patrick.net

swebb says

That 0.1% sure does make a difference.

Tell that to the OWS folks.

But seriously, my essence is more than my genetics.

swebb says

That 0.1% sure does make a difference.

Yeah, I think so. No chicks seem to be overly impressed that I am 99.9% the same as [pick any famous person you like].

justme says

No chicks seem to be overly impressed that I am 99.9% the same as [pick any famous person you like].

Because you are also 99.9% the same as [pick any serial killer you don't like].

Peter P says

Because you are also 99.9% the same as [pick any serial killer you don't like].

But so is [pick any famous person you like]. It's a double standard, I tell ya!

Peter P says

Because you are also 99.9% the same as [pick any serial killer you don't like].

But...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noncoding_DNA

"fully 98% of the human genome is noncoding DNA"

Children fill you with overweening, swelling narcissistic pride in yourself, as if you have accomplished something, even if you only did what every other mindless rutting animal on earth does. They make you walk around in a sentimental, self centered daze, as everything is justified now because you are a parent, you can become hysterical, exact revenge, attack other people because they don't worship the spawn of your loins etc. etc. They make you highly irrational in a very pleasing, narcotic way, nature's little incentive to keep the rug rats alive.

They can't escape until they are older, automatic captive audience when everybody else has told you to go to hell. If the kids are smart, they will act like they love you.

They give you something to obsess over endlessly so you never get bored, and something to control.

However, it doesn't matter how many kids you have or support, after about five generations out, if your kiddies have kiddies etc. there will be only about 3 percent of you left in any particular individual. You have been essentially erased as an individual by the great waring blender called genetics, sorry, no more you.
What's left of you in genetic bits and pieces may wind up in some weird ethnically mixed backwater of gene pooling.

Guess what, nature fooled you again to do something for it making you think you are doing something for you!

Ceffer says

Guess what, nature fooled you again to do something for it making you think you are doing something for you!

Not. Getting. Fooled.

I rather be fooled by randomness.

Not everything has to be an 'investment' to make it worthwhile.

In the long term we are all dead and it matters not whether you have offspring or not, and if so, whether they are good or evil, rich or poor. Do whatever you have to do. Life ain't a fsckin investment.

government needs your kids' contribution to Social Security

"As Countries Develop, Fertility Rates Usually Drop
In the United States, for instance, the average fertility rate was 3.67 children per woman between the years of 1875 and 1925, dropping to a little above 2 children per woman in the second half of the 20th century. And that’s a good place to be, because 2.1 is the fertility rate sweet spot: It’s the replacement rate, ensuring that a country’s population doesn’t decline over time. (Because two parents each replace themselves, and then some. Get it?)"

Oxygen says

government needs your kids' contribution to Social Security

Nope.

They just need to dump the premiums into appreciating or interest bearing assets like treasury securities.

In 2005 I got curious and ran my numbers. Assuming the retirement age did not increase, FICA tax rates didn't go up, and the wage cap did not increase faster than inflation I needed to outlast my statistically expected lifespan by five years to get a 0% inflation adjusted return on my contributions.

Investing my contributions in a portfolio returning 3% after inflation would quadruple my benefit for the same 15 years (or support 4X the people), double my benefit until I died at 100, or allow me to draw 30% more forever with the principle remaining for my heirs (or to support future retirees).

The current Ponzi scheme could also be preserved at lower cost by allowing young working adults to immigrate (no earned income credit for parents, no public schooling, no interval between government benefit eligibility and joining the work force).

Peter P says

Kids cost a fortune ... they make you less adaptable.. increase your risk exposure ... are harmful to the environment

If you care about genetics, we are all 99.9% identical anyway... If you want followers, starting a religion is more practical...If you want a small and cute companion, get a pet....If you want to keep your surname alive, write a fucking novel. (Or better yet, start an immortal corporation.)

Welcome to the Bay Area, Cool and Hip. Welcome to the Values of the Hipsters.

The only person who should have kids is me because my kid is way better than everyone else's.
Other peoples kids are annoying.

Moderate Infidel says

The only person who should have kids is me because my kid is way better than everyone else's.

I agree. If only you have kids, the world will be less overcrowded.

Peter P says

Moderate Infidel says

The only person who should have kids is me because my kid is way better than everyone else's.

I agree. If only you have kids, the world will be less overcrowded.

I'm only having one though, so goodbye human race.

If overcrowding is the issue then we should get rid of cars as they outnumber humans and take up more space and resources. Lot's of dogs and cats gotta go too. Except mine of course.

