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Anti-Natalism: The Argument To Stop Giving Birth

Aperture | December 23, 2025



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The philosophy of anti-natalism is that thought that human procreation is unethical. The belief that any action with suffering as its byproduct should not be encouraged, no matter how much pleasure will follow as well. Everyone suffers from being human, but no one suffers from not existing in the first place. So we have to ask the question, which is better? To have experienced pain and pleasure, or is it better if we were never born at all?

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This post currently has 41 comments.

  4. @dalegg66

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    I wonder if mother mice ever stop and ask themselves…hmm, am I sure having babies is the right thing to do? When you get down to it, the vast majority of mice have horrible lives. Even when I think of Apex animals, like Lions. Its a constant battle for food and deadly competition in the pride. Your baby cubs have a good chance of getting killed before theyre one. But no. None of this nonsense about wouldnt we just be better off having never been born.

  5. @mrlunatic4816

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    One problem I have with antinatalism is: why is suffering bad? How could all the pain and horrors of life possibly be so ‘bad’ to wish for no life at all? It’s not that I don’t understand that, I get the feeling, maybe life is not a gift, but think of how many more people do not exist, compared to the people who do, there are billions alive today but think of the amount of people who are not alive today, that’s an infinite amount, for you to be born you were one in infinity (so by anti-Natalist logic, would that make us the teeny, tiny microscopic minority?, well yeah of course it would mean that), sure you didn’t consent to this, but since when has consent ever been important? Carbon dioxide does not consent to being converted to oxygen through photosynthesis but does it care? of course not, carbon dioxide isn’t alive and you sure weren’t when you were being conceived which led to your birth, and was it really your parents choice being conceived anyway? or was that predetermined by circumstances that neither they let alone you had a say in?, I don’t think any of us had to say in whether or not the United States flag is red, white and blue, it just is, being born just is, so why is any of that a matter of consent? There are trees outside where I live, was that a matter of consent? did I consented to having trees outside? no, is that unfair? no and it for sure isn’t unfair either, it’s not even a matter of what’s fair, but back to suffering, people have been afraid of suffering for ages, it’s been a prime motivator for why we do everything in our power to minimize or evade suffering, simply because it exists, and it’s because of simply this, we have managed it simply by going as far as we’ve come now as sentient beings that so happened to exist, and we’ve made existence pretty rich for ourselves, yes, there is suffering, but it’s also the reason why we have all the cool stuff that comes with it, passion, community, excitement, action, wonder, love, beauty, art, and philosophy which of course includes philosophical stand points like these, all of this is because of being born into suffering, we literally have everything to thank for suffering. Yes, life is suffering, being born is fucked up, life is full of unlimited horrors, and some of the most disgusting and unforgivable things, it’s absolutely terrifying, full of greatness, evil, strife, vitality, adventure, war, destruction, and death, unlimited suffering, and it’s AWESOME

  6. @marnlim

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    I agree. I see so many ‘parents’ who fucked up their kids lives with trauma and immaturity. People don’t think at all. Giving birth is easy. Dogs n cats do it. Bringing up a child is the hardest part that nobody considers carefully. I spent most of my adult life unfucking myself from my childhood traumas. No way am I passing it on.

  11. @Kyle-j7h

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    I have yet to find an intelligent and compassionate person who has children. So many brainwashed breeders pushing out more future wage slaves and tax payers.

  13. @McGheeBentle

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    I can’t wait for the eventual downfall of this ideology. I’m currently expecting my first, and I hope to have at least seven children, if not more! Let’s go!

  14. @voidcamel5981

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    You can call me crazy. But before you are born you are a consciousness without the ability to make pools (essentially memories and a personality) and when you are in this place of… non coherence, you can accidentally get tucked into existence. It is a place of constant t change, where concepts do not exist and "stuff" just is without definition or categorization. When things start to become coherent is when you are going to be stolen from that and out into life. It is very frustrating.

