Who are they trying to convince, you wonder? Could it be that they’re trying to convince themselves? Could it be that your choice not to have children throws all their life decisions into question?

On the other hand, most people grow up in a family, and all of them have had kids, forever, going back into the distant past. So it’s not surprising that people are shocked when you follow a different life, as they see so few examples of this.

I actually believe both my theories have aspects of truth, even though they are in opposition to each other!

I personally did not have kids, but I didn’t plan it in advance. When I was young, I simply expected that would be my future course without really analyzing it, but as I got older, I realized I didn’t feel the great need to do it at all, and I dated women who were not “family-oriented” and married a woman who has no interest in childbearing. However, had I gotten married early I might well have a passel of kids now: luck of the draw.

To be honest, with the increasingly grim future that the next generations are facing, I feel some considerable relief that this didn’t happen.