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I am sitting here minding my own business, trying to unwind and reading a book report in the latest ‘Humanist’ magazine. It is titled: A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution’ otherwise known as CRISPR technology. An issue was covered that I have been pondering for years and now I can say something (there goes my peace and quiet). I am writing the magazine with this question: suppose we were to reach a point we could guarantee a person living 100+, problem free lives. Then, because of the issue of our numbers/impact on the planet (which are real) rules were added to limit the progeny of those using the technology. Longer lives could easily mean more of us and our impact. 15,000+ scientist have just issued a dire warning based squarely on our impact. It is not just about fertility rates but those of longer life’s (people like myself) as well. If we were to limit the number of offspring what would that do to the generational spectrum? I see this conundrum part of the comfortable means versus the moral ends problem in the existential risk studies now being studied by some major universities (Oxford for one). If you were given the choice of a guaranteed, much longer lifespan with the caveat of having fewer or none children what would you do?

JackPedigo 9 Nov 19
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I'm already alive and would like to live as long as I could. I already have children. Would I kill them so I could live longer? No.

I believe that one day there will be a world government. A world government would be able to govern the number of our offspring and, if we survive our extinction instinct, the world population would be controlled at an 'optimum' level. They will have staffed actuarians, mathematician, a ton of social science people etc, to help know when and where the child mandates should be altered.

And of course the world government is fair, humane, healthy, pollution free, encouraging, open, sustainable, ...

The final question really has nothing to do with me. It is for the generations that haven't yet been born.

But the program is not in play yet. This is for future generations.

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Fewer or no children.

gearl Level 8 Nov 19, 2017

Definitely few and preferably none. My 2nd partner and I did not want children. We discovered a couple in a mountain town in Wash. state. They felt alone in not wanting children and started a group 'ChildFREE (my emphasis on the free) by Choice' (CBC). They wanted input and ideas on the, so-called choice to have offspring. The group spread all over the country and sub-groups were created and meetings were held. The cultural push to have kids is unbelievable.

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how many years do you need to fulfill oneself ? I've done it all and I'm only 60. so now i'm supposed to do it all again? As for kids . yes the less we have the better but really the damage to the large mammals is already done. now it's just a matter of whether we completely ruin the oceans through increased acidity. selfish people will always prevail. what's to be done?

Have open, honest, discussion like this. BTW, if you are a member of AARP how many times have you/we seen of famous people in their late years having young wives (Steve Martin in his 70's and having children). Nothing will be done if people stay misinformed about the impact of too many of US.

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I'm an anti-natalist, so having no children is my preference anyway.

Ditto @VictoriaNotes. But I had to look the word up to make sure.

Do you have a link to others like you. Surely there must be a group for this. See my response to gearl above.

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