If your phone's photo collection is brimming with images of puppies and cats rather than snapshots of little humans, this post will likely strike a chord with you. The subreddit 'Child-Free Memes' and the Instagram page 'Child Free Memes' are all about the pleasures of a life untouched by diapers and tantrums.
So kick back, grab yourself a cup of coffee, and enjoy our new curated selection from these pages. As Samantha from 'Sex and the City' once said, this place is for double cappuccinos, not for double strollers.
Together, these pages have gathered a community of over 5k members who share a common viewpoint: life's purpose doesn't solely revolve around having children. In the past, waiting to have children was mostly seen among wealthier Americans, especially in big cities on the coasts. Educated women often postponed having babies until their careers were stable, usually in their early thirties. But in the last ten years, as more women from all backgrounds focus on education and work, delaying starting a family has become a common trend among women throughout the United States.
Since 2007, the number of women in their twenties having babies has gone down by 28 percent. Most of the decrease is among unmarried women. Only women in their thirties and forties have been having more babies, but even that has gone down in the last three years. Caitlin Myers, an economist at Middlebury College told 'The New York Times': "The story here is about young women, whose births are plummeting". She added that "the birthrate is falling fastest in places with the greatest job growth — where women have more incentive to wait."
Those who advocate against having babies even have a name for themselves: anti-natalists. Not only do they encourage families without children but also the gradual fading away of people. While it started long ago in ancient Greece, social media has recently made this idea much more popular. Even though there aren't many anti-natalists, some of their ideas, especially about the planet, are starting to become more popular. According to the BBC, "Among them are concerns about genetic inheritance, not wanting children to suffer, the concept of consent, and worries about overpopulation and the environment."
Although anti-natalist groups may use pessimistic language, they don't appear to pose a violent risk. When discussing extinction, it's more of a discussion than an actual danger. Most people online don't talk about hurting anyone.
However, there's a catch. In less developed countries, large families with numerous children are often the norm. From cultural values to social fairness, there are various reasons why poor families might have many children, and these factors also lead to high birth rates in less wealthy countries. From cultural values to social fairness, let's look at some main reasons.
In places where children are regarded as blessings according to religious beliefs, having a bigger family is seen as a greater blessing. In many parts of the Global South, couples without children may experience social stigma. Impoverished families, particularly those relying on farming, may have more children to assist with their way of life, including taking care of older family members and younger siblings as they grow up.
In the end, people's perspectives on having children and the size of their families can be quite complicated. It's affected by things like culture, money, and society, all which play a role in shaping how people decide about having children.
