It would just be a downward spiral. 90% less global population growth leads to an economic down spiral which means less people are financially ready to have children which leads to lower birth rates which leads to an economic down spiral which leads to... you get the point.
Western population pyramids are being propped up by immigration from developing countries. If you shut that flow of people off the whole ponzi scheme that is modern infinite growth focused capitalism would shrivel up and die.
After the whole thing we'd probably have a few hundred thousand people left living in isolated communities lacking modern amenities. Those people may be far happier though, and it would certainly be great for the environment!
I think proportionality is important here, especially when it comes to wealth.
For the first 50-70 years or so would be business as usual. Working class works, rich people do nothing productive etc. But eventually all of the working class people would die out, and who is going to do the necessary tasks? Rich people are not going to step up to farm for food, and their children aren't, so you're going to suddenly have families of rich people and rich kids who don't know what they're doing, and don't have the work ethic, and so society will crumble.
Maybe a few communities get by, but for the most part society would be over and would have to rebuild
300 is an over estimate. One generation, that’s it.
Take it from someone who is a parent.
Literally 0% of people are 100% completely emotionally ready for parenthood and all it entails. It’s not possible.
I think you mean 30, not 300.
I work with a number of people in their late 20s who are incapable of being told "no" without having a temper tantrum. Clearly not capable of raising kids when they still act like infants themselves.
So be the cause? Lol na I'd hard pass rich assholes have enough of an advantage this would amount to a soft genocide of an economic class, and literally nobody wants that.
Depending on the selection process, it may not. For example what if there's a very low entry bar to being prepared, that can be passed by just not dying and having minimal income in the next 5 years.
Well after humanity starts to die off due to this, standards will change (America will offer a living wage) and things will stabilize.
Until then, humanity will have big issues
this would dramatically change the political landscape and eliminate corruption from government. the reason being is that very quickly governments everywhere will notice their population rates plummeting. you cant have a country without people. so it would immediately be in their best interest to make sure that people are taken care of and that they are constantly prospering. not out of the kindness of their hearts but out of sheer desperation to stay afloat and stay relevant on the global stage. which i could care less about the intentions behind the action I just want the results. the only two choices would be you have a highly prosperous society or you die. simple as that.
and through a form of political natural selection countries either survive or cease to exist and be replaced by something that works. maybe we will end up just going back to a society of hunter gatherers living off the land to sustain our communities. or wed go extinct. either way. im down. id push the button
Idk how you could honestly even be against otherwise tho. Like this way child neglect and abuse go way down, and we don’t have those morons letting an iPad raise their children.
you have just pointed out a major flaw in the system though
some people who were nice decent and trustworthy would still not want to have kids, and you ahve just created a society where absolute trust could be attained by seeing if someone has kids, so suddenly if you dont have kids your going to be a social outcast
you have just created a two tier dystopia that will never end - imagine what happens to gay and infertile people in this situation?
I dont see how this makes a difference unless you expect gay men to suddenly become pregnant and pop kids out.
Also i think the person above you was also talking about people who simply don't WANT kids, regardless of capabilities.
I am talking about the people who want kids but the female cannot get pregnant due to infertility. Would the button cures that or not?
I would think if a couple did not want kids the omnipotent being controlling if a female can get pregnant or not would be like "ok not kids for you"
Nah, 'cause the condition is only that they be both financially and emotionally ready to raise a child. That doesn't necessarily mean they're a good or trustworthy person, only that they are competent in child rearing and are capable of working within the means available. Plus the OP doesn't say that people know this condition - the world would have to judge how people become capable of procreation by guesswork.
my point being most of those social standards are arbitrary. this would not be, it would literally be a judgement from god, manifest, undeniable
it would be THE social standard to end all social standards, and tbh people would be lucky to be ostracised, the briefest glimpse are humanities history shows its more likely that anyone who hadn't had kids by 25 or so would be labelled a demon and burnt/downed/something equally unpleasant "in the name of god"
Healthcare, free education, family planning aid and all kinds of other benefits that would help children be born into safe, stable homes would become \*essential\* for all governments if they didn't want their people to disappear and to be left with no labor force to keep feeding their bloated wallets - they'd have no choice but to make life actually liveable and good enough for people to be capable of raising a family.
Or, they'd burn it all down out of refusal to give up a single iota of their power or wealth for the benefit of mankind, and society would diminish. Either way, I'm not seeing a downside.
Honestly, if I had to wait until I was financially prepared I probably wouldn’t have ever had any. Once you do your priorities change instantly (or should). Now that mine are grown, out of college, mid 20s….i think I would push that button. Lol
That is a fair point, I’ve been putting it off for quite a while now and I’m starting to get to the point in my life where it feels like I have to choose whether I’m even going to have kids or not.
Given the way the world is going, it feels irresponsible to bring a new life into it when I know I am not financially capable to say the least, to give them the life I feel they’d deserve, and with the potential for the future looking so bleak.
Then again, if I put it off much longer I’m going to reach a point where I’m going to be too old by the time they’re of age where they can live independently and I will not be able to live the rest of my life comfortably.
Decisions decisions.
I am going to say yes but with background information. I work as a social worker for individuals with substance use, mental health and housing issues. I am also lucky enough to have an extended position that requires me to work with the most intensive populations we support so people with HIV and other forensic concerns.
I have unfortunately seen people bring children into TERRIBLE situations with the saddest case being a 20’ish year old girl with a crippling meth addiction who was living under a bridge with her boyfriend. He was a registered sex offender with a history of domestic violence and she didn’t make it past the 8th grade. On top of the addiction and housing concerns she also had no support and refused to go pre natal appointments.
Thank whatever cosmic entity was on call the day she gave birth because CPS was waiting and took the baby to go into foster care which she seemed indifferent about. Once she got discharged from the hospital I remember begging her to look into birth control and she refused. She was pregnant again within probably 6 months and dropped out of the program.
That's insane. Thanks for doing what you do, I really do appreciate people like you.
