The misanthropic stance is comforting
until you know actual kids that you wish a happy life to.
(
monkeon schmonkeon, Wed 22 Sep 2021, 23:28,
Reply)
an unfair and illogical rejoinder, monkeyman
pessimism does not imply misanthropy, nor does it preclude hope, happiness or love.
(, Thu 23 Sep 2021, 1:05, Reply)
The post title is a *bit* misanthropic, is it not?
And emotional arguments are always going to be illogical.
I'm not entirely in disagreement with the post tbh - have felt similar at times. Just talking about how my personal feelings on the subject have changed.
(
monkeon schmonkeon, Thu 23 Sep 2021, 9:47,
Reply)
I'm unashamedly misanthropic.
I mean, we are the literal definition of a parasite. We're the only species that takes more from our environment than we give back. The whole fact that we live so unsustainably puts us right into that category.
Agreed, we've achieved some truly astonishing feats compared to the other species we share the planet with, but I can't help that's still completely overshadowed by how willing we are to voluntarily destroy our habitat in the process.
That's not to say that I wish pain and suffering on humans at an individual level. Not at all. There are plenty of humans that I'm very fond of, and like most of us, I have a family that I (mostly) care about.
My point is that I don't care about our species becoming extinct, because since we figured out how to build houses, develop medicines, mine the earth and and kill each other en masse, we've essentially been living outwith the balance of nature. I feel sorry for the people that have to suffer through the final days of our meagre existence, but it'll be no great loss once we're gone. Quite the opposite. Once we're all gone and the suffering is over, nobody will care because there won't be anybody to care and then the Planet can go about it's business in peace.
I understand my views are pretty controversial/ignorant/whatever. I'm not particularly bothered if I convince people that my world view is the correct world view, because as we've so aptly demonstrated (particularly over the last 2-3 years), most people are going to do whatever the fuck they feel like doing, regardless.
(, Thu 23 Sep 2021, 10:13, Reply)
You can still wish them a happy life. I just think it's wise to be pragmatic about how happy that life will actually be.
And whether you want to bring another child into it at all. Especially considering that by doing so, you're actively contributing to the problem that some of us are so desperately trying to solve.
(, Thu 23 Sep 2021, 9:21, Reply)
I haven't.
People you know do, though, so hard to avoid those feelings coming into play.
(
monkeon schmonkeon, Thu 23 Sep 2021, 9:56,
Reply)
Perhaps. But I suspect even the ones getting born now will be long gone before things get really bad.
I definitely will be, and I'll have a huge amount of trouble caring once I'm gone.
(, Thu 23 Sep 2021, 10:21, Reply)