Moderate Infidel says

If overcrowding is the issue then we should get rid of cars as they outnumber humans and take up more space and resources. Lot's of dogs and cats gotta go too. Except mine of course.

No but we should make all roads toll-roads.

errc says

Fighting to live another day really ain't worth the costs, so might as well eat a bullet for desert

I fully understand that every decision is an economics decision. The flaw in your analysis, is using someone elses metrics. You shouldn't allow USDs to control every aspect of your life,,,you'll likely end up disappointed

You were someones child at one time, do you regret being born? Seriously, what kind of self depreciating kinky shit are you in to

I agree that it should not be the dominating factor, but it ties in with lifestyle and how you raise your kids. If you are happy without all the consumerism chances are you kids will be to, unless they get baited too much and switch to the dark side ;) Making money just to have more money is kinda pointless to me, but if you can translate that into more free time. early semi-retirement and a happier you through less consumption then it is worth it.

Moderate Infidel says

The only person who should have kids is me because my kid is way better than everyone else's. Other peoples kids are annoying.

If overcrowding is the issue then we should get rid of cars as they outnumber humans and take up more space and resources. Lot's of dogs and cats gotta go too. Except mine of course.

I love how you think!

Children are a giant sinkhole of time and money.

errc says

I wonder how the amish would view your assertion

Their children sure seem to provide a return,,,,

You know, back in time when you could use your kids as cheap farm labor or sell them into slavery, kids were a real asset.

Peter P says

Is there even any tangible upside in having children?

No.

Moderate Infidel says

If overcrowding is the issue then we should get rid of cars as they outnumber humans and take up more space and resources. Lot's of dogs and cats gotta go too. Except mine of course.

Or make birth control mandatory.

Oxygen says

government needs your kids' contribution to Social Security

Or raise the age at which benefits are distributed.

Peter P says

If you care about genetics, we are all 99.9% identical anyway.

Passing on my genetic code does nothing to help me. Sure, it helps my species, but I don't get anything out of it.

Peter P says

Kids cost a fortune to raise.

When Apockolypsefuck's cannibal anarchy comes, kids may be a good investment for food.

Procreating and multiplying is what living organisms do.
Accept your function.

"Kids are horrible investments"

Anyone that would make such a statement, are no doubt the same sort that would put a dollar in a change machine and then say...
"There's just no beating the house with this machine..." after 4 quarters fall out the bottom.

Peter P says

Kids are horrible investments

It's time to short my shorties.

Dan8267 says

Peter P says

If you care about genetics, we are all 99.9% identical anyway.

Passing on my genetic code does nothing to help me. Sure, it helps my species, but I don't get anything out of it.

You guys have a malfunctioning genetic code. There is only one way natural selection deals with a malfunction......recycle bin.

Raw says

You guys have a malfunctioning genetic code. There is only one way natural selection deals with a malfunction......recycle bin.

Just remember, countless species have been driven to extinction due to overpopulation and resource depletion. Natural selection is a very fickle tool.

Kansas sperm donor ordered to pay child support prepares for battle

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/31/kansas-sperm-donor-to-same-sex-couple-readies-for-child-support-fight/#ixzz2GenDAkaQ

Consent to donate sperm is not the same as consent to finance the upbringing of the kid. The idiots suing him should be made to pay 10 times the asked for "child support" to the man.

Shit like this ultimately harms future users of sperm banks as successful men are much less likely to donate. So instead of getting this guy's sperm,

you get this guy's sperm,

The greedy assholes behind the lawsuit are simply ruining the system they benefited from for all future lesbians. What a bunch of scumbag hypocrites!

Furthermore, men will start insisting on completely and absolute anonymity for their donations which means the child will never know its medical history or be able to connect to his or her biological relatives when he reaches adulthood. Yet another reason to throw out this suit with severe prejudice.

"Do you know folks who had kids to have somebody to sell high to?"
http://occupywallst.org/your-collective-brainwashability-is-repulsive/

Dan8267 says

The idiots suing him should be made to pay 10 times the asked for "child support" to the man.

Those Idiots you speak of, are the State of Kansas. I know it's FOX and all, but you should still read it.