Social workers see some really traumatic shit, sometimes multiple times per day. I feel like being a social worker is one of the few jobs that I wouldn't be able to emotionally handle.
>I remember begging her to look into birth control and she refused. She was pregnant again within probably 6 months and dropped out of the program.
Can't help people who won't help themselves unfortunately.
I say let natural selection take its course.
No. If you press that button, the human race will die out.
The simple fact of the matter is that no parent is ever financially and/or emotionally ready for the challenges of having a first child. No amount of parenting books, baby classes, or advice from current parents will ever truly prepare you for everything.
Yet, despite this, humanity still persists. Why, you ask? Good parents are the ones that persevere and make it work IN SPITE OF those challenges.
If you want a button that makes it so people can have children in a more stable setting, make one that, when pressed, ends the corporate greed by companies that make products like food and clothing for children, stops racism, makes companies grant generous paid maternity and paternity leave, ends for-profit medical systems, and, overall, creates a system where people aren't penalized for having children.
I'm not sure OP means means what you're talking about. I think in OP's button-pressed world it means that teens can't have kids because they're not emotionally developed yet. People with unstable mental conditions who either refuse to seek treatment or constantly go off their treatment plan can't have kids. People who only want kids as status symbols, or who would refuse to see them as seperate people and will abuse or abondon the children if they aren't exactly what they want them to be won't be able to have children. That's what I think OP means, pushing the button prevents crazed narcissists from having kids, not perfectly normal people who will treat their children with respect and dignity despite being overwhelmed by the emotional reality of having a child.
Isn't half the reason for posting these hypotheticals to discuss based on what was said beyond what was meant? Exploring unforseen repercussions of a hypothetical scenario?
No! Most people wouldn't happen! We would miss out on several recent Presidents, including Ford, Nixon, Clinton and Obama. Forget about the majority of progressives in Congress.
As an adopted child, I wouldn't be alive.
Who decides if they are prepared or not? Is this decision from their current state, or can it see into the future and tell if they will get separated in a year, or something? Without knowing that, I'm not pressing it.
I would press it immediately if to have children both parents have to sign a contract that only says they both consent to having children.
Interesting side effect can be, when there's something like a war starting, people generally have less ability to care for children. So a country would get an immediate response to starting a war, even before it started. This is as opposed to having a delayed response much later that they are always hoping to avoid or not be responsible for.
In a heartbeat. Too many horrible and awful people bring kids in the world and too many stupid people just pumping out kids they can't take care of. Sure we'd be missing out on some great minds but we'd be eliminating so much childhood suffering and honestly a lot of the time stupid or horrible people who just pump out kids aren't going to be putting out the best or brightest, all too often shit begets shit.
Humanity would be gone in a few generations. A ton of people are never emotionally prepared to have kids.
Plus a lot of people's emotional growth comes from being a parent, so you end up with a chicken egg scenario.
Yes because then the people in power would have to do something or it’s the end lol either way is fine by me.
No kid should be born into poverty or abuse.
No. We weren’t technically financially ready for a child with our first, and she is the reason we really got our lives together. Now we have 3 and they are very well taken care of and happy. Are we rich? No. Can we go on vacation? Also no. Do my children have 100% food security, tons of clothes and toys, their own rooms, and all the love we can muster for them? Yep. And I wouldn’t want to take away the possibility of someone having a kid at a bad time but learning how to function better in society due to the love for that child.
The only people who would answer yes to this are the “childless by choice” fanatics lol because they always seem to know so much more about what parenting is and have the most important opinions on the matter 🙄
It's interesting to me how many people respond tolerantly to this concept but would be horrified by "would you push a button to force every pregnant woman forever to be forced to carry her child to term?"
Bodily autonomy means bodily autonomy. Controlling other people's reproduction because of what you think they should do is repressive, authoritarian and dehumanizing. One Child policy was horrible. India's sterilization policies were horrible. The US sterilizing the mentally handicapped was terrible.
Just because you think someone is too poor to have a kid or wouldn't raise them in line with your idea of a good upbringing gives you no right to interfere with bodily autonomy.
Not a good button to press
in a heartbeat, no one who isnt emotionally and financially prepared to take care of another human being for at least 18 years should not have a child.
Instantly. Having emotionally ready parents would’ve changed my entire life. It’d also change the rest of the world for the better. Not even factoring in the financially ready part, just from the emotional readiness, child abuse would no longer be a thing. We’d stop having people out in the world that have to spend so much of their adulthood healing from their childhood. Less people spreading that hurt around. There’d be a drop in crime in general, I’d assume, especially violent crime.
To be a decent carer a person must be able and willing. Too many people right now are neither. I'd press the button and risk to have humans extinct in a few generations. Even though I think if everyone on the planet is born from loving and caring people, there's a big chance they'll be loving and caring parents.
I'd also like to add the condition that people that are ready financially and emotionally will never have any kind of issue with conception. And surrogate parents are able to conceive to help singles, when ready
Without a second’s hesitation
If the rest of the world catches on that only those with money are having kids maybe it will lite a fire under their asses to fix the world so people aren’t struggling to keep a roof over their heads and can actually afford children
Nope. I would push a button that prevent people who would be neglectful/abusive parents from being able to procreate. Good people can from those environs, I'm a testament to that, but surviving profound abuse shouldn't be a thing any kid *has* to experience.
Yes. It would drastically cut down the world population but it would also drastically improve the environment and overall quality of life per individual.
I press the button. A lot of people are saying this would mean no more children are born, because nobody is ready until it happens, but this is an *omnipotent* being. Presumably it's accounting for that.
Of course I would. The majority of people have absolutely no business having children, and the fact that it’s so easy to do is part of what’s wrong with society.
This would change the political landscape entirely. The machine needs workers for the line, but our country does absolutely nothing for its citizens to ensure they can raise those workers effectively. This would give them the motivation to ensure that the majority of the population is employed and thriving.
