Antinatalism: why some people say 'no' to having children

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Is life truly a gift, or is it an affliction that people are unwillingly subjected to? For most of human history, procreation has been seen as not only natural, but necessary—an unquestioned act that ensures the continuation of our species. But some people argue that life is an inescapable cycle of suffering, making nonexistence far more preferable. This philosophical perspective, known as antinatalism, challenges the deeply ingrained belief that bringing new life into the world is a good thing to do.

Whether we agree with it or not, antinatalism forces us to confront difficult truths about the nature of human life and the responsibilities of parenthood. Curious? Click through this gallery to see why some people find it immoral to bring life into the world.

Understanding antinatalism

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Antinatalists argue that bringing new life into the world is unethical. Some believe only humans should stop procreating, while others extend this idea to all sentient beings, suggesting that nonexistence is preferable to the suffering of life.

The asymmetry of existence

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Benatar’s argument relies on the idea that existence brings both pain and pleasure, while nonexistence ensures neither pain nor deprivation. He claims that this makes nonexistence superior, as it avoids suffering without missing out on anything.

The Buddhist perspective

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Buddhist philosophy suggests that life is a constant cycle of praise and blame, gain and loss, success and failure, and joy and sorrow. Every newborn is inevitably thrown into this storm, and suffering becomes an unavoidable part of life.

Deceptive appeal

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Even if life brings joy, is it truly worth the suffering? While music, food, and love may enrich our days, they exist alongside pain, grief, and loss. Benatar argues that no amount of pleasure outweighs the inevitability of suffering.

The illusion of a fulfilling life

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Despite Benatar’s reasoning, many people claim to be happy and grateful for their existence. But this perspective could be attributed to biases that people inherently have, like the Pollyanna principle, where humans remember positive experiences more than negative ones and so they remain irrationally optimistic.

The Schopenhauer perspective

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, one of history’s most notorious pessimists, argued that pain is more intense than pleasure. His thought experiment (which compared the experience of an animal being eaten to the predator’s pleasure of eating) perfectly illustrates this imbalance.

The inescapability of death

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

No matter how much pleasure life offers, it all ends in death. The fear of the unknown, the pain of loss, and the struggle to hold onto fleeting moments make life’s end an ever-present source of anxiety.

The paradox of wanting longevity

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Despite life’s suffering, humans desperately cling to existence, hoping for happiness. But Schopenhauer suggested that old age only brings greater misfortune, summarizing it as: “It is bad today, worse tomorrow, and worst in the end.”

The Buddhist answer

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Buddhism teaches that suffering is the essence of existence, and nirvana (the ultimate freedom) only comes from breaking free from the cycle of rebirth. This aligns with antinatalist reasoning that nonexistence is the only escape from pain.

The negative nature of pleasure

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Schopenhauer argues that pleasure is not truly positive but merely the relief from pain. Every desire is like a debt—its fulfillment brings temporary relief, but new cravings quickly emerge that trap us in an endless cycle of longing.

The Ponzi scheme of procreation

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Antinatalists often describe human reproduction as a Ponzi scheme. Each generation suffers, yet continues the cycle, hoping their offspring will find meaning in life, all while ensuring more suffering for future generations.

The deceptive promise of love

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Love is often considered a good enough reason to live, yet it comes with heartbreak, betrayal, and loss. Even the happiest relationships end (whether through separation or death), and antinatalists believe this is proof that love itself cannot justify existence.

The cost of human nature

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Humans are biologically driven to reproduce, often without considering the implications. Many have children to fulfill personal desires rather than for the benefit of the child—who, by being born, is doomed to experience suffering.

The ultimate ethical question

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

If parents truly love their unborn children, is the most ethical choice to spare them from existence? By not creating life, we prevent suffering without depriving anyone of joy—since nonexistence does not entail deprivation.

Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Understanding antinatalism, The asymmetry of existence, The Buddhist perspective, Deceptive appeal, The illusion of a fulfilling life, The Schopenhauer perspective, The inescapability of death, The paradox of wanting longevity, The Buddhist answer, The negative nature of pleasure, The Ponzi scheme of procreation, The deceptive promise of love, The cost of human nature, The ultimate ethical question, Camaraderie of fellow sufferers

Despite life’s suffering, the shared experience of existence fosters compassion. Recognizing that everyone endures pain can lead to kindness, even if we ultimately conclude that life itself is undesirable.

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