I can’t tell whether some of you folks can’t read or just can’t comprehend what you read. Having said that…
sifo, if you read my entire post then you know that I’m NOT an environmentalist, so I have no idea why you’d write that I provide “refreshing honesty for once from the environmentalist perspective.” You also wrote that my view is “based on a true loathing of humanity– a core belief that the very presence of human beings is an offense to nature.” Also wrong. I’m neither pro-human, nor anti-human. I’m a neutral, disinterested observer. If humans wipe themselves out in a hundred years, fine. If our kind is still prospering in a million years, wonderful. Again, I’m just here to observe. Let the chips fall where they may. It makes no difference to me.
But… where this planet’s environment is concerned, I still haven’t heard a rebuttal to my point that having children is one of the most destructive things a couple can do. To repeat myself, I don’t care if people have 10 children because, again, I don’t have an emotional attachment to what happens to this planet beyond my own lifetime. But how you or Marion “feel” about children and perpetuating human life is not relevant. So I’ll ask you, Marion, or anyone else, AGAIN, to disprove my thesis. Stick to facts and leave out the “feelings.”
sifo, you also said that “what you do is insignificant and pales in comparison to the importance of creating and raising good human beings for the next generation, which by the way are not a burden to the planet, but the purpose of the planet.” Really? Says who (besides you)? I’m a reasonably objective, thoughtful person and I’ve gotta admit to you that I’m not really sure what the “purpose of the planet” is. And I’m pretty confident that you don’t know what it is either. But I’m pretty sure what it’s NOT – and that’s “raising good human beings for the next generation.” That’s spoken like someone with a fantastically myopic, self-important view of the world and our universe. I’ll say it again, in the scheme of the universe the existence of humans on the Planet Earth is just one of many accidents. No more, no less. There’s also no Easter Bunny, Santa Clause, Tooth Fairy or old guy named Peter waiting to let you into some fantasy world after you die. Sorry to disappoint you.
jpinpb, where to begin? You wrote that “Some men like the Daves of the world or paranoid men overestimate their need which they claim is for money and sperm.” Where on Earth did you get this from one of my posts? Please explain with specifics. I’m totally unnecessary. I’m the first one to admit it. And wouldn’t have anyone believe otherwise. Sure, technically if a woman wants to have children she’s gotta find some sperm. But if she has her own means and can access semen, then she sure as hell doesn’t need a man for anything. So I have no idea how you read any of my posts and came to the conclusion you did. Please enlighten me.
You also wrote, “The real purpose of men and women on the planet is to procreate. Why would you be given that ability if it were not meant to continue life?” That is the most illogical statement I’ve read in quite some time. Humans also have the ability to kill people. To use your logic, “Why would we be given that ability if it weren’t meant to extinguish life.” We exist because via evolution our human ancestors had the ability to procreate and we have that ability too. But to suggest that our “real purpose” is to procreate is a uniquely narrow, “humans are special” view of the world. I would argue that there is no “real purpose” of men and women on the planet. If you believe that YOUR real purpose is to procreate, then have at it. I’ve got no problem with that. But don’t lump those of us who view things differently in with yourself.
A generic comment on two parent vs. one parent households. The degree to which kids are “well adjusted” or “successful as adults” is much more highly correlated to the parents’ education level and the emphasis they place on education for their kids than it is as to whether there are two parents living under the same roof. To use an extreme example, statistically speaking, the kids of two divorced professionals are on average going to turn out more well-adjusted (and successful as adults) than the kids of a married couple in Bumfuck, Utah that didn’t graduate from high school. Again, on average. There are exceptions to every rule. But I see nothing magical about having two parents living under the same roof. The issue is the quality of the parenting and the emphasis on fundamentals, education being a very big one.
