[EDantes]

Something dawned on me the other day when I heard it stated that the one thing humans hate the most is being alone, which is why they mate and have children.

If this is so, then (at least for many) parents it's actually less about genuine altruism than it is simply a selfish desire to have a youngin' there to support you in your old age.

This doesn't sound totally farfetched either, especially given how many incompetent or abusive parents exist, ghetto moms popping out welfare babies like rabbits despite not caring if she or the 5 baby daddies have any motive or means to support their children or provide for their future.

[Splord]

The need to procreate is basic biology, we can explain or rationalise it in various ways and according to many different aspects of science, e.g. psychology (humans are selfish beings, I'm not so sure if we are more or less than other, less sentient, species).

But I think that in the end what matters is the result (the species does not die out), everything else (some parents are incompetent etc.) is details.

[GlobalMan]

Of course it is.

It is the selfish desire to make sure life, our own families specifically, continues.

This is the natural biology of humans and all other animals.

It's not about disliking being alone, it stems from a base instict of wanting to ensure survival of genes.

[Grodin]

A lot of altruistic actions, if analyzed, can be attributed to ultimately self-serving motivations. When it comes to kids, my mom likes to say "life happens". In the grand scheme, most children are not planned. When a man and woman live together and have regular sex, if they aren't careful, pregnancy takes care of itself.

[Kid Twist]

I used to think of it in these overly scientific (overdone) terms until a friend basically set the record straight: it's LIFE.

Would you call eating selfish self preservation? NO. You'd calling it living.

It really is that simple. The whole selfish gene thing can be taken WAY too far; it is in this case.

[EDantes]

I wasn't attempting to denigrate it, I've just noticed that the idealized "Brady Bunch" family is much more of a rarity than it is a reality; I see just as often parents who think of making a baby as about on the same level as buying a pet, and afterwards spending more of their time loathing the self-imposed responsibility than enjoying their "beautiful gift from God", as sad as this is, I feel it's true.

[Thersites]

(05-19-2016 01:18 PM)EDantes Wrote:  

I wasn't attempting to denigrate it, I've just noticed that the idealized "Brady Bunch" family is much more of a rarity than it is a reality; I see just as often parents who think of making a baby as about on the same level as buying a pet, and afterwards spending more of their time loathing the self-imposed responsibility than enjoying their "beautiful gift from God", as sad as this is, I feel it's true.

That view of a child being a burden is a product of our current culture. Children become a drain in resources and time in order to take care of them and develop in healthy adults. Add in the cost for 'proper' education, a child is burden to young mother and father, who want to travel and have nice things. Compare to 100 years ago, having children is easy with medical care we provide today that ensure the mother and child survive. Premature babies weren't able survive 40 years ago compare to what we are able do today. People do not understand how easy it is for child survive today compare to 100 years ago.

[AboveAverageJoe]

I know the part of injecting the DNA in front of the cervix is selfishly motivated.

[Hannibal]

I suppose it is, if you consider having an ancestral homeland, winning wars, and writing history books to also be selfish.

[Kid Twist]

(05-19-2016 04:33 PM)Thersites Wrote:  

(05-19-2016 01:18 PM)EDantes Wrote:  

I wasn't attempting to denigrate it, I've just noticed that the idealized "Brady Bunch" family is much more of a rarity than it is a reality; I see just as often parents who think of making a baby as about on the same level as buying a pet, and afterwards spending more of their time loathing the self-imposed responsibility than enjoying their "beautiful gift from God", as sad as this is, I feel it's true.

That view of a child being a burden is a product of our current culture. Children become a drain in resources and time in order to take care of them and develop in healthy adults. Add in the cost for 'proper' education, a child is burden to young mother and father, who want to travel and have nice things. Compare to 100 years ago, having children is easy with medical care we provide today that ensure the mother and child survive. Premature babies weren't able survive 40 years ago compare to what we are able do today. People do not understand how easy it is for child survive today compare to 100 years ago.

Truth, another support the the modern culture is diseased.

[Comte De St. Germain]

Are you the next JohnBozzz?

[Ethan Hunt]

That selfishness comes from the very first race we all competed in and actually won. Ejaculation into the vagina is the first do or die situation we encounter. We won that race and winning feels good which is why we want to win in the biological race. It's deep in our DNA that's why it is selfishly motivated.