  16. @alisonbrowning9620

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    I actually didn't want to be born, I was late coming into the world, it was 1967, I was dragged out with forceps, mother had a terrible time giving birth, I suffered brain damage and it was the custom to slap a new born at birth to make them cry, oh i cried and never stopped , mum had post natal depression and we have never go on very well and yet she went on to have 2 more kids and 2 miscarriages. I always used to say how jealous I was of those embryos.

    we neuter cats and dogs to prevent suffering why not people? ok bodily autonomy does complicare things, i get it, but what of the potential new human's bodily autuonmy to not even be created?

  17. @alisonbrowning9620

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    I cannot understand people giving birth in war zones or poverty especially, it is hard though as people will have sex for comfort, pleasure and escape but with no access to birth control (clinics and hospitals are bombed and destroyed and medical care is limited even beyond basics) it's a nightmare, I would just say no to sex, we'll have to play around with each other .

  23. @vintageangelique2203

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    When I was a little kid (~ 4-7 years old) I already said I wish I was never born/wanted to be 💀 and I still think this way. I was saved by doctors as a new born baby, but I sometimes I wish the docs didn't anything. I am an antinatalist since early age, this world is disgusting, full of problems (v!olence, war, climate change…) and I am shocked how parents dont use their brains and complain how terrible this place is when they watch bad news on TV.
    Or they have ill genes (cancer for example), they get children and than complain that the child also gets cancer. Well, that is your fault, honey. Sounds harsh, but it is how it is. If you know you are ill (physical ill / mental illnesses –》EPIGENETIC: You can get your (grand-)parent's emotional trauma!!!), how can you want and get a biological child??? And later they complain about the kid's illnesses, which is only the parent's fault, because in worst case the parents already KNEW they were ill in some way BEFORE they decided to have kids.

    Having children is the worst you can do, in my opinion. I feel sorry for every newborn for getting thrown into this world.

  25. @mammacatp.i.6551

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    Is suffering Always such a horrible thing? TBH Ive learned alot from my periods of heavy suffering & SOME of it has made me a better person. Grit, resolve & determination are great personality traits. Theres a plan in All this mess!

    Im a bit of an anti-natalist tho: only bc when people cant afford roofs over their heads even when they work hard,often w 2 jobs~the world is really messed up badly & its not going to let up. Housing & basic food is a right for all, not a privilege for a few. It makes me very sad that I have a comfortable roof over me and tonite, again, millions will go homeless. The little I give doesnt help much.

    Additionally> I believe in God so much. Im a regular person but He's sent His spirit in my life in such incredible ways. I dont know why Ive received such Beauty but HE is, indeed,real; Jesus too. It will work out after Im gone~ for sure! God's word says Jesus knew me before the foundation of the world & I believe it.

    Thing is, dont rely on my word! Ask God to reveal Himself to you in the way(s) that You can understand. From what i can tell a person has to desire God fully, wholly & truly & want to know Him. Come to Him as a little -child. Then he will begin to open up understanding & Heavenly Treasures> Dont give up. Little trusting prayers go A Long Way! Take care

  26. @Upload-video-terserah-gue

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    It's good to be human =

    1. There is food or have clean water
    2. Physically healthy
    3. Long life
    4. Have a family
    5. There is a nice place to live
    6. Honest Man
    7. Mutual tolerance
    8. Enter heaven
    9. Get sustenance.
    10. Peace with people.
    11. Have leaders who support the people.
    12. Peace

    Etc

    It's not good to be human =

    1. Hunger (no food) or no clean water
    2. Sometimes you feel pain, there are those who have special needs, there are those who can't see, can't hear, can't speak, etc., there are those who are seriously ill = stroke, cancer, etc., there are those who have lost limbs, etc.
    3. One day died
    4. There are those who don't have a family
    5. There are those who don't have a place to live or have a bad place to live
    6. Being cheated by someone, theft , being slandered
    7. Racists (ethnicity, religion, race and culture), other racists.
    8. Go to hell
    9. You have to work if you want to have wealth
    10. Being insulted by people (or insulting people)
    11. Having a leader who does not support the people
    12. Violence , murder , War

    Etc.