The Lezbo couple have since broke up, and the dude of the couple was left with the kids, and she is now ill and unable to work since March of this year. They also adopted 6 Kids, that's 6 freaking kids, as some social experiement while her and her Mangirl set up house and tried to play Man and Wife. One of them grew bored and stuck the other one with all of the crap they created. Just like for realzies. She is now filling for financial aide, and one of the tools States now have to help with welfare of needy Kids, is to go after the Father of the kids, even if the Mother doesn't cooperate. Justice is blind and all of that. Which is WHY it should be VERY important that Liberals think more about the shit they try to ram through in blind legislation. Because you never know when it will bite you in the ass. I can only hope this Clown voted for Obama and has "Legalize gay marriage" T-Shirt.

CaptainShuddup says

I know it's FOX and all, but you should still read it.

I'll admit it. Since it was Fox, I didn't read it. That propaganda organization states so many falsehoods that I automatically ignore links to it.

But, ok, so it's not the legal guardians of the child who are at fault. The individual assholes in the Kentucky government who filed the suit each should be made to pay the donor 10 times the amount they asked for. Garnish their wages and throw them in jail if they fail to pay this amount.

Turnabout is fair play.

Here's a solution: Don't donate your sperm. There are plenty of kids that need adopting. What a narcissistic practice that is.

Marotta — who has relinquished all parental rights, including financial responsibility, under the 2009 agreement — said he’s preparing for a lengthy legal fight that has already cost him several thousand dollars. He expects it will likely “put a damper on things” for other people considering the same move

The state of Kentucky should also be made to pay this guy's legal fees regardless of the verdict simply for filing this suit. And if they lose, which they should, they should also pay this guy 100 times his legal fees as compensation for the duress he endured.

Moderate Infidel says

Here's a solution: Don't donate your sperm. There are plenty of kids that need adopting. What a narcissistic practice that is.

The exact same thing can be said about all reproduction regardless of whether or not the sperm was donated.

Dan8267 says

Moderate Infidel says

Here's a solution: Don't donate your sperm. There are plenty of kids that need adopting. What a narcissistic practice that is.

The exact same thing can be said about all reproduction regardless of whether or not the sperm was donated.

True, but if you control who the sperm is going into then you have no excuses later. Assuming your putting your sperm into a lady because you are choosing to procreate. If not then you must accept the consequences.

Moderate Infidel says

True, but if you control who the sperm is going into then you have no excuses later.

Who said this donor is making excuses? He consented to donating his sperm, not to paying for the child's upbringing. To argue that he "must accept the consequences", whatever undisclosed consequences you are implying, is like arguing that a woman who dresses provocatively deserves to get raped. It's a completely bogus argument.

Consent to be a DNA donor is not consent to be a financial donor. The legal financial liability rests solely in the legal guardians who agreed to raise the child at their expense. The "consequences" were spelled out explicitly and precisely in a black-and-white contract.

The state has no right to demand any money from the donor, period. The state is simply trying to use the violence of the state to extort money from someone. This should be illegal.

I decided to not have kids several years ago and had a vasectomy. I still think it's one of the best decisions of my life.

A couple of months ago I came across my ex wife at the grocery store. We divorced 20+ years ago, part of it due to my reluctance to have kids right away (I was still "on the fence" at that time).

After the divorce, I chose to put the lion's share of my time, energy and dollars into getting my college education culminating in my Master's (I'm not waving my own flag here, its just that I don't know if I would have pulled-off my GPA let alone do it at all had I opted for children). Promply after graduation I secured a Professional career, which I'm still happily engaged in.

One of the things that struck me in my years at college were the plethora of harried-looking single Mothers trying to balance single life, kids and college. I tutored many of them and got the inside scoop on the soul-sucking lifestyle most of them led-which really opened my eyes.

So I see my wife at the grocery store a couple months back, and she looked about 10 years beyond her age. A lot of pain in her eyes and utterly exhausted looking. She then confided in me that her two Daughters were hopelessly addicted to drugs, one in rehab, the other they were trying to track down to force into rehab. During the conversation, she would remark on how good I looked, which felt nice, but more importantly, bolstered the decision I made years ago; instead of having kids, which I believe is estimated to cost between 150-250K over 18 years (add to that figure for each additional child), I opted the more hedonistic route of economic independence and the freedom it offers.

Some say not having kids is "selfish." I believe people can have kids for "selfish" reasons as well, and am mystified we live in a country where you have to buy a "license" to go catch a fish, but any completely lazy, clueless moron--not fit to raise a hamster let alone a child--can make a baby at will.

I'm not knocking having kids, in fact I believe its probably one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences life can offer and am aware that some families are able to live comfortably economically and are able to avoid many of the uncontrollable negatives other families endure from raising kids. Nevertheless, looking at the macro-political-economic environment over the last 30 years, I opted for a different path.

DOC