That's a big negative there. I'm even a card carrying member of the "Childfree" movement.
Reasons Incoming:
1. I'm at the age where many people make that fateful decision to burden themselves with all that commitment and obligation. That's cool for them, but I've barely even begun my life. I feel so unfulfilled, and I can't self actualize that my life has been thus-far worthwhile. However, I fail to see how spawning descendants is going to solve that problem. I choose to live vicariously through myself, rather than through children who have no say in the matter.
2. I don't believe in an afterlife. Some religious families like to breed way past their means because of the belief that they can all be together in heaven, when limited resources of time, food, and attention are supposedly a non-issue. I don't believe this to be true. In fact, I prefer to treasure the relationships I have with my colleagues over those I have with blood relatives. Getting off subject here, ah yes. Because of my lack of faith, I choose to live my life to the fullest of my finite existence. If I felt a sense of duty to my species, I may reproduce out of obligation to ensure the survival of the race as a whole, but that's not the case as our numbers are way above the extinction level. Therefor, I intend to live out my days providing for my own survival, and hopefully accompanied by a foxy lady who travels with me out of her own free will, instead of commitment to raising our descendants.
3. I am patient with adults, but intolerant of children. I threw away immature behaviors and ideals when I grew up. To quote that troublesome book, When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Now that I've just briefly inherited the summit of rationality and intelligence, I refuse to so suddenly throw myself back down into the pit of feral humanity. I have many cousins on my mother's side and been exposed to their many small children. Each and every time I am around them I cannot feel more uncomfortable. While I have in the past thought of what having a daughter would be like, I do not think I would make it past their formative years.
4. I have no intentions of having dominion over another human being. A forced source of unconditional love, a source of cheap unpaid labor, and a life and mind to be molded and shaped by you... well it all wreaks of trying to play god. The notion that it is my responsibility to raise a child that is well adjusted and healthy is too great of a responsibility. Most people try and use the reasoning that "I had a shitty childhood, so I'll do better with my kids". And thus the cycle continues of raising imperfect children. For better or worse, I don't want it to be on my conscience that I am the architect for someone's life. Much better that I try and better myself, than run the risk of trying to pave the road for my enthralled prodigy.
5. Life without kids is great! Most parents burn out their youth, money, energy, and relationships all as sacrifices. I don't have to pay such a toll. I'm free to live out my life in any way I see fit. It's like having a blank check really. All those things you like doing, but think you have to "give up" to fulfill your procreative duty? You don't have to surrender those liberties! It really is a choice you make. Take a gamble of unknown variables, or take charge of your life. The decision was really quite simple for me.
Parents seem to believe that it's all worth it in the end. Naturally, I'll leave that judgment up to them. As for me, I've got an open road full of whatever I make of it.
