Extinction Information

[COCatMama]

I stumbled across this page with some scary statistics and information about extinction : ---> Extinction Info (http://fig.cox.miami.edu/Faculty/Tom/bil160sp98/10_extinct.html)

[COCatMama]

Here's an even cheerier one... I know some people (uneducated, in my opinion) say extinction is natural and blah blah blah. I AGREE some extinction *is* natural! but the scientists are saying the rate is AT LEAST 1,000 times higher than the natural rate, and it's all because of us.
I just have this awful feeling it's much much too late to stop it.
More cheerful news (http://www.iucn.org/info_and_news/press/species2000.html)

[COCatMama]

Here is the solution! LOL
Voluntary Human Extinction Movement (don't breed) (http://www.vhemt.org/aboutvhemt.htm#vhemt)

[Karen]

We need to do what we can to save species, any and all, that are in danger of extinction because of human causes.

[COCatMama]

I agree 100% Karen.

I have been thinking for many years about whether or not I want to breed. I like the analogy 'breeding more humans is like renting rooms in a burning house' makes perfect sense to me, and there are thousands and thousands of kids that starve to death every single day.

Why don't we do what we do with animals? ADOPT :D

[luckies4me]

Well I will tell you what. My son doesn't starve and is very well taken care of. I chose to have a baby and WILL have another. BUT I WILL educate my children on how to care for the earth etc. Not all humans litter, smoke, reproduce when they don't have the expenses to etc.


Yes us "humans" are to blame, but just because there are stupid people out there who do not care does not mean that others who do should not have kids!

[COCatMama]

Ah, but think about what kind of a world you are bringing the next kid into, that is a biggie for me.

[babolaypo65]

but also consider:
if responsible people like luckies4me DON'T have children, will irrresponsible people stop having them? no, will the situation be IMPROVED because informed, intelligent, responsible people decide not to have children?
i'd say not.

[babolaypo65]

this does not mean, in any way, that i am opposed to adoption. my best friend is adopted, his children are. if i have children they will likely be adopted. there's a reason for both.

[mugsy]

Personally, I see nothing wrong with 0% population growth, but know that it won't ever happen and especially in 3rd world countries where it NEEDS to happen. What humans have done to this planet sicken me...and we claim to be the "intelligent" species...I think not.

I have friends who have 6 kids...now, that, in my opinion is stupid...all that serves to do is to further over populate the world. That's my soapbox...thanks for listening.

[COCatMama]

good for you Mugs :D 6 kids in this day and age? unnecessary. In the old days ppl HAD to have lots of kids because half of them died in childhood, and they needed free slave labour for the farm or whichever. If I ever had a kid it would be ONLY one and that's it.

[luckies4me]

I could never have just one kid. I think that is selfish (to just have one but not thinking that the kids needs companionship while younger other than parents) and VERY sad. Poor kid, to be all alone. That is just my opinion.

As for having tons of kids (even three is pushing it for me) that is a little too far. Two is fine for me, maybe three but I LOVE kids and babies. :D I would love to adopt also, I think adoption is a good option.

But you never know, there could be a child of mine who grows up and has cures for deadly diseases, a cure for Feline Leukemia, OR a way to bring back some of the things we lost. We too are also a part of this planet and a species here, we just need to get a few things straight. NOT having children isn't going to help. There are always people out there who want families, like me. I would not want to be a part of this world if there were no babies, what a sad place.

[COCatMama]

oh geez the old 'my kid/s could grow up to do (a) (b) (c). More likely your kids will grow up and be consumers just like you and I are, and the more kids you have, the more kids they will have and so on, and so forth.
Only children are not miserable without siblings, quite the opposite actually. We get more/better food because there is more money to go around, we are more intelligent because our parent/s have more time to spend with one, instead of more and blah blah blah. There is scientific evidence of this BTW, not just my own opinion.

Given the HORRENDOUS overpopulation of humans problem on this planet, which is only getting worse daily, I think wanting kids merely because 'I like babies' is, well, completely *wrong* I mean geez what do 99% of PT people advocate for dog/cat overpopulation? SPAY/NEUTER. Sure puppies and kittens are cute, but there are toooooo many unwanted dogs and cats in way too many kill shelters.

Why not pour everything you are into your already existing child, instead of having more? MAYBE then he can grow up to be a scientist or doctor or politician (eeww I hope not hehe).

[Karen]

Hey, Lalaina, Luckies4me is currently pregnant with a second child already. Do not criticize people who choose to have children, who do you think will be paying into Social Security - or the Canadian equivalent - when you want to retire?

