Millennials are selfish, vain, and only interested in going to bottomless brunch.
Please, try telling us something original for a change. We get it, okay. We’re the tech-obsessed, selfie-posting, entitled generation. We don’t want to work, move out of our parents house, get married, and now there’s another selfish check point we can add to that list: we don’t want children.
According to a study conducted by the Urban Institute, Millennial births in the United States are lower than any previous generation. The Atlantic reported in an April article that as of 2012, “there were only 948 births per 1,000 women in their 20s.” While that number may sound high, it’s actually the slowest rate of any previous generation of women and it’s continuing to go down. In 2007, the number was 1,118 per 1,000 women.
There’s a stigma that people who don’t want children and refuse to pass on their genes are selfish, (after all, it is our evolutionary purpose to create the next generation). But, contrary to this popular judgement, a recent survey conducted by Mic examined the reasons millennials are failing to reproduce, and the respondent’s brutally honest answers stem from a place of selflessness.
1. Kids are highly expensive, especially for those still paying student loans.
One of the most popular reasons respondents gave for not wanting children was due to the financial burden. When you choose to reproduce, you will have a financial burden clinging to your back for the next 18 year (though if we’re being honest, it’ more like 22). Respondents said they didn’t think this financial burden would be possible with the way the economy is going and many specifically cited student loans as a reason they wouldn’t be able to afford kids. The average 2015 graduate with a bachelor’s degree fro a 4-year university is in $35,000 of debt. That financial burden will be hanging over our heads well into our 30s, so taking on the burden of children will be a huge financial strain to add to the huge pool of debt we’re already swimming in.
2. We’re terrified of passing on mental health issues.
Our generation is either the most mentally unstable generation to date, or we are simply the most aware. Either way, we recognize that many of us are unhealthy. It’s extremely common to hear people discussing their anxiety, depression, eating disorders, bi-polar disorders, and substance abuse that all seem to be rampant among individuals. These issues are often hereditary and when examining the family of somebody who suffers from a mental disorder, we often see the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
One respondent said, “I am mentally ill and mental illnesses than mine run in my family, as do autoimmune disorders. I do not want to bring a child into the world knowing that there’s a strong chance it will struggle like I have.” That’s a far from selfish reason for choosing not to have a child.
According to the Kim Foundation, about 1 our of every 4 Americans suffers from a diagnosable mental illness in a given year, so it’s not bizarre that Millennials are afraid of passing these disorders on to their children.
3. The population is already spiraling our of control.
The world population is growing at a rate of about 1.13% a year and at one point peaked at 2% a year. While there is debate over what the future holds for population increase, the numbers are certainly going up. More people and overpopulation means environmental and health issues as well as limited resources. Some respondents said that there are already too many unwanted children in the world, so why add more? Some did say however that if they did choose to take care of a child, they felt that adopting an unwanted child would be more beneficial than having their own.
4. Millennials would rather have a career than a child.
While many people believe that they can “have it all,” by raising a family while working a full-time job, there’s recently been some discussion that this is a myth. Ultimately, juggling the responsibilities of children while working 40 or more hours a week is extremely stressful and one or both will probably take the back seat at some point. Millennials are taking realistic approaches to this idea and are choosing to sacrifice having a child in order to have a job they’ve already invested in with thousands of dollars of school. Additionally, many of us are furthering our education past a bachelor’s degree. As of 2013, 36 million people were enrolled in a graduate program. With so much school under your belt, why not devote your whole life to that passion you choose to pursue?
5. Sometimes, it really is due to selfishness
Kinda…many respondents said that a child wouldn’t fit their lifestyle. A number of people said that while having children wouldn’t interfere with their career, they simply didn’t want them and knew a child would create an unnecessary burden in a busy lifestyle they enjoy.
“My dream is to visit all 195 countries in the world (been to 23 so far) and I really don’t feel like a child fits into the nomad lifestyle I want to live,” one respondent said. Another answered that with the way they chose to live, “kids would get in the way.” And another simply said, “[kids] are a f*ckton of work.”
Is this selfish? Is it really that self-absorbed to know exactly the way you want to live your life and refuse to take on a burden you’d rather not have to deal with? Is it more selfish to try for a child even if you aren’t certain you want one, but “I mean, hey, everybody else is doing it so I probably should too, right?”
After all, raising kids is a breeze, right?
[Featured Image Credit: HBO]
Millennials Don’t Want Children: Here Are 5 Reasons Why Not is an article from: LifeDaily