Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

theatlantic.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 97 posts

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#81

Post by Cryptonic »

josephcsible wrote: post #6
Cryptonic wrote: post #2

I have a better idea. Millenials should get 1-3 babies (median 2) because then mostly people mankind needs (sustainability aware people) get the babies, and teach them good ethics. Instead science deniers should not be convinced to vaccinate, so they and their surroundings die out mid term when corvid or the next pandemic reaches them.

Are you really suggesting that you want everyone with different political beliefs than yourself to all die?

No. That's not what the letters say there. Even here you try straw man arguments. I was talking about science deniers. And about the world needing less of them instead of less people in general.

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#82

Post by Cryptonic »

Cryptonic wrote: post #81
josephcsible wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you really suggesting that you want everyone with different political beliefs than yourself to all die?

No. That's not what the letters say there. Even here you try straw man arguments. I was talking about science deniers. And about the world needing less of them instead of less people in general.

Actually reading again, sounds like you exacly know who in your country are science deniers.

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#83

Post by 4asnarkycomment »

thatguy0900 wrote: post #67
4asnarkycomment wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you read my comment, I didn't say not having kids itself is a moral weakness. I said that moral weakness leads to a lack of desire to reproduce.

I don't see how that follows, either,to be honest. There is no shortage of immoral parents

You're thinking in odd absolutes. I would call strawman but I think you're doing it in good faith anyways

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#84

Post by cameronh90 »

nyokodo wrote: post #66
cameronh90 wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know. It's not something I've ever given too much thought to because it's too expensive to realistically consider.

> it's too expensive to realistically consider Too expensive under what constraints and how impossible is violating those constraints? For instance, does the UK have cheaper areas to live with childcare costs in-line with incomes? Can you or the other parent take a career holiday to look after the children? Your lifestyle expenses are so reduced you have no room to make savings and apply it to your child?

Too expensive compared to what I am willing to spend, so it doesn't warrant any further consideration.

There's simply no situation where the opportunity cost and actual costs of a child through ages 0 to 18 are anywhere near what I am willing to spend, no matter where I live in the UK. I don't want to move or impact my (or my partner's) career to that extent.

Thinking any more about it would be like me trying to decide which Tesla I would want when I wouldn't even be willing to spend the money for a Toyota Yaris.

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#85

Post by nyokodo »

cameronh90 wrote: post #84
nyokodo wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it's too expensive to realistically consider Too expensive under what constraints and how impossible is violating those constraints? For instance, does the UK have cheaper areas to live with childcare costs in-line with incomes? Can you or the other parent take a career holiday to look after the children? Your lifestyle expenses are so reduced you have no room to make savings and apply it to your child?

Too expensive compared to what I am willing to spend, so it doesn't warrant any further consideration. There's simply no situation where the opportunity cost and actual costs of a child through ages 0 to 18 are anywhere near what I am willing to spend, no matter where I live in the UK. I don't want to move or impact my (or my partner's) career to that extent. Thinking any more about it would be like me trying to deci…

> There's simply no situation where the opportunity cost and actual costs of a child through ages 0 to 18 are anywhere near what I am willing to spend

You’ve moved from language implying insurmountable expense to admitting that you’re unwilling to tolerate that expense. The vast majority of the use of money to justify no children when you scratch the surface are really hiding the preference for status and lifestyle, at least on this site. I’m quite passionate about eliminating the real hardships that do put economic barriers in the way of children because it has become a major global problem.

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#86

Post by cameronh90 »

nyokodo wrote: post #85
cameronh90 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Too expensive compared to what I am willing to spend, so it doesn't warrant any further consideration. There's simply no situation where the opportunity cost and actual costs of a child through ages 0 to 18 are anywhere near what I am willing to spend, no matter where I live in the UK. I don't want to move or impact my (or my partner's) career to that extent. Thinking any more about it would be like me trying to deci…

> There's simply no situation where the opportunity cost and actual costs of a child through ages 0 to 18 are anywhere near what I am willing to spend You’ve moved from language implying insurmountable expense to admitting that you’re unwilling to tolerate that expense. The vast majority of the use of money to justify no children when you scratch the surface are really hiding the preference for status and lifestyle,…

I didn't ever say it was insurmountable, I said it was too expensive. Obviously poor unemployed people manage to have kids so it's possible, but the costs are too high for me.

I don't consider it a realistic prospect to find a new job in another part of the country and have my partner leave her career just to have a kid. If that's the choice, we're not having kids - they're not worth it.

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#87

Post by foundron »

rank0 wrote: post #80
foundron wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Choosing not to have kids is still an uncommon stance. Are they really presenting themselves as martyrs, or just trying to normalise an unpopular idea that has merits? Is it helpful to dismiss them like that? Maybe they're not the same ones doing high carbon pursuits? If it's really not a big deal, then we can just accept others' differences without getting annoyed.

> Maybe they're not the same ones doing high carbon pursuits? It's possible but I seriously doubt it. Just being on this forum tells me that OP has likely emitted more carbon than almost every other human in the history of our species. The startup space openly celebrates carbon intensive profit chasing behavior. How can we have it both ways? We've gotta reduce our personal carbon footprint but also let's create tech…

Yes you are right. But so have the majority of people alive today with phones connected to the Internet. It's hard to be perfect in today's world.

Unnecessary startup cash-grabs are no good indeed. Maybe one day they'll see it your way and abandon high-carbon pursuits. But for now if they're taking steps towards being sustainable, then let's encourage them.

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#88

Post by thatguy0900 »

4asnarkycomment wrote: post #83
thatguy0900 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see how that follows, either,to be honest. There is no shortage of immoral parents

You're thinking in odd absolutes. I would call strawman but I think you're doing it in good faith anyways

You are asserting that moral weakness leads to a lack of children, with no exanation. I said that I don't see how that follows, and plenty of morally weak people have children. I don't see how I'm attacking a strawman by giving a counter example, you've given no reasoning for your statement

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#89

Post by JohnWhigham »

CarelessExpert wrote: post #65
JohnWhigham wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's your prerogative not to have children, but if you're doing it for the climate, just know that there's going to be plenty of others in developing countries that will more than offset your decision not to have kids.

> there's going to be plenty of others in developing countries that will more than offset your decision not to have kids. First, this is at least racism-adjacent as far as I'm concerned. Second, birth rates are declining throughout the world thanks to increased access to reproductive technology, improvements in income and quality of life, and increased urbanization: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/birthrates-d…

Nothing I said was racist. Many developing countries have a higher birth rate than the US, no one disputes this. You are the one brought that baggage to the conversation. Why? I don't know. Maybe you need to do some reflection on that.

Second, birth rates ...

Irrelevant to my point.

Re: Millennials Not Having Babies Because of Climate Change

#90

Post by JohnWhigham »

AnIdiotOnTheNet wrote: post #61
JohnWhigham wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's your prerogative not to have children, but if you're doing it for the climate, just know that there's going to be plenty of others in developing countries that will more than offset your decision not to have kids.

They will have those children regardless of OP's choices.

I know, which is precisely why declaring one is not going to have kids because of "the climate" is nonsensical.
Post reply on HN