The decision to have, or not have, children is the most personal subject imaginable. Your choice is your own. Educate those around you, make a positive contribution to the world, but don't just criticize people here. If overpopulation concerns you, make your career something to do with population control in countries with booming population growth, mostly third world places, where you might not have as good an Internet connection, but that's a sacrifice you may be willing to take.

[COCatMama]

Well I will reserve any further comments on the subject in that case. And why is it my job to travel to some third world country? And if there were less people to grow old and need a pension, we wouldn't need so many younger people to slave away at work to pay for us to rot in old folk's homes. Anyway, I'm done.

[mugsy]

What other people do is their business, but I don't have to agree with it all the time and when it ends up affecting me, then I get mad and overpopulation affects me daily. I agree that the biggest problem is in the 3rd world, but we need to start looking in the mirror too. As for Social Security, it won't exist by the time I retire, let alone when all the youngins' out there now retire.

And the "poor kid" of being an only child is ridiculous. I was basically raised as an only child and I did not suffer in the least as a result. In fact, I rather enjoyed it.

What started out as a truly interesting thread has turned only out to make me angry since I don't hold the "proper" opinion that women should want to have children.

[COCatMama]

GMTA Mugs :D we are not breeding machines anyway we have much more to offer in this life than just babies.

[wolf_Q]

Originally posted by Lalania
good for you Mugs :D 6 kids in this day and age? unnecessary. In the old days ppl HAD to have lots of kids because half of them died in childhood, and they needed free slave labour for the farm or whichever. If I ever had a kid it would be ONLY one and that's it.

I, personally, don't think those are the ONLY reason people had children in the "old days." If people want to have a family, they are going to have a family....whether anyone thinks there's a "human overpopulation" problem or not...it's a personal choice.


Only children are not miserable without siblings, quite the opposite actually. We get more/better food because there is more money to go around, we are more intelligent because our parent/s have more time to spend with one, instead of more and blah blah blah.

I'd like to find all these "only children" who are more intelligent then me because they didn't have siblings. Sorry, but, both of the people I knew that had no siblings were spoiled brats! I think children learn from their siblings also....and learn how to interact with other children.......

I'm not saying that being an only child is bad (or that they will be spoiled brats), but I don't think its necessarily better then having siblings. I don't care what scientific evidence says, every person/family is different.

Now me, personally, I don't KNOW if I'm going to have children or not. Kinda have to find a husband first lol. ;) I was the youngest, so I've never really been around kids...I'm just not sure what to do with them. I've never even changed a diaper lol. I don't think I could have more then 3 children (thats how many is in my family) but I know plenty of people around here that have 6+ kids and are happy...

And as much as I LOVE PETS, and think of them as family members, I do not think you can compare promoting Spay/Neuter for pets with humans choosing to have children.

[COCatMama]

........it's exactly the same thing dear
too many XYZ species = spay and neuter
it's plain and simple, only cats and dogs can't just decide not to procreate so we make the choice for them.



oops I thought I said I was done, I guess I'm not but I'm shutting up before I get banned for disagreeing.

[luckies4me]

Lalania,

You compared these children to the animals in kill shelters. Yes there are many adoptable children out there, but we do not kill them, we find them homes etc. and try to do out best..which is what some people are trying to do with pets. When humans get pregnant we have one, two of three at a time...NOT 19!


Yes only children can be happy, I was just stating my opinion.


"Why not pour everything you are into your already existing child, instead of having more? MAYBE then he can grow up to be a scientist or doctor or politician (eeww I hope not hehe)."


Why not love themboth equally? Dylan recieves my attention 24/7. I am with him ALL day as I am a stay at home mom. My second child will recieve the same love and affection. You say maybe then? It doesn't matter if you are the only child, or a child in a family of ten! All children have potential as long as they are raised right and taught. Reading to children everyday, helping with schoolwork etc. makes these kids smarter. As for me, I am the second child in a family of four. I have gone to school and will finish and become a vet, the dream I have had since I was a child. I will be majoring in Veterinary medicine and hold a minor in Genetics. My mother was on welfare and I never recieved help with homework etc. So I guess I should have grown up to be s stupid pot head etc. but no, I had goals in my life and I am making those happen. All my mothers children grew up to be awesome individuals. My younger brother and sister still live at home and are sill in highschool. They both have had invites to certain colleges already because they are so smart with a 3.8 GPA. They WILL do something with their life. My sister wants to be a lawyer and my brother wants to be a pediatrician. And I can guarantee that evenif they change their minds on what they want to be they will be something great!

[mugsy]

I think I'll just leave well enough alone....I could go on for days.