    Therefore I decided not to have children. There's something wrong with being human. Maybe my child experienced something bad like that. Yes, even though there are good things about being human, I still don't have children. Please convey to others the reality, there are good things about being human and there are bad things about being human
    I suggest you no have kids , no pressure

    Please spread this message to = Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or others , no pressure

  27. @mikegoodness9767

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    The chance of any individual human coming into existence is 1 in 400 trillion. Everyone chose to come here, regardless of whether they realize it or not. When they interviewed people who decided to terminate their lives and jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, who miraculously survived, they all had one thing in common.
    They said as soon as they jumped off the bridge, no matter how bad their lives had been up to that point, they instantly regretted their decision and knew that they had made a fatal mistake. Ask any suicide survivor if they regret surviving, and you'll be surprised at their response.

  29. @yqtvn

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    Antinatalism is actually fascinating if you think about it. Because why are we forced into a life we never desired? Or simply because we couldn't? Because we didn't have that ability yet. Yet somehow, people do it for their own good. Why would people want to get rid of the girl child if they didn't seek their own profit through it? Because in those times, women would get paid less for the same amount of workload as a man. They reproduce because they just need someone to look after them once they're old. And then they hit you with “But we tried our best to provide you with all pleasures of life.” But would I, as an unborn child, know what pleasure or suffering meant at all? How can I have a desire for things I am not aware of? The things I haven't tasted yet? And what's worse? once you're here, society guesslights you into thinking You should be ‘grateful’ for it. Like imagine forcing someone into a game they never signed up for and then expecting them to be thankful for the opportunity. People justify it with “but life is beautiful “or “they'll find their own meaning.” Do they not realize that everyone has different ways to perceive the word beautiful or the meaning behind it? What one finds beautiful and peaceful, other may not. And parents can't guarantee a good life for their child, even if they try their best. Because the child suffers still, maybe not because of them, but by other immense sufferings that take place in life. Disabilities, mental illnesses, poverty, war, abuse, any uncontrollable factor can make life unbearable. The need for meaning in life only exists because birth imposes it. If someone was never born, there would be no meaningless suffering to escape from in the first place. The reason that life continues isn't because people choose to exist, it's because evolution favors those who don't question it. Even the most loving parents say, I'll do my best to keep my child happy. First of all, your child don't crave it. Second of all, you can't protect your child from suffering because suffering isn't a choice. And the worst part, the child will eventually have to die too. Parents can't defeat that. So what's the point? It's like offering someone a gift that comes with a bomb inside (that you are certain will blast) saying, “don't worry, I'll try my best to make sure it doesn't explode.” But they have no real power over when or how it goes off. This kinda also sticks to suicide, because if in the afterlife, as people call it (if it exists) there are people or souls or ghosts or anything who already died and they can't escape the afterlife or there's another afterlife once the initial ‘afterlife’ ends? So, suicide is basically pointless, because now that you are in this pointless world, might as well experience it. Because what if the afterlife is even worse, and then you look at it asking yourself, “I could have been here way later, and enjoy my time a bit more.” Because turns out, all your pleasures that you were experiencing while you were alive, you no longer have access to them in the afterlife. Or that, the sooner you get in the afterlife, the familiar you get early on, but then you'll regret the life you could have still lived and pleasures you could have experienced that you can now only visualize and not feel. Then maybe it is only logical to stick around and see what happens here, because at least you still have control over some things like a prison with distractions, moments of pleasures, before your x-day, the execution day. The bigger picture feels absurd, no matter how you look at it. Another thing is that I find sex absolutely gross. Nature isn't fair to us. It's sexist. Why do men only feel level 1 of pain during intercourse and for women it's 4 to 5? Nothing in it is truly fair for us. Periods? I don't even want kids. And boobs, bro? They keep ruining my posture. They are heavy as fuck. Anyways, There's no cosmic purpose, but that's what makes it all feel so heavy. Because if there's no point, then why stay? Now flipping it, if there's no point, why leave? If existence is meaningless, so is the urge to escape it. What the fuck?But yeah, your choice. I personally wouldn't do it even if it was me experiencing the same void as we could before being born, which isn't possible of course, but that's the absurdity of it. Now that you exist, you can still carve out moments of beauty or curiosity or even defiance against it all, because you don't know what the end is like. You might wanna experience it now that you have tasted it. Suicide is like leaving a fun party early on before the dinner starts. There is no cosmic purpose, but that's what makes it all feel so heavy. Because if there's no point, then why stay? Now flipping it, if there's no point, why leave? If existence is meaningless, so is the urge to escape it wtf. Antinatalism, Extinctionist philosophies, Voluntary Human Extinction movements, they all recognize that the cycle of suffering continues because people keep creating new people to experience it. The real solution to suffering is stopping the production of life itself, but society won't accept that. Finding meaning is the very thing that traps them. To be honest, most people don't even realize they're caught in it because they're too busy chasing distractions, telling themselves that life is worth it. The machine cycle only keeps running because people keep feeding it. We are too busy trying to find the meaning of life to realize its absurdity. Now a dumb theory popped into my mind. It's that what if anti-natalism took over in the future years because people started to dig into philosophy more because it became more popular as it isn't even a real school subject yet and women didn't even have the right to education but now that they do they can question life and its absurdity. So my point is what if anti-natalism took over in the future and the reason why the future us can't reach to us through time machines is because they don't exist. What if we accepted it even before we evolved to the point of developing a time machine? lol Humanity might not end with a bang like how it started, but with a slow philosophical realization that existence isn't worth continuing, that humanity could slowly think itself out of existence rather than being wiped out by war or disaster. The last generation of humans fully aware of their actions simply chooses to fade out, intelligence advancing to the point where it realizes continuing is pointless, or just that time travel can't exist. Imagine it being a novel where the last humans fade themselves out of life, a haunting sci-fi novel or movie. Imagine humanity reaches a point where it just..No war or disaster, just a collective realization that the best move is to not make one at all. Just walking away from it all, prioritizing your peace rather than disturbing others, or letting others disturb yours. That's the real control, choosing not to be a part of the cycle instead of being dragged along by it.stops. No war, or disaster, just a collective realization that the best move is to not make one at all. Just walking away from it all. Prioritizing your peace rather than disturbing others or letting others disturb yours. That's the real control. Choosing not to be a part of the cycle instead of being dragged along by it.