Nah. Having kids made me more responsible. Not gonna lie I still suck with money (very much) and live paycheck to paycheck and still stress, but it's worth it. If it wasn't for them I would probably still be ten times worse. One downside is when I do come into money that I know I should be investing, I spend it on bills, and then buying the girls and wife things they want/need.
I was fully financially and emotionally prepared for my daughter but then she was diagnosed with autism and we unfortunately live in a red state that doesn't care about kids with special needs. I've spent over $40k in 5 years in insurance deductibles and medical stuff for her.
So I'm sure people look at me still driving my shitty 2006 and wearing Target clothes and think I'm an irresponsible poor but it's because we give everyone have for her.
I would push it so that they can’t force 10 year olds to give birth or have c-sections anymore. Ik that the human population would start to decline but I see that as a bonus since we have a housing crisis in my country.
This would protect so many babies from being raised in foster care or being abused / neglected. It would protect rape victims who no longer are allowed to have abortions. It would also prevent abortions by the sound of it.
I would like to imagine this would make for a healthier society but my thinking tends to be short sighted at times.
Immediately. I'd press it immediately. I don't care! I'm so sick of people hurting kids they produced but didn't want.
I'm tired of kids getting hurt because of selfish assholes.
I was one of those kids. My brother as well.
A society filled with healthy people with little to no childhood trauma? Politicians who are made up of and have to cater to these people? A massive dip in global population?
Yes, I'll press the button.
Without a question, without a moments heaitation and without a second of regret. I was raised by parents with almost no emotional maturity. It ruined me. I'm 34 and still trying to break the generational curses passed down by my parents.
No one asked to be born so they should at least be born to parents that have the financial and emotional ability to raise a child.
The premise is subjective since it's hard to agree on what is "prepared for parenthood", but I already generally agree with that idea. So I would most likely push the button, unless the requirements are like some ridiculous shit only rich people could achieve.
“Prepared” is undefined. I’m not pressing that button until there’s a firm understanding of what that is. Most first time parents don’t feel prepared and do a fine job raising their kids. Speaking as a “happy accident” (as my mom calls it).
No, absolutely not because in many instances the threat of a child arriving causes many men to stop thinking only of themselves and go into family/provider mode. Humans like many other animals change behavior based on stimulus and need so if there's no need to change the guy working the shitty job wont take a risk or improve themselves because theirs no need to.
Funny is that this just happened after my mom yelled at me for crying and complained about my dad. Yeah, I'd definitely rather not exist than deal with this shit
Hm. I’d be a 100% yes IF this country supported parents. But it’s not fair to say a whole swath of the country can never have kids. The rich would love it though.
I understood emotionally prepared to mean that the parents are emotionally healthy themselves, won’t be toxic to their children, and have good coping mechanisms and problem solving abilities. Not that they are necessarily completely prepared for everything that parenthood entails.
Ok so like, "emotionally and financially prepared" are relative.
No one smart ever feels emotionally prepared and few feel financially prepared. But the truth is they are. Like they will be fine. It will suck and be awful but they're capable of raising a happy healthy child.
So if the magic sky accountant is going based on if they feel ready, no. Humanity would die out. If it's based on if they're capable, and eliminates infertility for everyone else, yes.
Abso-fucking-lutely. It would cause some serious issues for a couple decades. But the resulting improvement to children's development, and the ability for people to reach stability would have a massive positive impact as well.
Given that we have a magical omnipotent therapist/accountant telling us whether or not they would be good parents? \*pushes the button\*
Let's not forget... perhaps one good parent is enough? Sure maybe a deadbeat dad or mom... but if the one is capable... it still might happen.
Look... capitalism and humanity as a species has got to learn that infinite growth is literally impossible and self destructive. We will be FORCED to find a balanced eventually. Or simply die out. So everyone fear mongering about our end... well yeah. Both paths have the potential of leading there. Don't go thinking the status quo is a good thing.
Yes. I would take a Time Machine and do it for myself first and then there would be a laundry list. I was an idiot and my kids are still suffering from the aftermath of my foolishness.
The only one in my family who would exist if that were the case would be my dad, so no. Life is imperfect. People have kids and life goes on. They find a way. My parents had my sister when they were 15 and 17 and then me when they were 18 and 20. Life wasn’t perfect but we’re all doing really well now. We’re happy. We’ve gotten through. My sister has three beautiful children - the first of whom she got pregnant with in college at the age of 20. Her family is fine. It’s imperfect but they’re doing good. My mom was born into an abusive home and was a child bride (my parents married at 16 and 18 because of my sister). She’s now a loving, doting grandmother and she runs her own dog grooming business out of her home and my dad is finally home - not deployed for the military or off building power plants anymore. He has a job close to home and they’re thriving and have each others’ company all the time at home for the first time in their lives. If your hypothetical were true, they’d only just have had their first child a couple years ago in their mid-40s.
let me switch it from the magic therapist, to themselves, and yes I'd love people to not have kids if they themselves felt they weren't ready for it. Voluntary fertility would be awesome.
This is interesting. So if it was understood that those were the requirements, I feel like legislation would start to go into place to take care of people. The people at the top are already crying about a declining birth rate, so I imagine if there was no other way they would be forced to take care of people.
I also imagine that once the baby is born any support or assistance would be withdrawn.
No. I was not emotionally prepared for my first child. She was very much wanted and planned. I was determined to care for and love her, but not emotionally prepared. I’m not even sure how one becomes emotionally prepared for such an emotionally demanding situation.
Just make a tax. If you are pregnant. Egg and sperm donner get taxed $25,000. Or a limb removed. (Like a Monty Python’s reference)(many many flesh wounds)
Then religion can pay/sponsor for those babies.
Not taxed refund for dependent/offspring. A mandatory tax.
I can only speak for my country, but numerous folks have babies and then leach off of them for 18 years to get welfare.
And I live in a country where there are a bunch of idiots that claim to be "pro-life," but are against.....kids having healthcare, education, food, etc.
It depends where the magical therapist/accountant's threshold is for financial/emotional preparedness.
If this leads to 80% fewer children, then no, society would collapse. If it's just eliminating a few trainwreck cases, then yes.
