It’s basically the philosophy that it is wrong to have children. But what is the material cause to this belief, along with other beliefs that antinatalists have? (including efilism, basically the philosophy that all life should end)
It’s basically the philosophy that it is wrong to have children. But what is the material cause to this belief, along with other beliefs that antinatalists have? (including efilism, basically the philosophy that all life should end)
Marx’s original critiques of Malthus are the relevant starting point here. Antinatalism is ultimately Malthusian overpopulation theory updated for today. It allows the right-wing to individualise the problem rather than admit that plenty of normal people can live if capitalism dies. Your child has a carbon footprint and we should focus on that instead of the US military’s or Exxon’s. The state won’t be able to save your child from what’s coming because it isn’t the state’s job to, they’re just born2be unworthy poors who are Calvinistically destined to die in the near future.
I don’t have kids, don’t want kids, and wouldn’t want to subject a kid to the same conditions I’m militantly against. That’s just a personal choice though. Giving it more attention or weight than that only reinforces the machine making those conditions. When it turns out that my choice to not have kids wasn’t enough to save me financially or save the planet, well I’m just a stupid surplus human who should skip breakfast and recycle more plastic. There’s no point where that makes an actual dent in the problem and there’s no point where that eugenicist logic can’t be turned against me just as easily.