  30. @athousandandonenights11

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    The thinking exercise with the money being dropped onto someone and breaking their arm isn’t really a good comparison. For most people the bad they will experience will outweigh the good. A batter comparison would be if you lose both arms or all your limbs in exchange for 5 million dollars. It’s life changing money but is it really going to be as wonderful given what you’re losing? Very few people are able to easily obtain happiness or satisfaction easily. The rest of us have to work and fight for every moment of joy we get. Even as someone who’s had a good life compared to many others, life isn’t worth it.

  31. @SupriseMalboro

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    simplified, would you choose to spend 7 days being treated like royalty, sleeping with your perfect partner, eating the best food and having the best time in your life but after the 7 days are up you have to spend 7 days buried alive in a coffin full of red ants, rats and cockroaches with an oxygen mask with broken legs, painful burn injuries. I personally would just choose not to do the deal.. therefore choose not to exist

  34. @austinkrause5421

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    Man this is hard, I don't think that non-existence is better than existence, because suffering isn't necessarily a bad thing. Suffering brings a sort of understanding and unity to humans, if we never suffered, we would never be empathetic. Now keep in mind that comes from someone who has had a pretty easy childhood, besides my parents arguing a lot and getting divorced eventually, my life has been pretty good. And any "suffering" that I've experienced was caused by own doing. For example feeling the pain of never talking to that girl, that's all on me. However, suffering vs moments of joy & love would not be my argument to not have kids. Rather it would be the consumption.

    I see my mom getting groceries, and since I like to workout, it's even more expensive to maintain my muscles. I feel selfish for taking so much of the worlds precious resources. While I'm eating, someone else is suffering from starvation. Maybe if I was never born, there would be that much less food needed, and therefore more food for those who need it the most. I see aisle and aisle of food, junk, chocolates, a good percentage of which will just rot in the earth. So much farming, so many animals getting killed, so many plants harvested. All this food just so I can live? But why do I need to live? I almost feel that it would be better for me to be homeless, I would feel less guilty. Existence can be beautiful suffering and joy alike (I don't like the word pleasure cause I don't think anyone equates to happiness and if they do, it's naiveness), but the cost for just one person to live. Let's say I was made to end world hunger for example, well then really the only moment in my life that matters is when I end world hunger. Everything else was simply to build up to that moment. Any moments of joy, celebrations, and character development was only for me to experience but it didn't really benefit people all that much.