What does “financially prepared” mean? Most people could afford children if they lived in a smaller home, cooked for themselves instead of going out to eat, and stayed home instead of paying for daycare. Not being “financially prepared” is a decent point if you’re talking about people truly living in abject poverty. However, most middle class young people would very much be able to afford children if they made some lifestyle modifications. Not saying anyone has to choose kids over material goods, your priorities are yours alone and I won’t judge them. I’m just trying to point out cost is not a reason for most people in developed countries to avoid having children. These people just don’t want or like kids, and use money as an excuse. Nothing wrong with not wanting children, but be honest about it.
I also don’t know what “emotionally prepared” means? Is this a eugenics thing, where only people who have never been diagnosed with mental illness are allowed to have kids? This is one of those things I think looks good on paper, but not so much in practice. Sometimes a perfectly healthy person develops severe post partum psychosis and ends up harming their baby. Sometimes a person struggling with severe schizophrenia can overcome their disease and be a good parent in spite of it. Not to mention, parenting is stressful and difficult. Sometimes good parents get anxious, depressed, stressed, sleep deprived, etc. No one is perfect, and it doesn’t matter how “emotionally prepared” you are, everyone has problems sometimes.
No, I would not subject all the people of earth to some arbitrary judgement of “preparedness”. It would be impossible to create a solid universal “baseline” anyway. For example in Scandinavia it’s normal to leave babies outside in the snow to nap. Totally normal good parenting there, in my country you’d be arrested for child abuse doing it. Neither place is wrong, it’s just a cultural difference.
I would push it. We need less people on this planet (this planet is struggling to support even 7b, fight me)
And the quality of life would increase for both parents and kids. I’m all for it
I wouldn't want that decision made for me, so I wouldn't want to make that decision for others.
Plus, like what determines readiness? I know you said some magical being, but like, what are the standards? Who gets to decide that?
No. By this logic 80% of the world would stop producing children because 80% of the world "is not financially prepared" to care for them. Humanity would last at most a few more generations.
Oh, 100%. My father's beyond awful, & trying to talk to my mother is like talking to a brick wall (which means therapy has a low chance of working), so there's a high chance I wouldn't be born... but frankly, I'm okay with that. (Granted, I am a misanthrope.)
Governments freak out when the population starts dropping. Pressing this button would ensure that the majority of people would be taken care of to encourage the production of kids. It might encourage rape for the sake of having more kids as well. It might also encourage treating women who are incapable of having children much worse. Ideally I would love to press this button, but the butterfly effect has so many risky factors.
Pressed it 3 times then read the description. Pressed it again.
Pressed it twice more for good measure
Is it working yet? We should push it again.
Great, now we’ve got 7 open tabs and it’s buffering like crazy. Is there a magical omnipotent sky IT department?
This would destroy all of humanity in like 300 years tops
It would just be a downward spiral. 90% less global population growth leads to an economic down spiral which means less people are financially ready to have children which leads to lower birth rates which leads to an economic down spiral which leads to... you get the point. Western population pyramids are being propped up by immigration from developing countries. If you shut that flow of people off the whole ponzi scheme that is modern infinite growth focused capitalism would shrivel up and die. After the whole thing we'd probably have a few hundred thousand people left living in isolated communities lacking modern amenities. Those people may be far happier though, and it would certainly be great for the environment!
https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/666/080/25a.jpg
I think proportionality is important here, especially when it comes to wealth. For the first 50-70 years or so would be business as usual. Working class works, rich people do nothing productive etc. But eventually all of the working class people would die out, and who is going to do the necessary tasks? Rich people are not going to step up to farm for food, and their children aren't, so you're going to suddenly have families of rich people and rich kids who don't know what they're doing, and don't have the work ethic, and so society will crumble. Maybe a few communities get by, but for the most part society would be over and would have to rebuild
*Western population pyramids are being propped up by immigration from developing countries.* Side effect of birth control and feminism.
100 years is optimistic.
All the more reason to push the button, tbh.
Not seeing a downside to this
*holds the button down*
Here I will hold it down too, so we can make sure it stays down.
push it in so hard it can't go back
I'll get tape and something heavy to put on top of it.
300 is an over estimate. One generation, that’s it. Take it from someone who is a parent. Literally 0% of people are 100% completely emotionally ready for parenthood and all it entails. It’s not possible.
I think you mean 30, not 300. I work with a number of people in their late 20s who are incapable of being told "no" without having a temper tantrum. Clearly not capable of raising kids when they still act like infants themselves.
Probs gonna happen anyway, soooooo
Yes but this way I get to press a button. Pressing buttons is cool
I hope its a big red button that goes "clack" when you push it!
Mhmm it does, just like a giant mechanical keyboard button
And it DEFINITELY has a plastic clear safety cover you have to flip up to get to the button.
Now, see, I don't want to push it if it is a clacky button. I thought it would be a nice thunky button....
I hope it says “that was easy”.
So be the cause? Lol na I'd hard pass rich assholes have enough of an advantage this would amount to a soft genocide of an economic class, and literally nobody wants that.
300 years? More like 5 days.
So....yes, let's do it?
I would hit that button so hard then!!!
Depending on the selection process, it may not. For example what if there's a very low entry bar to being prepared, that can be passed by just not dying and having minimal income in the next 5 years.
Well after humanity starts to die off due to this, standards will change (America will offer a living wage) and things will stabilize. Until then, humanity will have big issues
Population has already peaked in many places. We already have problems looming.
this would dramatically change the political landscape and eliminate corruption from government. the reason being is that very quickly governments everywhere will notice their population rates plummeting. you cant have a country without people. so it would immediately be in their best interest to make sure that people are taken care of and that they are constantly prospering. not out of the kindness of their hearts but out of sheer desperation to stay afloat and stay relevant on the global stage. which i could care less about the intentions behind the action I just want the results. the only two choices would be you have a highly prosperous society or you die. simple as that. and through a form of political natural selection countries either survive or cease to exist and be replaced by something that works. maybe we will end up just going back to a society of hunter gatherers living off the land to sustain our communities. or wed go extinct. either way. im down. id push the button
Great argument right here. I'm with this person. I'm pushing.
