Anti-Natalism

Okay, so this might sound strange at first, but hear me out. Lately, I’ve been reading about antinatalism—the idea that bringing new people into the world might not always be a good thing. I know, it goes against pretty much everything we’re taught to believe. Most of us see having kids as a natural or even necessary part of life. But antinatalists ask, “Wait—what if it’s not?”


The core argument is simple, but kind of heavy: life guarantees suffering. Even in the best circumstances, there’s pain, illness, loss, anxiety… no one gets through untouched. So, is it really kind to create a life that must suffer at some point?


One of the most well-known thinkers here is David Benatar. His “asymmetry” argument says that not being born means you miss out on pain—but you’re not missing anything because you don’t exist. Being born, though, guarantees both joy and pain. So why roll the dice on someone else’s behalf?


When I first came across this, I thought, “Come on, life’s not that bad.” And yeah, it’s not. I’ve had good years. But I’ve also had awful days—grief, heartbreak, that feeling of being overwhelmed just by being alive. Would I want someone I love to go through that, even for the sake of the good stuff?


Antinatalism doesn’t say existing people shouldn’t live. It’s not about ending lives—it’s about questioning why we create them in the first place. It’s not a call to despair, either. It’s more like a challenge: don’t assume parenthood is automatically good or right. Ask yourself why.


And honestly, it’s not just about pain. There’s also the environmental angle—overpopulation, limited resources, the kind of world we’re leaving behind. Antinatalism overlaps with real, pressing concerns.


I don’t know where I land yet. I still love the idea of family. I still picture a kid who looks like me laughing in a park somewhere. But I also think we need to be more honest about what life really involves. Maybe questioning isn’t the same as rejecting—it’s just… caring enough to think twice.


And maybe that’s where ethics begins.

what are your thoughts???

Life also has pleasures. Maybe not guaranteed, but still a huge swath of pleasures.

This to me feels like some parasitic philosophy on par with nihilism, so I never take it seriously.

The sole purpose of life is death. Anything that comes to life will eventually die. Anything between birth and death are just time-fillers. Ironically we call it "living", but if you think it through, we age and start the dying process the moment we are born. The death of innocence when we move from a kid to teen. The death of freedom from teen to adult life. The death of the actual body and mind from adult life to elder life. Ultimate the ultimate death happens.

Nevertheless this notion is what have allowed me to make the best out of my "time-fillers" or what others would call "life purpose." For some or most people it's having a family, for a few rare it's not. Will having a family give you any greater purpose than you already have? On the contrary if you are not ready mentally, physically and financially for one, you're gonna be up for one hell of a depressive ride. Both in terms of mental sanity and financial security.

I don't want children, but the pressure from my parents and relatives is too great.
I believe many people are like this.