Re:Is Aging Inevitable?
by BoxOfRain on Monday July 26, 2021 @03:02PM
(#27963764)
I think it depends on the family and on the person. I for one hugely value autonomy and the ability to change my life on a whim, I've been working towards a very self-sufficient lifestyle of sailing the world and working in a location-independent manner. If I have kids they'll likely inherit at least some of my nature which drives them away from a traditional life and towards the semi-nomadic life I'm embracing, so it would be immensely cruel (as well as hypocritical) of me to bring a human life into the world knowing full well I'd be denying them the chance of such a life themselves. My future children would honour my wishes far better by living in a way that makes them happy (whatever that may be) rather than shackling themselves to a particular location or burning up their inheritance for the purpose of keeping what remains of my demented mind alive beyond its time.
I don't like this idea kids owe their parents anything simply for existing. Nobody asks to be born, and since there's no meaningful consent it would be wrong of me to impose a duty of care on my future children when they have no say in the matter. I owe them a decent childhood because I chose to bring them into existence, they don't owe me a decent old age just because of social expectations. In fact, I'd be proud of them for rejecting those expectations because grudgingly making those kind of sacrifices can only breed resentment.
Re:Is Aging Inevitable?
by seibelj on Monday July 26, 2021 @08:59PM
(#27967425)
Parents don’t bring let their child decide to be born, but they do care for them unconditionally. I believe it is the duty of the child to care for their parent if the parent did not do something irredeemable to them. But this is an ethical belief.
I don't like this idea kids owe their parents anything simply for existing. Nobody asks to be born, and since there's no meaningful consent it would be wrong of me to impose a duty of care on my future children when they have no say in the matter. I owe them a decent childhood because I chose to bring them into existence, they don't owe me a decent old age just because of social expectations. In fact, I'd be proud of them for rejecting those expectations because grudgingly making those kind of sacrifices can only breed resentment.