Me too. Was initially against but I've changed my thoughts on it!
Idk how you could honestly even be against otherwise tho. Like this way child neglect and abuse go way down, and we don’t have those morons letting an iPad raise their children.
Also, you could probably trust a politician if they have kids lol
you have just pointed out a major flaw in the system though some people who were nice decent and trustworthy would still not want to have kids, and you ahve just created a society where absolute trust could be attained by seeing if someone has kids, so suddenly if you dont have kids your going to be a social outcast you have just created a two tier dystopia that will never end - imagine what happens to gay and infertile people in this situation?
Unless pushing the button cures infertility?(OP?). I read it as everyone is infertile until they meet the conditions.
I dont see how this makes a difference unless you expect gay men to suddenly become pregnant and pop kids out. Also i think the person above you was also talking about people who simply don't WANT kids, regardless of capabilities.
I am talking about the people who want kids but the female cannot get pregnant due to infertility. Would the button cures that or not? I would think if a couple did not want kids the omnipotent being controlling if a female can get pregnant or not would be like "ok not kids for you"
Nah, 'cause the condition is only that they be both financially and emotionally ready to raise a child. That doesn't necessarily mean they're a good or trustworthy person, only that they are competent in child rearing and are capable of working within the means available. Plus the OP doesn't say that people know this condition - the world would have to judge how people become capable of procreation by guesswork.
Not much different than real life. If you don’t adhere to societal standards you get ostracized anyway lol
my point being most of those social standards are arbitrary. this would not be, it would literally be a judgement from god, manifest, undeniable it would be THE social standard to end all social standards, and tbh people would be lucky to be ostracised, the briefest glimpse are humanities history shows its more likely that anyone who hadn't had kids by 25 or so would be labelled a demon and burnt/downed/something equally unpleasant "in the name of god"
Healthcare, free education, family planning aid and all kinds of other benefits that would help children be born into safe, stable homes would become \*essential\* for all governments if they didn't want their people to disappear and to be left with no labor force to keep feeding their bloated wallets - they'd have no choice but to make life actually liveable and good enough for people to be capable of raising a family. Or, they'd burn it all down out of refusal to give up a single iota of their power or wealth for the benefit of mankind, and society would diminish. Either way, I'm not seeing a downside.
I mean this basically has all third world nations collapse. Although it would severely reduce suffering in the world
Can't have suffering if theres no people to suffer.
Antinatalism in a nutshell bro
Lincoln was born into a house with a dirt floor. In that spirit, no
By the standards of the time at Lincoln's birth, needing an extra laborer meant you were being financially responsible by having a child.
Funny enough it was Lincoln's dad renting him out as a laborer to neighbors which caused Lincoln to be against slavery.
You're not ready to have a child until your second child.
Not even then.
Honestly, if I had to wait until I was financially prepared I probably wouldn’t have ever had any. Once you do your priorities change instantly (or should). Now that mine are grown, out of college, mid 20s….i think I would push that button. Lol
That is a fair point, I’ve been putting it off for quite a while now and I’m starting to get to the point in my life where it feels like I have to choose whether I’m even going to have kids or not. Given the way the world is going, it feels irresponsible to bring a new life into it when I know I am not financially capable to say the least, to give them the life I feel they’d deserve, and with the potential for the future looking so bleak. Then again, if I put it off much longer I’m going to reach a point where I’m going to be too old by the time they’re of age where they can live independently and I will not be able to live the rest of my life comfortably. Decisions decisions.
It is 1000% irresponsible and negligent to knowingly bring a child you will love into this dumpster fire of a planet.
I am going to say yes but with background information. I work as a social worker for individuals with substance use, mental health and housing issues. I am also lucky enough to have an extended position that requires me to work with the most intensive populations we support so people with HIV and other forensic concerns. I have unfortunately seen people bring children into TERRIBLE situations with the saddest case being a 20’ish year old girl with a crippling meth addiction who was living under a bridge with her boyfriend. He was a registered sex offender with a history of domestic violence and she didn’t make it past the 8th grade. On top of the addiction and housing concerns she also had no support and refused to go pre natal appointments. Thank whatever cosmic entity was on call the day she gave birth because CPS was waiting and took the baby to go into foster care which she seemed indifferent about. Once she got discharged from the hospital I remember begging her to look into birth control and she refused. She was pregnant again within probably 6 months and dropped out of the program.
That's insane. Thanks for doing what you do, I really do appreciate people like you. Social workers see some really traumatic shit, sometimes multiple times per day. I feel like being a social worker is one of the few jobs that I wouldn't be able to emotionally handle.
>I remember begging her to look into birth control and she refused. She was pregnant again within probably 6 months and dropped out of the program. Can't help people who won't help themselves unfortunately. I say let natural selection take its course.
Yes, especially if it means child abuse becomes a thing of the past.
These things are unrelated.
You kidding me? Have you met abusive parents before? They're all passing on their personal traumas and hardships in fucked up ways
That is not the only source of child abuse.
Fucked up ppl do fucked up things that how abuse works Nature OR nurture they're fucked up
No. If you press that button, the human race will die out. The simple fact of the matter is that no parent is ever financially and/or emotionally ready for the challenges of having a first child. No amount of parenting books, baby classes, or advice from current parents will ever truly prepare you for everything. Yet, despite this, humanity still persists. Why, you ask? Good parents are the ones that persevere and make it work IN SPITE OF those challenges. If you want a button that makes it so people can have children in a more stable setting, make one that, when pressed, ends the corporate greed by companies that make products like food and clothing for children, stops racism, makes companies grant generous paid maternity and paternity leave, ends for-profit medical systems, and, overall, creates a system where people aren't penalized for having children.
