What is antinatalism? There are different schools of thought within antinatalism, but each critiques procreation and the belief in the need to reproduce and have children. There are philosophical and social reasons why someone may adopt an anti-procreative worldview. Antinatalism presents a negative view of procreation. It is best to minimize world suffering; the only inevitable outcome is death.
What Is Antinatalism?
Antinatalism is a broad term for anti-procreation philosophy and school of thought. Antinatalism is a critique of human existence, has a negative view of procreation, and argues that bringing a new life into the world is harmful. The premise of antinatalism is that procreation is unethical because life is suffering. The outcome of all life is death. It is better not to bring a new life into the world because life is pain, and the child will eventually die anyway. It has been in history in other forms, from religion to philosophy. Dualist religions such as Marcionism, Encratism, and Manicheanism taught that procreation is evil because the visible world is evil, including the human body, while the spiritual world is good. The goal is to leave the physical body and world to attain a higher reality and become part of the spiritual world.
For this reason, people should not procreate because the body and physical world are evil. In philosophy, antinatalism follows negative ethics that view procreation as harmful. Humans non-consensually brought a new life into the world without the child’s consent. Certain philosophers also argue that procreation goes against the Kantian Imperative. A child cannot be brought into the world for the good of other people or the Earth. A child brings harm to the mother and Mother Earth.
In short, antinatalism presents death as harm. It is better not to get a new life into the world. It follows negative utilitarianism, which argues that minimizing suffering is more important than maximizing happiness.
EFILism
EFILism believes that since humans and animals result from unintelligent design, they experience unnecessary suffering. For that reason, it is best to stop procreating. The human race can go extinct. It places responsibility on the human race to stop breeding to stop the suffering of other sentient lives such as animals. EFILism sees humans and procreation as a problem because the real concerns are DNA, nature, and sentience on Earth.
Voluntary Human Extinction Movement
VHEMT is the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement. The goal of VHEMT is for the human race to go extinct to return the Earth to its pre-human state and return Earth’s environment to non-human animals.
Childfree
Childfree is a term that describes someone who has voluntarily decided not to have children. People may be childfree for five reasons: financial, job, and career goals, no desire to have children, personal health and well-being, and the environment. The childfree movement has grown and shows there is nothing wrong with being childfree.
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Conclusion
These are four different thoughts within antinatalism, but the different variations critique human procreation because human existence is suffering. Someone may be an antinatalist for various reasons, from not wanting to have children to preserving and protecting the environment.
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
You may be wondering, do I have to have kids? Do I need to have children? What is childfree? Here is a look at what it means to be childfree.
What Is Childfree?
Childfree means that you have no kids. You can be single and childfree. A couple could also be married and childfree.
Why Would Someone Choose To Be Childfree?
It could be a lifestyle choice that singles or even couples choose. There are some single who may have no interest in dating or marriage. Those single may be single by choice or celibate.
A couple may agree that they do not want to have children. Or, a woman may be infertile and unable to have children.
Childfree As A Lifestyle Choice
Being childfree is a lifestyle choice. Here are five reasons why someone, or a couple, may decide to be childfree.
Environmental
There are environmental reasons why someone may decide to be childfree. They may be worried about bringing a new child into the world due to concerns about climate change. They may not want to have a child who will contribute to waste, which will negatively affect the planet. The Environmental Protection Agency found:
- Food waste was estimated at 63.1 million tons in 2018.
- Plastic products were estimated at 35.7 million tons in 2018.
- Municipal waste was estimated at 292.4 million tons.
If someone cares deeply about nature and wants to care for Mother Earth, they may decide to be childfree.
Costs Associated With Raising Children
The cost of living, education, transportation, food, and other expenses continue to become more expensive. Most Americans already live paycheck to paycheck. It is no secret that raising children is expensive.
Due to the financial costs of having children, someone may choose to be childfree to save or invest money so that they can live.
Noise Pollution
Children can be loud. Someone may decide to be childfree so they do not have to put up with the noise pollution from children.
May Not Want To Raise Children
Someone may have no interest in wanting to raise children. They may not view themselves as good with kids or the parenting type. A couple may decide to live together or be married but never want to have children.
May Be Infertile
A woman may be infertile. Or, a woman may be past childbearing age. Even if she wanted to have children, she may no longer be able to have children.
Individual Or A Couple’s Choice
It is ultimately up to everyone to make their own choices. Each person then is responsible for their decisions. A single or a couple may have their reasons for choosing to be childfree. People have the freedom to decide how they want to live their lives.
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Conclusion
These are only some reasons why people may choose to be childfree. It is up to each person to determine if they want to have children. Some single men and women may have no interest in having children or even getting married. Someone, or a couple, may do it for financial or personal reasons. Childfree, in essence, means simply just not having children.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
It’s no secret that the birth rates across industrialized countries have been on the decline for the last handful of decades. Professional single women now outnumber men in the workforce. The decline of birth rates is due to changes in legislation, international warfare, and the ease and availability of resources. The 1960s sexual revolution was perhaps one of America’s biggest tipping points, mostly because women could not have access to birth control, which allowed women to be sexually liberated. Not having children allows people to save more money and have more freedom to travel and to do what they want, when they want. Professional single women are rising in society by taking advantage of sexual liberation, independence, and the modern economy.
Childfree Professional Single Women In Society
Legislation
In America, the Affirmative Action plan was passed In 1961 by President Kennedy, creating the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity which made employers take action to ensure that every person receives an equal opportunity, this included women receiving equal wages of their male counterparts.
Along with the Affirmative Action, shorty to follow was the 1960’s sexual revolution. which made it possible for women to get birth control. Since then, women can have sex without the heavy consecutive of raising a child.
International Warfare
During WWII in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, Rosie the Riveter came into existence to influence women to get jobs in order to help the countries production during war time. Women became needed in the workforce because the majority of American men were out fighting in WWII. When women began working, they also began bringing in a paycheck and learned to depend on themselves while their men were away. With men at war, birth rates also declined. As soon as men began to return after the war ended, women were pushed to return to their previous roles in the home – the result was that many women pushed back rightfully so to claim what was equally theirs: a secure job in the marketplace with good earnings.
*Check out this graph and notice that just before the baby boom in 1945 there was a drop in the birth rate during WWII.
Economy
The old way of growing up on a farm and raising kids are long gone. Because food, services, and other resources are so easily attainable, we don’t need a family to depend on. Women with economic independence can further their reach because they are no longer burned with outdated technology to keep their homes nice and feed themselves. We now have one of the most technologically advanced marketplace of our times.
Summary
Our current economy has made being a childfree single woman easier than ever before in history. Professional single women can lead more independent lives without children because of changes in legislation, international warfare, and our economy. Professional single women are the new normal and it is wonderful.
Securely yours,
Danielle