    Honestly, I can't really say my view on this. I'm leaning towards that existence is good, but it's selfish. I don't believe it's selfish to give birth, therefore leading to suffering, because I don't believe suffering is bad within itself, I think the one causing the suffering upon the individual is where the real evil lies. However, falling down on ice is not evil, it's an obstacle for you to overcome, so you can come out stronger the other side. I believe it would actually be more suffering for you to never suffer, because then you lack all empathy and growth. Your happiness is solely dependent on the fact that you never had to suffer, but that's a fake version of happiness. The Buddha never suffered for the first bit of his life, but it doesn't mean he had joy, rather he found liberation in striping himself of his desires, which some would call suffering. He believed that true suffering is to desire, and that happiness comes from expecting nothing. (correct me if I'm wrong) Assuming your kid doesn't get suicidal, then their life, they will be glad they lived it. And even if they're suicidal, they're life does have meaning because at some point someone decided to give birth, they could've aborted the child, if you're in the right state, then you have all the freedom not to give birth, but you decided to give birth anyways. Meaning the person who is suicidal, their life matters to someone. I'm sorry if this triggered anyone, I don't mean to hurt you, I just am using this example to help explain. Generally, a person will have at least something to be thankful for that leads them to be glad they existed. So I don't think giving birth is a direct attack to your kids, but I do believe it affects the world. You're not being selfish to your kid, but to the world. That's my take right now. If anyone reads this, first of all, thank you for your patience, this is not an easy read, so thankful. Second, let me know what you think. Have a beautiful day and your life does matter.

  35. @2F098

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    If you want your own child instead of adopting a poor soul that's already stuck in this shitty, shitty world, you are inherently selfish and don't want a child for the sake of having a child. You are an egomaniac.

  37. @vincentbateman8284

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    Life has suffering, no mistake, but in it, there are moments of fantastic beauty. Pleasure is just fleeting, beauty should be the argument when you recognise it, fuck pleasure, and you carry them moments with you, all you're short time here. This antinatal argument is a cop out, a not fully thought-out process. Life will break your heart, but look for them moments. Have a stout heart. It's to bear witness.
    A quote from a great film:

    I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off (the) shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.

    Life is worth it

  40. @Move-on19

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    And i want to add that i come from a family with lots of people. I dont have brothers or sisters but lots of uncles and aunts they all have children. I can only see how they want to get rid of them always, escape from them, or are very enmeshed with them to a point it is almost sad. My niece has no voice, always controlled by her people pleasing mother. She cant take risks and suffers from anxiety and since i have no children still one of my family members ask and beg me to baby sit all the time ……🙄🙄🙄🙄

  41. @Move-on19

    December 23, 2025 at 7:13 am

    Lol one man told me how he is ok with being poor and he does not want to be rich and he has peace of mind and how its ok to have children. He is from egypt and to no surprise muslim. Well lucky him but many others dont feel like that and why assume his children will feel the same as he. Nonetheless we poop,piss,sweat, all kinds of stupid things. Nothing good here. Also he was interested in me this guy even though he is muslim and i don't. He was shorter than me and although im not too difficult on this and if he had an attractive face for example (not perfect, just good for me) than i would overlook it but at least taller than me even if its a little bit. I dont want to bow to kiss a man. He took it offensive and immediately i told him "life is such a gift isnt it" or shall we say "life is a bitch". How hard is it to be born a certain way that its hard to get who you desire? I am according to standards at least a bit good looking but eventually this fades as well. I excersize and try to eat healthy. Well, we will lose everything in the end. We are bound to lose

    I aint no pessimist ,i try to be positive, i try to be sane, and i can. I enjoy my coffee in the morning, i enjoy a walk. I try to make the most of it

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