Choosing Life

Benjamin was the first baby in our close friend group in seattle. Now they’re 4 more boys in our group and another one on the way. People used to have kids cause that’s what happened after sex or cause that’s just what everyone did. Now some friends are opting out of childern intentionally, but we’re chooing kids and I thought I should document why.

• We believe we are good people and want there to be more good people. If you just have the folks with low impulse control have kids you end up with a worse future. The movie idiocracy doesn’t have to come true. If you take Simon’s view on the bet, then kids are not a burden but a resource and the smart ones are probably what will save us.
• Children are the only real chance at immortality. They are not you but they are much of you both in genes and in outlook. Maybe some of me will goto mars someday and populate new worlds after the rest of us falls to dust.
• Children bring an unrelatable joy. I can’t describe why seeing your kid laugh and smile is so great. You could say this is just stockholm syndrome but I don’t think that’s true.
• Altruism is actually important. I have enjoyed my life. Giving life to someone else to live and putting in the work to make that happen is part of it’s own reward.