[anon_d]

Billions of people in this world would agree unreservedly with the sentiment in question. Only a very specific class of people would have a negative reaction to this.

If you don't want to "hang with that crowd" then there's nothing to worry about here w.r.t filter.

[saiya-jin]

I wouldn't read too much into this - this sentiment is quite frequent here by some more vocal members, and HN is very far from being representative of general population (which is very good in this regard, since mankind would be over in 2-3 generations).

I have personally a very different opinion - smart handy balanced successful (in life, pursuit of happiness, usefulness to society) people should have more kids/kids more frequently as they do, of course if they are able to do so physically, emotionally and overall mentally. Why - this world desperately needs more of such people, and instead gets explosion of poor uneducated farmers or basic factory workers.

Quiet average (or under-average) majority never changes much, they listen to what they should think, what is right, cool etc. Decision processes based mostly on emotions, which is always flawed long-term (and mass media abuse this to no end). We as mankind are clearly heading to self-destruction if we continue this trajectory long enough (longer than doomsayers preach but not absurdly long).

Also majority of childless older folks I've met are in one of these categories: 1) physically impossible, didn't want to go through adoption bureaucratic hell; 2) would be OK with kids but didn't meet the right partner during say age 20-45; 3) didn't want them earlier and when decision changed they realized it was too late (I know quite a few guys in this bracket too). Those that made this decision consciously at early age and stand by it till death without regrets are really small minority.

Even those fearing overpopulation are helping shrink it a bit if they have 2 kids max (equilibrium is somewhere around 2.1 IIRC). There are other points but I don't want to end up with article on this topic. Suffice to say, in my view, life is a (short) game that shouldn't be played on easy difficulty (=no kids) to get most out of it.

If that makes me some arrogant a-hole for stating that, because I ruffled some underlying feathers of somebody online is of no concern to me. Being people-pleaser is a shitty life from all possible angles.