this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2023
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Most of the time when people say they have an unpopular opinion, it turns out it's actually pretty popular.

Do you have some that's really unpopular and most likely will get you downvoted?

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[–] [email protected] 83 points 1 year ago (10 children)

Not having kids because of climate change is stupid. You are leaving the world in the hands of people who care less than you.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'll be dead before then and if I don't make offspring then so will anyone I care about. Y'all have fun destroying the planet lol

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

That's pretty much where I'm at. I'm not gonna rope more people into this mess voluntarily.

[–] AdmiralShat 23 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I upvoted because this contributes to the discussion of the question, but fuck you

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Well that's rather uncalled for isn't it

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

Yes, it's a less than egalitarian choice, I acknowledge that, but my empathy is only finite.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Counter opinion.... Given the terrible trajectory of our world and society as a whole. Plus how every living generation has failed to do even the bear minimum to solve it... You're kind of a shitty human being by condemning your children to suffer our mistakes.

Not to mention, you're not that awesome and ultimately part of the problem, so maybe we don't need more of you (or me for that matter).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I agree with everything you said. The path to a brighter future is not more humans, its fewer. The idea that thoughtful, intelligent people should feel obligated to reproduce for the benefit of humanity is ridiculous.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My parents put me on this world which is on the trajectory it is, I do not blame them. At least I have the opportunity to do good in the world.

[–] AdmiralShat 5 points 1 year ago

But you dont? You instead just say "well my parents did it, so I'll do it to"

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This would only make sense if morality, or caring for others was somehow genetic AND unalterable. My parents aren't bad, per se, but most of my moral and philosophical growth came from other people. Be it teachers, random people, philosophers, or Breadtube.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Of course it is not entirely certain that offspring will have the same ideals as their parents, but it's clear to see that younger generations are moving in the right direction whereas older generations find it harder to change their behaviour and values.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Maybe the people who care less than me and have kids will find that their kids do care and resent their parents

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is that a chance you want to take?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think the odds are fairly good, but I'm also just not concerned about my legacy. If after I die the world is overrun with morons a la Idiocracy I won't be around to lament it.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The you do not care about the world at all?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Setting aside how needlessly passive-aggressive your comment is– most people don't care about the world at large. They care about their family, their social circle, their tribe/in-group, but not the world at large. Otherwise climate change wouldn't be as big of an issue in the first place.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My point is that we should care about the world at large and we should lead by example.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Then you did a very poor job of making that point through your (presumably rhetorical) question.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

If you look at the reply from the person I was actually talking to, you will see that they do not care for the world as a whole. I was not making the point in the comment you are referring to, I was just replying to that person.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

But the leading cause of climate change is overpopulation.

There were 3 billion humans on this planet in 1960. There are 8 billion humans right now. And all those humans are producing waste, using energy, etc.

Even if we reduce the per-capita ecological footprint, we’re outbreeding the gains we make.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

If I were to choose to have kids despite climate change, doesn't that prove that I don't care about climate change?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The point is that climate change is bigger than one or two people, it's about changing our entire societies so that we all agree that reversing the affects of climate change is the ultimate goal and work together to do something about it. Sure adding people into the mix is not ideal, but without more people with the right mindset we will never achieve the change that is needed.

Let's not leave the world to the people that couldn't care less and will continue to ravage it for all they can until it is a desolate wasteland.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Environmentalists do not have a snowball's chance in hell of outbreeding the β€œdrill, baby, drill” crowd.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Snowflake's chance is a more fun analogy. Don't get offended, it's a joke.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Everyone should be sterilised, problem solved!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

To be fair, the world would be perfectly well off if humans ceased to exist