Is it wrong to dislike kids?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Discuss.

As an antinatalist and someone who tries to look away from small children and even finds babies gross-looking (call it a character flaw if you wish), I gotta vote option 2.

[dead0man]

as a parent of four I can tell you that option 2 is the correct answer.

[Cold War Liberal]

I'm not an antinatalist but I don't particularly like small children and don't want any of my own. I would possibly consider adopting a slightly older (perhaps ~4 or 5 yo) child once I have a good job and a partner but that's so far in the future. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

So no, it's not wrong to dislike kids.

[catographer]

what is antinatalism? a quick google search seems like it doesnt make any sense.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

what is antinatalism? a quick google search seems like it doesnt make any sense.

Read this.

(As a side, I personally wouldn't consider myself a 'hard' antinatalist because there is a point where antinatalism and Christianity become completely irreconcilable, but I find the arguments for it compelling nonetheless.)

[SWE]

what is antinatalism? a quick google search seems like it doesnt make any sense.

Basically it's a philosophical position that it's preferable to never have existed, and thus bringing somebody into the world is causing them harm, and is therefore unethical. The gist of it is that any life is guaranteed to have some positive and negative experiences, while never living denies one neither. Since a person can't miss a positive experience they've never had, the argument goes, you can only count the negatives, and so never having been born is always preferable.

There are also some people who argue the position from an environmental standpoint, but that's stupid.

[bagelman]

Antinatalism is evil, and I say it's wrong to dislike children as a principle (but it's perfectly reasonable to be irritated by children of course)

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Antinatalism is evil, and I say it's wrong to dislike children as a principle (but it's perfectly reasonable to be irritated by children of course)

Care to explain why antinatalism is "evil?"  Or at least make an argument against it?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Antinatalism is evil, and I say it's wrong to dislike children as a principle (but it's perfectly reasonable to be irritated by children of course)

Care to explain why antinatalism is "evil?"  Or at least make an argument against it?

(I’m going by SWE’s definition here) My mind always goes back to what I call the “existential” argument on this: that I’m a choice between life and death, where that thing considering the options is only in said position because they are alive, the choice is obvious. The “joke on the human race” argument, while perhaps entertaining and good fodder for a certain television show, is in its realization horrific. If you truly despise what you are enough—and that is a living thing—that is a sign of (and I won’t say “sickness” primarily because of my audience) something pretty dark. Fear of overpopulation? That’s something we can discuss in material and empirical terms. Disgust with life—and hatred for children as a class? I don’t know what to say that wouldn’t sound deeply personal.

I realized after I posted this that I missed my main point: if you disavow all morality or attempts at meaning in life as mere superstition, you arrive at a single binary where life is the only positive.

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

If you have them.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Antinatalism is evil, and I say it's wrong to dislike children as a principle (but it's perfectly reasonable to be irritated by children of course)

Care to explain why antinatalism is "evil?"  Or at least make an argument against it?

(I’m going by SWE’s definition here) My mind always goes back to what I call the “existential” argument on this: that I’m a choice between life and death, where that thing considering the options is only in said position because they are alive, the choice is obvious. The “joke on the human race” argument, while perhaps entertaining and good fodder for a certain television show, is in its realization horrific. If you truly despise what you are enough—and that is a living thing—that is a sign of (and I won’t say “sickness” primarily because of my audience) something pretty dark. Fear of overpopulation? That’s something we can discuss in material and empirical terms. Disgust with life—and hatred for children as a class? I don’t know what to say that wouldn’t sound deeply personal.

I realized after I posted this that I missed my main point: if you disavow all morality or attempts at meaning in life as mere superstition, you arrive at a single binary where life is the only positive.

That's not antinatalism, though.  That's nihilism.

[bagelman]

Antinatalism is evil, and I say it's wrong to dislike children as a principle (but it's perfectly reasonable to be irritated by children of course)

Care to explain why antinatalism is "evil?"  Or at least make an argument against it?

(I’m going by SWE’s definition here) My mind always goes back to what I call the “existential” argument on this: that I’m a choice between life and death, where that thing considering the options is only in said position because they are alive, the choice is obvious. The “joke on the human race” argument, while perhaps entertaining and good fodder for a certain television show, is in its realization horrific. If you truly despise what you are enough—and that is a living thing—that is a sign of (and I won’t say “sickness” primarily because of my audience) something pretty dark. Fear of overpopulation? That’s something we can discuss in material and empirical terms. Disgust with life—and hatred for children as a class? I don’t know what to say that wouldn’t sound deeply personal.

I realized after I posted this that I missed my main point: if you disavow all morality or attempts at meaning in life as mere superstition, you arrive at a single binary where life is the only positive.

That's not antinatalism, though.  That's nihilism.

They're pretty hard to tell apart.

[Kingpoleon]

If adults continue to use the maturity card, they actually need to possess the maturity card - something the vast majority are lacking. Good try though.

[RINO Tom]

Yes, I believe it is somewhat wrong to "dislike all kids."

[Torie]

It might be useful here to draw a distinction between entirely personal preferences, and what makes for good public policy.

[Leinad]

I am often annoyed by kids, but then again my intense introversion leads me to be annoyed in the presence of people in general (especially ones who act irrationally and energetic without regard to me--which is the standard setting for small children).

I don't "dislike all kids" and find babies adorable, but I can very much see where you're coming from. And I don't think there's anything morally wrong with the stance.

[Dr. MB]

No. I don't really like young kids (past baby stage until kindergarten or so) and wouldn't want to have any of my own.

[DavidB.]

As an antinatalist and someone who tries to look away from small children and even finds babies gross-looking (call it a character flaw if you wish), I gotta vote option 2.

Ow the edge

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

To dislike their presence and seek to avoid them, no. To dislike them as a class and oppose their interests, yes.

[Kingpoleon]

Is it wrong to dislike adults? Just Jewish children?

[America's Sweetheart ❤/𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖙𝖞 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖗]

No, kids are gross little monsters who make me cry.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

If I were to encounter a kid which is half as terrible as I were at this age, I'd probably jump from the top floor.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

To dislike their presence and seek to avoid them, no. To dislike them as a class and oppose their interests, yes.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYOHzAAwaW4

[Statilius the Epicurean]

Depends on the age.
0-5: barely human
6-11: adorable miniature people
12-18: hormonal scumbags