Bear No Children - Stolen Future, Broken Present: The Human Significance of Climate Change - page 159

of those children on the environment. Whether we have given birth to
children is less crucial than whether we replicate our destructive habits in
another generation.
Parents who already have litle ones might object that this argument
ultimately accuses them of doing wrong. But this argument does not
lead to such a conclusion at all. Most people in our society have never
given this viewpoint a moment's thought; accordingly, we can't assume
that parents have deliberately chosen to put their wishes above the future
good of humanity. People are not to be accused if they have transgressed
a principle of which they are unaware. Once they have heard this argu-
ment, however, we might wish to hold them accountable, at least to jus-
tify their eventual decision. But doing so is not the same as making par-
ents feel guilty for loving children they already have.
Others might comment that choosing not to reproduce reveals a sub-
tle hatred of humankind, a sneaky sort of misanthropy. In fact, the oppo-
site is true: those who choose not to reproduce place the future interests
of humanity—as well as the Earth's living systems—above selfish con-
siderations. Doesn't that sound more like the love of humanity? But it's
worth pausing to take this objection literally. If we love dogs, for example,
does it follow that we'd like to see, say, eight billion dogs roaming the
planet? If not, does that make us dog haters? Not likely.
The same response goes for the idea that this ethical position some-
how reflects a hatred of children. This objection is no more convincing
than the previous one, but it has the great merit of bringing a basic ques-
tion to our atention. If we are quite sure that the biosphere will be in
worse shape over the coming decades, that our society will suffer enor-
mously as a result, and that those in the next generation will face increas-
ing difficulties as time goes by, is it more responsible to bring children
into the world to face all these challenges—or not to do so? Is it an act of
love to choose a diicult life for those who have no say in the mater? Is it bet-
ter to give kids the gift of life, whatever difficulties they might face, or to
protect the unborn from the potential disaster to come? Needless to say,
we should bless the life of children who are already with us. We should do
everything we can to help our young descendants thrive. But choosing
a tough life for people before bringing them into the world is an entirely