Tim, No doubt, besides being a parent for satisfaction, there can be other more promising ways to be satisfied. However, the alternative you have suggested to get satisfied by helping a nephew/niece or others' children seems not so convincing. The point is, if everyone starts thinking to follow the same suit that you have suggested, where will everyone finds 'Others'? Logic is simple. It would not exist.
Similar logic can be argued for childless movement. In developed countries it is widespread, and its product, 'shrinking population' has alerted the governments in those countries. Obvious reason is 'reduced working force' and the chances of increased pressure from developing countries, where couples have 5, 6 or more children. But, if (and if...) the people from developing countries follow the same path of much talked 'childless movement', as they usually opt to follow developed world in terms of political, economic and cultural changes, what will be the end result? Will human still remain a part of 'Nature', for welfare of which so much arguments are made in this and other discussions. So contribution of replicating couples in passing the values to the next generation could not be undermined. Jay ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Murray" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 1:54 AM Subject: The satisfaction of not being a parent > Hello, forgive me, I am just a voyeur to the discussion. Osmar, I think = > you are mistaken. There is something more satisfying than being a = > parent. It is being an uncle. That has always been my deep biological = > urge. To spend quality time with my nephew, to give him my best 5 or 6 = > hours a week, always feeling excited to see him and him returning that = > feeling. Relieving my brother and his wife from child-rearing duties now = > and then strengthened our relationship too. Now my nephew is 27, and I = > treat him as my only son, and since his father died ten years ago, he = > regards me as his dad. He will inherit all of what I have. It is not = > necessary that we replicate ourselves. We can share other people's = > children and give them as much as we want to. We can even adopt one of = > the millions of children who have no parents. Why give birth to more? = > The planet will thank us. Tim Murray, BC Canada >