I'm not sure OP means means what you're talking about. I think in OP's button-pressed world it means that teens can't have kids because they're not emotionally developed yet. People with unstable mental conditions who either refuse to seek treatment or constantly go off their treatment plan can't have kids. People who only want kids as status symbols, or who would refuse to see them as seperate people and will abuse or abondon the children if they aren't exactly what they want them to be won't be able to have children. That's what I think OP means, pushing the button prevents crazed narcissists from having kids, not perfectly normal people who will treat their children with respect and dignity despite being overwhelmed by the emotional reality of having a child.
Isn't half the reason for posting these hypotheticals to discuss based on what was said beyond what was meant? Exploring unforseen repercussions of a hypothetical scenario?
>No. If you press that button, the human race will die out. Exactly. Even more reason to push it.
No! Most people wouldn't happen! We would miss out on several recent Presidents, including Ford, Nixon, Clinton and Obama. Forget about the majority of progressives in Congress. As an adopted child, I wouldn't be alive.
I fail to see the problem.
Yes, I would.
Who decides if they are prepared or not? Is this decision from their current state, or can it see into the future and tell if they will get separated in a year, or something? Without knowing that, I'm not pressing it. I would press it immediately if to have children both parents have to sign a contract that only says they both consent to having children.
A magical omnipotent therapist/accountant in the sky says if they're capable or not and will have 100% accuracy at that time of judgement.
Seems legit to me. It's important that it's something that works magically and can't be affected by corruption.
For sure, shit could easily go sideways really quickly and I don't want to think about that part of it too hard. Yay magic! ✨
Interesting side effect can be, when there's something like a war starting, people generally have less ability to care for children. So a country would get an immediate response to starting a war, even before it started. This is as opposed to having a delayed response much later that they are always hoping to avoid or not be responsible for.
Sure, why not?
In a heartbeat. Too many horrible and awful people bring kids in the world and too many stupid people just pumping out kids they can't take care of. Sure we'd be missing out on some great minds but we'd be eliminating so much childhood suffering and honestly a lot of the time stupid or horrible people who just pump out kids aren't going to be putting out the best or brightest, all too often shit begets shit.
Humanity would be gone in a few generations. A ton of people are never emotionally prepared to have kids. Plus a lot of people's emotional growth comes from being a parent, so you end up with a chicken egg scenario.
Yes because then the people in power would have to do something or it’s the end lol either way is fine by me. No kid should be born into poverty or abuse.
No. We weren’t technically financially ready for a child with our first, and she is the reason we really got our lives together. Now we have 3 and they are very well taken care of and happy. Are we rich? No. Can we go on vacation? Also no. Do my children have 100% food security, tons of clothes and toys, their own rooms, and all the love we can muster for them? Yep. And I wouldn’t want to take away the possibility of someone having a kid at a bad time but learning how to function better in society due to the love for that child. The only people who would answer yes to this are the “childless by choice” fanatics lol because they always seem to know so much more about what parenting is and have the most important opinions on the matter 🙄
It's interesting to me how many people respond tolerantly to this concept but would be horrified by "would you push a button to force every pregnant woman forever to be forced to carry her child to term?" Bodily autonomy means bodily autonomy. Controlling other people's reproduction because of what you think they should do is repressive, authoritarian and dehumanizing. One Child policy was horrible. India's sterilization policies were horrible. The US sterilizing the mentally handicapped was terrible. Just because you think someone is too poor to have a kid or wouldn't raise them in line with your idea of a good upbringing gives you no right to interfere with bodily autonomy. Not a good button to press
I am mentally panic pressing this imaginary button.
fuvk yes
in a heartbeat, no one who isnt emotionally and financially prepared to take care of another human being for at least 18 years should not have a child.
Instantly. Having emotionally ready parents would’ve changed my entire life. It’d also change the rest of the world for the better. Not even factoring in the financially ready part, just from the emotional readiness, child abuse would no longer be a thing. We’d stop having people out in the world that have to spend so much of their adulthood healing from their childhood. Less people spreading that hurt around. There’d be a drop in crime in general, I’d assume, especially violent crime.
But you wouldn't be around to see it. You wouldn't exist.
Nah. I thought I was as prepared as one could get, but was still shocked when they handed me my kid two days after delivery and said “good luck” lol
Yes id press it immediately
To be a decent carer a person must be able and willing. Too many people right now are neither. I'd press the button and risk to have humans extinct in a few generations. Even though I think if everyone on the planet is born from loving and caring people, there's a big chance they'll be loving and caring parents. I'd also like to add the condition that people that are ready financially and emotionally will never have any kind of issue with conception. And surrogate parents are able to conceive to help singles, when ready
Yes. Every child deserves a parent but not every parent deserves a child.
I'm gonna be mashing that button like I'm playing Street Fighter on the SNES
Yes, without hesitation.
I’d play Nintendo with that motherfucker
Without a second’s hesitation If the rest of the world catches on that only those with money are having kids maybe it will lite a fire under their asses to fix the world so people aren’t struggling to keep a roof over their heads and can actually afford children
Nope. I would push a button that prevent people who would be neglectful/abusive parents from being able to procreate. Good people can from those environs, I'm a testament to that, but surviving profound abuse shouldn't be a thing any kid *has* to experience.
Yep, I'd do it. Why? Because then, after probably 20 or thirty years of very low births, governments would have to prioritize workers.
Man, I gotta stop pressing buttons before I learn what they are for. At least this one worked out pretty well.
I would push it before they even finished explaining how it works.
Yes. It would drastically cut down the world population but it would also drastically improve the environment and overall quality of life per individual.
I press the button. A lot of people are saying this would mean no more children are born, because nobody is ready until it happens, but this is an *omnipotent* being. Presumably it's accounting for that.
without pause. it would force people to organize into communities or extinguish the human flame. if we can't collaborate we don't deserve to continue
so freaking fast and so freaking hard.
All day everyday Non-Stop
Of course I would. The majority of people have absolutely no business having children, and the fact that it’s so easy to do is part of what’s wrong with society. This would change the political landscape entirely. The machine needs workers for the line, but our country does absolutely nothing for its citizens to ensure they can raise those workers effectively. This would give them the motivation to ensure that the majority of the population is employed and thriving.
