Firstly, and most importantly,: I disagree too strongly with too much of human nature for me to want to contribute my sperm to its upkeep. We tend to be a corrupt, violent, exploitative, and generally selfish species. Furthermore, I’m not to believe that (had they been born) my descendants as a whole would be all that different from the human average. Given all this, why ought I contribute my sperm to sustaining the human race?

Secondly, the human race will go extinct one day anyway, due to the entropy of the Universe, if not earlier. The way I see it, there’s no sense in investing in something that’s gonna last beyond your lifetime if its not going to last absolutely forever. Furthermore, after our species dies off, there’s nobody who’s gonna remember our glories, nor anyone around who’ll even remain to benefit from our glories. Therefore, I see no point in procreation. Even worse, having children will simply pass on the burden of eventual extinction to someone else. Why not stop it with me?

Thirdly, What right do we have to impose life’s hardships onto others, especially if they can’t consent to exist in a world such as ours? As one antinatalist said, that’s like forcing someone to play a sport/game whose rules they don’t agree with beforehand. Siring children forces children to play such a game before they can even consent to the rules of the game. Now where’s the morality in that?

Beyond this, the urge to procreate and to even survive, is ultimately a mere animal instinct, not the product of independent thought and reason. This wouldn’t be so relevant were it not for the above three points. However, because of those three points, the urge to procreate should be held up to serious scrutiny, given the consequenses for any descendants that come along. To say that “it’s just human nature” to want children is actually confusing human nature with animal urges. This makes “human nature” arguments fit for mere mountain lions and timber wolves — NOT for a thinking human being.

Hey antinatalists, if you are so afraid of heights, why don’t you jump off a tall building?

Max – I have no problem with voluntary killing centers. But I think you’re being glib when you stipulate that “a framework that the family acknowledges from the get-go” is sufficient to do away with the negative externalities of suicide. Just because I accept that a close friend or family member has the right to kill himself doesn’t mean I won’t be devastated by the loss.

Chip – But if nothing is nothing, then life is by definition better than nothing. All of you guys sound like people who struck out in a ball game and then decided that no one should be allowed to play ball.

Max- Sounds like a reasonable compromise.

Long day.