[3A2D50]

> He then told me about an Arabic parable or the like that each child comes with a bag of money.

I can see how an empathetic person having children would increase their focus to succeed, but what is the limit on the number of kids? How would one know when to stop having kids? Why did you stop at four kids? Are you going to have more?

[corresation]

While indeed the story as told sounds like I am promoting copious reproduction, really one child fulfills the meaning of the parable: Many if not most of us operate at a very low level of effort, and succeed to some degree regardless. Having a child (which really is a surrogate for "having a reason to pursue success", which to others might simply be intrinsic drive) seems to make many focus the effort and improve efficiency.

We didn't expect our third child, or the fourth for that matter. That's life though, and I'm a very roll with it sort of person and am extremely pleased with how things have turned out.

Of course I am speaking from a very privileged position of happening to have the right sort of mind at the right moment in history in the right situation where I can talk about pissing most of my time away and still achieving what many would consider a lot of success. This obviously doesn't apply to all careers or all people.

[3A2D50]

I'm relieved to see you type that. Thank you for the sane reply.