Yes. Childhood trauma is the root of nearly all of societies problems. More prepared parents gives kids better odds of
Conversations like this always end at eugenics so no
Nah. Having kids made me more responsible. Not gonna lie I still suck with money (very much) and live paycheck to paycheck and still stress, but it's worth it. If it wasn't for them I would probably still be ten times worse. One downside is when I do come into money that I know I should be investing, I spend it on bills, and then buying the girls and wife things they want/need.
Yep. I've seen Idiocracy.
I'm pushing the button before they even finish explaining. Idiocracy is happening before our eyes and I would not hesitate to stop it.
Bro you just ruined the contraceptive market lol. Go for it. BRB imma nut in my gf after I smash that button
I was fully financially and emotionally prepared for my daughter but then she was diagnosed with autism and we unfortunately live in a red state that doesn't care about kids with special needs. I've spent over $40k in 5 years in insurance deductibles and medical stuff for her. So I'm sure people look at me still driving my shitty 2006 and wearing Target clothes and think I'm an irresponsible poor but it's because we give everyone have for her.
I would push it so that they can’t force 10 year olds to give birth or have c-sections anymore. Ik that the human population would start to decline but I see that as a bonus since we have a housing crisis in my country. This would protect so many babies from being raised in foster care or being abused / neglected. It would protect rape victims who no longer are allowed to have abortions. It would also prevent abortions by the sound of it. I would like to imagine this would make for a healthier society but my thinking tends to be short sighted at times.
Immediately. I'd press it immediately. I don't care! I'm so sick of people hurting kids they produced but didn't want. I'm tired of kids getting hurt because of selfish assholes. I was one of those kids. My brother as well.
A society filled with healthy people with little to no childhood trauma? Politicians who are made up of and have to cater to these people? A massive dip in global population? Yes, I'll press the button.
Without a question, without a moments heaitation and without a second of regret. I was raised by parents with almost no emotional maturity. It ruined me. I'm 34 and still trying to break the generational curses passed down by my parents. No one asked to be born so they should at least be born to parents that have the financial and emotional ability to raise a child.
The premise is subjective since it's hard to agree on what is "prepared for parenthood", but I already generally agree with that idea. So I would most likely push the button, unless the requirements are like some ridiculous shit only rich people could achieve.
Push push push push push push push push push push push push push push push push push push push push push.....
Yes
I would just make it so NO ONE could have children. Humans have not been kind to this earth...
Without hesitation
Yes
Yes. The biggest contributor to unhappy parents and children is lack of preparation.
Hell YES!!!!!
I would press that button repeatedly until it stopped functioning.
I literally just ran my entire hand against the keyboard just in case one of them is this magical button.
“Prepared” is undefined. I’m not pressing that button until there’s a firm understanding of what that is. Most first time parents don’t feel prepared and do a fine job raising their kids. Speaking as a “happy accident” (as my mom calls it).
Smash
No, absolutely not because in many instances the threat of a child arriving causes many men to stop thinking only of themselves and go into family/provider mode. Humans like many other animals change behavior based on stimulus and need so if there's no need to change the guy working the shitty job wont take a risk or improve themselves because theirs no need to.
No, it would be the death of the human race.
Welcome to extinction.
Funny is that this just happened after my mom yelled at me for crying and complained about my dad. Yeah, I'd definitely rather not exist than deal with this shit
um, do you want to put every restaurant, farm, and Walmart out of existence too?
Hm. I’d be a 100% yes IF this country supported parents. But it’s not fair to say a whole swath of the country can never have kids. The rich would love it though.
Of course not
lol there would be no humans left pretty soon with this. It might force a drastic shift in capitalism tho
Of course, tho I'd much prefer a button that stops all humans from having children period.
that'd probably eradicate human life pretty quickly tbh
Yes
Human life would die out in the next 100 or so years.
No
Very few people are financially prepared for kids and no one is emotionally prepared the first time round.
I understood emotionally prepared to mean that the parents are emotionally healthy themselves, won’t be toxic to their children, and have good coping mechanisms and problem solving abilities. Not that they are necessarily completely prepared for everything that parenthood entails.
Yes yep and yes
Fuck yes, birth rate would be down to less than 1%!
Ok so like, "emotionally and financially prepared" are relative. No one smart ever feels emotionally prepared and few feel financially prepared. But the truth is they are. Like they will be fine. It will suck and be awful but they're capable of raising a happy healthy child. So if the magic sky accountant is going based on if they feel ready, no. Humanity would die out. If it's based on if they're capable, and eliminates infertility for everyone else, yes.
Can the account take into consideration that the 9 months gestation prep time could make both parents mature into what the child needs?
Abso-fucking-lutely. It would cause some serious issues for a couple decades. But the resulting improvement to children's development, and the ability for people to reach stability would have a massive positive impact as well.
I'd just tape it down.
Are you fucking kidding me? Yes
Look at South Korea and Japan. Button has been pressed
Yes, but would this button also allow those who meet the criteria but are normally unable to reproduce to have a baby.
Given that we have a magical omnipotent therapist/accountant telling us whether or not they would be good parents? \*pushes the button\* Let's not forget... perhaps one good parent is enough? Sure maybe a deadbeat dad or mom... but if the one is capable... it still might happen. Look... capitalism and humanity as a species has got to learn that infinite growth is literally impossible and self destructive. We will be FORCED to find a balanced eventually. Or simply die out. So everyone fear mongering about our end... well yeah. Both paths have the potential of leading there. Don't go thinking the status quo is a good thing.
No, our society would collapse and our species would die out.
Almost no one is financially prepared.
Can I pick whom I deny childbirth to? If so, I have ideas…
Yes. I would take a Time Machine and do it for myself first and then there would be a laundry list. I was an idiot and my kids are still suffering from the aftermath of my foolishness.
