Calling Languish parents: Why did you decide to have children?

Started by Martinus, July 02, 2012, 04:00:38 AM

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MadImmortalMan

Until contraception was invented, it wasn't nearly the deliberate decision it is now either.
"Stability is destabilizing." --Hyman Minsky

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The Brain

"Biology" is the answer? Of course! I see it clearly now.
Women want me. Men want to be with me.

Berkut

Quote from: garbon on July 02, 2012, 11:43:33 AM

And to be clear, I'm not debating that biology plays a role in the desire to have children, but I don't see how that's relevant to what Marti asked / Marti's troll.

But Marty's troll is of course exactly related to that - he is asking us to justify why we want to have children, so he can tell us how wrong we are and feel smug about himself.

But he might as well demand that people justify why they eat, or fuck, or whatever. Because the realization that one does not have to have children even if their biology creates the desire is no more valid at its core than realizing that just because it feels good to have sex, that doesn't mean you NEED to do it.

Plenty of asthetics, for example, forgo sex and seem to think that works out well for them. However, most of them are self-aware enough not to then make the mistake of demanding that those who DO have sex justify it, as if NOT having sex really is the presumptive norm.

What you don't seem to realize is that I am responding to Marty's troll with a "troll" of my own. The only way for his troll to work is for the respondent to presume that the question has merit by making assumption that are incorrect - namely that biological desire needs to be somehow justified, but only when it comes to procreation. I am simply pointing out that it is no different than any other biological behaviour that we are programmed to enjoy.

I have kids because I enjoy (overall) the experience of having children. I reject the presumption that there is anything "selfish" in this, at least in the sense that selfish is used as a pejorative. I enjoy having kids, my kids are better off for existing rather than not, hence it is a rather simple net evaluation.
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The Brain

Women want me. Men want to be with me.

garbon

Quote from: Berkut on July 02, 2012, 11:55:27 AM
What you don't seem to realize is that I am responding to Marty's troll with a "troll" of my own.
Could have just said this rather than boggling at me / having others defend your statement. :P
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Ideologue

Quote from: MadImmortalMan on July 02, 2012, 11:48:52 AM
Until contraception was invented, it wasn't nearly the deliberate decision it is now either.

The facial was one of humanity's earliest inventions, predating the wheel in many cultures.
Kinemalogue
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11B4V

Quote from: Ideologue on July 02, 2012, 12:45:56 PM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on July 02, 2012, 11:48:52 AM
Until contraception was invented, it wasn't nearly the deliberate decision it is now either.

The facial was one of humanity's earliest inventions, predating the wheel in many cultures.

:lol:
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Fireblade

Because mere latex and birth control pills are too weak to hold back my seed.

Neil

The minute Martinus says that someone else is immoral and selfish, he loses all credibility.
I do not hate you, nor do I love you, but you are made out of atoms which I can use for something else.

Neil

I do not hate you, nor do I love you, but you are made out of atoms which I can use for something else.

The Brain

Women want me. Men want to be with me.

Razgovory

Quote from: Neil on July 02, 2012, 02:26:02 PM
The minute Martinus says that someone else is immoral and selfish, he loses all credibility.

He must have said that sometime in 2001 or something.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

Barrister

Quote from: Ideologue on July 02, 2012, 12:45:56 PM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on July 02, 2012, 11:48:52 AM
Until contraception was invented, it wasn't nearly the deliberate decision it is now either.

The facial was one of humanity's earliest inventions, predating the wheel in many cultures.

Probably not.

I was at a lecture several years ago when the speaker went off on a sidetrack about how pronography had changed society's sexual expectations.  He was talking about anal sex in particular - that 40-50 years ago to see an anal sexual assault was extremely rare.  Now it is fairly commonplace.  The "biological imperative" hasn't changed, but access to sexually explicit material has.

In other words - if you had been born even a mere 100 years ago you probably would have no idea what a "facial" is, and have no interest in performing it.
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garbon

Quote from: Barrister on July 02, 2012, 02:49:56 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on July 02, 2012, 12:45:56 PM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on July 02, 2012, 11:48:52 AM
Until contraception was invented, it wasn't nearly the deliberate decision it is now either.

The facial was one of humanity's earliest inventions, predating the wheel in many cultures.

Probably not.

I was at a lecture several years ago when the speaker went off on a sidetrack about how pronography had changed society's sexual expectations.  He was talking about anal sex in particular - that 40-50 years ago to see an anal sexual assault was extremely rare.  Now it is fairly commonplace.  The "biological imperative" hasn't changed, but access to sexually explicit material has.

In other words - if you had been born even a mere 100 years ago you probably would have no idea what a "facial" is, and have no interest in performing it.

I'm not really sure how your anecdote relates to what Ide said.  After all, anal sex still existed even when most people didn't have access to sexually explicit material.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.