I read with interest Kathy Shaidle’s piece at PJM on Aaron Clarey’s book Enjoy the Decline. One of Clarey’s pieces of advice is don’t necessarily have children if you want to “go Galt”:
While I’m not saying “don’t have children,” children are very expensive “stuffs.” The average kid costs $250,000 to raise and that doesn’t even include college tuition. Also, unlike your X-Box or your computer, they bring in communicable diseases. I have also found out that they do not have “off buttons” and the authorities frown on it if you try to sell them. If you already have children or you really want children, by all means certainly have them. But if you can do without, it certainly makes Going Galt a lot easier.
Shaidle agrees and goes a step further:
Many writers insist that the best way to reverse the decline of the West is to increase the birth rate.
The trouble is, having children is one of the biggest excuses people use for not fighting for free speech and other Western values; they’re afraid their kids’ teachers will punish them for having outspoken parents; they might lose their job (and therefore their precious dental plan, and those kids need braces, you know…)
And besides: have you seen (and heard) some of the kids people are having?
I’m not convinced that creating a new crop of conformist, politically correct, helmet-wearing, nut-allergic, obese citizens is really in America’s best interest.
While I think that having children is important, I do have to agree with some of the above points. Many parents are afraid to stand up to others and speak out, as they do not want to harm their kids. Many parents don’t want their kids to be embarrassed or held accountable for what they do if they speak out against the prevailing authorities. We need people in our society who don’t have to worry about their kids being targets, held hostage, or used as weapons by the PC authorities.
Single people have more ability to speak out (not always, but often) without fear that their words and actions will place their family in jeopardy. At the same time, we need people brave enough to have children who can withstand their parents standing against the PC culture. Being childless has its advantages, though children do, too! And not all kids are “helmet-wearing, nut allergic obese citizens.” Some are brave and grow up to be amazing adults who strive to help us live in a free society. That geeky, nut-allergic guy who looks like a loser to you today can continue to build the technology that gives the individual more power in this conformist, politically correct society tomorrow. So don’t be too quick to write off the kids — they have their virtues, as do the childless adults in our society.
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image courtesy shutterstock / mike mols
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