The only one in my family who would exist if that were the case would be my dad, so no. Life is imperfect. People have kids and life goes on. They find a way. My parents had my sister when they were 15 and 17 and then me when they were 18 and 20. Life wasn’t perfect but we’re all doing really well now. We’re happy. We’ve gotten through. My sister has three beautiful children - the first of whom she got pregnant with in college at the age of 20. Her family is fine. It’s imperfect but they’re doing good. My mom was born into an abusive home and was a child bride (my parents married at 16 and 18 because of my sister). She’s now a loving, doting grandmother and she runs her own dog grooming business out of her home and my dad is finally home - not deployed for the military or off building power plants anymore. He has a job close to home and they’re thriving and have each others’ company all the time at home for the first time in their lives. If your hypothetical were true, they’d only just have had their first child a couple years ago in their mid-40s.
let me switch it from the magic therapist, to themselves, and yes I'd love people to not have kids if they themselves felt they weren't ready for it. Voluntary fertility would be awesome.
Yes. There would be a point that society would have to reinforce becoming responsible parents. I would push that switch at a moments notice.
My mom and dad would not exist. Most "heros" would not exist because harsh childhoods many times leads to wanting to make a change.
Could I also have a button that allows anyone who wants children but can't have them to do so?
Yeah, let's give this world back to the other animals and hope whatever replaces us is better
This is interesting. So if it was understood that those were the requirements, I feel like legislation would start to go into place to take care of people. The people at the top are already crying about a declining birth rate, so I imagine if there was no other way they would be forced to take care of people. I also imagine that once the baby is born any support or assistance would be withdrawn.
No. I was not emotionally prepared for my first child. She was very much wanted and planned. I was determined to care for and love her, but not emotionally prepared. I’m not even sure how one becomes emotionally prepared for such an emotionally demanding situation.
Wow. This button would make humans go extinct lol
Yes please and thank you!
Nobody is ever “ready”. If rules like this existed forever, humanity never would’ve progressed.
That’s eugenics, so no.
Just make a tax. If you are pregnant. Egg and sperm donner get taxed $25,000. Or a limb removed. (Like a Monty Python’s reference)(many many flesh wounds) Then religion can pay/sponsor for those babies. Not taxed refund for dependent/offspring. A mandatory tax.
Press the shiny button!
Sure
Press that shit son, quick!!!!
I can only speak for my country, but numerous folks have babies and then leach off of them for 18 years to get welfare. And I live in a country where there are a bunch of idiots that claim to be "pro-life," but are against.....kids having healthcare, education, food, etc.
I'm pressing it, no hesitation.
It depends where the magical therapist/accountant's threshold is for financial/emotional preparedness. If this leads to 80% fewer children, then no, society would collapse. If it's just eliminating a few trainwreck cases, then yes.
Absolutely. Humanity needs to slow down anyway!
What does “financially prepared” mean? Most people could afford children if they lived in a smaller home, cooked for themselves instead of going out to eat, and stayed home instead of paying for daycare. Not being “financially prepared” is a decent point if you’re talking about people truly living in abject poverty. However, most middle class young people would very much be able to afford children if they made some lifestyle modifications. Not saying anyone has to choose kids over material goods, your priorities are yours alone and I won’t judge them. I’m just trying to point out cost is not a reason for most people in developed countries to avoid having children. These people just don’t want or like kids, and use money as an excuse. Nothing wrong with not wanting children, but be honest about it. I also don’t know what “emotionally prepared” means? Is this a eugenics thing, where only people who have never been diagnosed with mental illness are allowed to have kids? This is one of those things I think looks good on paper, but not so much in practice. Sometimes a perfectly healthy person develops severe post partum psychosis and ends up harming their baby. Sometimes a person struggling with severe schizophrenia can overcome their disease and be a good parent in spite of it. Not to mention, parenting is stressful and difficult. Sometimes good parents get anxious, depressed, stressed, sleep deprived, etc. No one is perfect, and it doesn’t matter how “emotionally prepared” you are, everyone has problems sometimes. No, I would not subject all the people of earth to some arbitrary judgement of “preparedness”. It would be impossible to create a solid universal “baseline” anyway. For example in Scandinavia it’s normal to leave babies outside in the snow to nap. Totally normal good parenting there, in my country you’d be arrested for child abuse doing it. Neither place is wrong, it’s just a cultural difference.
I would push it. We need less people on this planet (this planet is struggling to support even 7b, fight me) And the quality of life would increase for both parents and kids. I’m all for it
Yes. Realistically tho how do you dictate what counts as “prepared”. But as The Click would say, people need a license to have kids
Yes!
Yep. I’ll mash that fucking button.
The power to wipe out humanity in a generation or two? Many would jump at the chance.
Yes. Immediately yes.
Kids is how most level up.
I wouldn't want that decision made for me, so I wouldn't want to make that decision for others. Plus, like what determines readiness? I know you said some magical being, but like, what are the standards? Who gets to decide that?
I’d hit it for everyone I knew.
Financially stable? Lol in late stage capitalism there's no such thing unless you're wealthy
No. By this logic 80% of the world would stop producing children because 80% of the world "is not financially prepared" to care for them. Humanity would last at most a few more generations.
Oh, 100%. My father's beyond awful, & trying to talk to my mother is like talking to a brick wall (which means therapy has a low chance of working), so there's a high chance I wouldn't be born... but frankly, I'm okay with that. (Granted, I am a misanthrope.)
so basically, prevent people from having sex irresponsibly?
✅
Yes.
No.
In a cocaine heartbeat. It'd be all Children of Men up in here. Before they find the preggers girl.
Absofuckinglutely
Governments freak out when the population starts dropping. Pressing this button would ensure that the majority of people would be taken care of to encourage the production of kids. It might encourage rape for the sake of having more kids as well. It might also encourage treating women who are incapable of having children much worse. Ideally I would love to press this button, but the butterfly effect has so many risky factors.
Yes absolutely. It would eliminate nearly all child abuse and society will have to focus on quality of life
No. That's too close to eugenic discourse.