Have you always known you don’t want kids?
Me - Yes. I had a brief period for about two weeks in my mid-twenties when I thought I might possibly want a kid, but it passed.
Jim - no. On the fence for most of his life. Never considered it too much.
Do you like kids?
Me - Not really. I like them more when they get to an age when I can have a decent exchange of ideas with them.
Jim - Not really. More no than yes.
Why don’t you want children?
Me - I realize that raising children properly takes a huge commitment, and it is really hard, and I have no interest in doing this. I consider this to be a non-selfish decision; having kids and not making the necessary sacrifices for them is what is selfish.
Jim - Too much responsibility. There is absolutely nothing appealing about having kids.
Are you afraid you will regret this decision when you get older?
Me - nope.
Jim - nope.
What do you see as the main advantage / disadvantage of not having children?
Main advantage:
Me - freedom. Our lives are our own.
Jim - freedom. We can watch porn whenever we want. Don’t have to bring any other victims into this rapidly degenerating society.
Disadvantages:
Me - can’t think of any. Oh, wait, one disadvantage for me is that I have less protection against reproductive cancers than women who have had babies. Also, having nothing to contribute to other people’s discussions of their kids; we just have to endure them.
Jim - can’t think of any.
Do you feel that your culture is prejudiced against people (esp. married people) who don’t have or want children?
Me - I feel there is an intangible attitude of prejudice against CBC people; I get the impression that we’re considered less valid as humans because of our reproductive choice. Especially women.
Jim - absotively. Special “stork” parking spaces; not getting to get several days off work every year to take children to appointmentss/leave early to do things for the kids; stigma attached to being childless and pressure from people who have no business having an opinion on our child-status.
(tetsusaru, not to be mean, but we aren’t having a debate about whether having children was good or not; it was a question put to a specific sub-section of people about their own decisions and opinions. This really wasn’t the place for your opinion on how great having a baby is.)