. If you really want to study the subject of propaganda, you'd find that much of it also targets women.

Grandpa h.

[Calam]

Women being less involved in strife and conflict throughout history (although they are not virgins in this) is a by-product of a male-dominant society. In a female-dominant society, we'd see the same thing in reverse. Gender plays a role in behavior, sure, but human nature doesn't change just because you're a man or a woman. This doesn't mean one would do better than the other; both should be included, for fairness sake.

But I hate it when people suggest that women would do a better job of running the world. That, somehow, they can overcome human nature and transcend the chaos of international relationships, if only every country were run by women. I can picture it now:

"This is the President."
"Hi, this is the Prime Minister of England..."
"Hi Shelly, how's your country doing?"
"Listen, your troops are invading my borders. Care to explain why?"
"Humph. If you don't already know, I'm not going to tell you."
*hangs up*

[Sinner]

Considering that overwhelming majority of people end up in hell, I have no desire to procreate.

I don’t want my children cursing me for bringing them to this world. This is exactly what most people will experience on the Judgment Day.

But of course there are always Chinese and Indians who view children as insurance policy/pension plan. While these selfish and materialistic cultures exist, overpopulation is assured.

[Zhavric]

Can't find the video on youtube now, but it was titled something like "why liberals are dying out".

It showed a middle class couple sitting on a couch in a nice living room discussing how they want to wait a few years to have kids now that they're married.

It cuts to a trailer park with two rednecks yelling at each other. A couple. The woman is holding a baby and pregnant with another.

Cut back to the couple with the caption "5 years later". They explain why they're still waiting.

Cut back to the rednecks. Still in the trailer. Still yelling at each other. Now there are least 3 kids under the age of 5 and the wife is still pregnant.

You get the idea.

[tfox_60]

Quote by: Zhavric Can't find the video on youtube now, but it was titled something like "why liberals are dying out". It showed a middle class couple sitting on a couch in a nice living room discussing how they want to wait a few years to have kids now that they're married. It cuts to a trailer park with two rednecks yelling at each other. A couple. The woman is holding a baby and pregnant with another. Cut back to the couple with the caption "5 years later". They explain why they're still waiting. Cut back to the rednecks. Still in the trailer. Still yelling at each other. Now there are least 3 kids under the age of 5 and the wife is still pregnant. You get the idea.

???? You think rednecks in trailer parks are conservative? Those who vote Republican have higher incomes and levels of education than those who vote democrat. Many conservatives are affluent church going people with 3-5 kids.
Most trailer parks Im familiar with are either predominantly retirees or predominately younger couples of the blue collar type. Old folks more likely to be consevative and the blue collar more likely to be liberal.

Interesting to see who is making babies and who is not.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat.../2054rank.html
Niger Mali Uganda and Afghanistan top the list as top procreaters. The more advanced, the more educated, the more affluent a country is, the lower their birth rate. I think in a modern, affluent society our satisfaction is gained through material possesions and personal enjoyment. If your living in a mud hut in Uganda you might as well make a bunch of kids because satisfaction through material possesions and personal enjoyment is harder to come by.

[tfox_60]

Quote by: Sinner Considering that overwhelming majority of people end up in hell, I have no desire to procreate. I don’t want my children cursing me for bringing them to this world.

Well, which is it? Life in this world or the hell after that you want to save them from?

[another day]

Quote by: stardust Are you sure it was Science Fiction? Because males actually really are the cause of conflict and strife, no offence. ---

Really? I'd rethink that if I were you. Women are far from all peaceful creatures.

[Sinner]

tfox_60 Well, which is it? Life in this world or the hell after that you want to save them from?

Hell is the result of life in this world, is it not?

The world today makes salvation highly improbable. So I believe it is cruel to bring my children here for ethernal suffering.

[tivodan1116]

Quote by: stardust Are you sure it was Science Fiction? Because males actually really are the cause of conflict and strife, no offence. ---

Helen of Troy had a penis? No kidding, ya don't say.

[HelioPrime]

Catherine the Great died from being trampled by a horse she had sexual escapades with. What a role model

[Calam]

Quote by: Sinner Hell is the result of life in this world, is it not? The world today makes salvation highly improbable. So I believe it is cruel to bring my children here for ethernal suffering.

Salvation is a personal choice, regardless of the circumstances. You could be born into a drunken orgy and grow up in a whore-house. The opportunity for salvation remains. Whether or not someone decides to 'get saved' is based on their personality, not their circumstances.

If it were somehow guaranteed that your child would go straight to hell no matter what, then I could relate to your reasoning. But there is no reason to believe that.

[tfox_60]

Quote by: Calam Salvation is a personal choice, regardless of the circumstances. You could be born into a drunken orgy and grow up in a whore-house. The opportunity for salvation remains. Whether or not someone decides to 'get saved' is based on their personality, not their circumstances.

I suspect that 90-95% of the people who decide to get saved, have parents who decided to get saved. 90-95% of those who choose not to get saved, have parents who didnt decide to get saved.

[Compugasm]

Quote by: tfox_60 90-95% of the people who decide to get saved...

Hmm, with an ever shrinking original sample size... eventually no-one is saved.