(no subject)

[pearwaldorf]

Much has been made on the Internet about the spread of memes, or "mind-viruses" (yes I know it's a great oversimplification, I didn't finish reading the book), and it's just kind of amusing how some things spread through my little Internet circles.

F'r'instance. Mr. Scalzi has a new Whatever about the people at alt.support.childfree (which strikes me as an amusingly hysterical group bent on forced sterilization and bitching about peoples' wailing brats ^.^), and Mr. Rob has a spiel (archived location) on that as well.

This says it better than I could, but it just amuses me that people are so fucking virulent about something that's none of their goddamn business. Sure, I bitch and moan about people who can't keep their kids under control (especially working in a grocery store), but who doesn't? And it doesn't do any good to whine about how the Earth's resources are being depleted at a staggering rate; if you don't live in a hut in the forest, you're part of it. I don't know. I just don't understand people who are like "Ew! Get it away from me!" when they see a cute pudgy little baby who's holding its hands out to you. It doesn't mean I want one, but it doesn't mean I won't pick it up, either.

Comments

[mydarkstar.livejournal.com]

Oh the one hand, I don't really get the utter revulsion some childfrees have towards children; to be honest, I don't like babies at all, even non-crying ones, but older kids are alright if they're well-behaved.

On the other, though, I understand completely the bitterness and anger that can develop when you are absolutely committed to something and everyone else keeps second-guessing you. Every time I've told somebody offline that I have no intention of having children, I've gotten a usually nice, but still condescending "oh, you'll change your mind, dear, everyone does." When you're constantly told, both directly and by society as a whole, that all normal people want or have children, that American life revolves around families, and that people who don't want kids are either misguided or selfish, how can that not wear away at you?

One woman on a childfree board I was reading mentioned how she'd taken out a personal ad on a website and made it very clear in the ad that she did not want children. Every man who responded had mentioned in his own ad that he wanted kids, and when she responded to them repeating her position, several got belligerent and asked her what her problem was. The choices of people, particularly women, to not have children are very commonly insulted or ignored. I don't think that kids are evil, I just don't want any of my own. But I can see how the built-up anger of some childfrees would manifest itself in bitching about children.