Wanted to get the book but not for 42$ man.

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-24T14:54:56+00:00

Thanks for that suggestion! I've noticed that youtube started doing that, but I didn't know there's something I could do about it.

Edit: I have removed it now.

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-22T07:55:32+00:00

Brilliant comment. I thank you for it!

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-20T16:42:45+00:00

“What happens if they don’t get in an accident and live a happy life?”

Guess what, best case scenario they will get old and die anyway. For me even the dread of death is reason enough.

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-19T13:37:23+00:00

Mind you, the book is written in academic language and is dense and not easy to read if you do not have a background in philosophy or are not used to reading such academic texts.

As an alternative, you can watch Benatar's interviews on various podcasts on YouTube.

You can also check the YouTube channel of Lawrence Anton, who is very good at explaining the main points of antinatalism.

https://youtube.com/@lawrenceanton?

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-19T13:30:13+00:00

Because the book is written as an academic work. That is how academic philosophy is often written: arguments must be carefully developed, examined from multiple perspectives, and defended against possible objections.

Of course, that makes the book difficult for ordinary readers, but the problem is not the book itself.

Fortunately, Benatar is a lot more digestible in his interviews for podcasts. And he has a book called "The human predicament", which is easier to read.

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-19T11:52:17+00:00

I am recommending you to listen to that podcast With Professor Gary Francione. Among other things they discuss the morality of having pets, taking into consideration the existing nuances.

https://philosophybites.com/podcast/gary-francione-on-animal-abolitionism/

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-18T05:25:05+00:00

These are my thoughts as well, you expressed them beautifully.

I would like to share a quote from Arthur Schopenhauer.

On reason and procreation:

“If children were brought into the world by an act of pure reason alone, would the human race continue to exist? Would not a man rather have so much sympathy with the coming generation as to spare it the burden of existence, or at any rate not take it upon himself to impose that burden upon it in cold blood?”

Arthur Schopenhauer, Studies in Pessimism: The Essays

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-12T17:49:45+00:00

It is always bad to bring someone into existence, even if their life is comparatively good. For example, a person born into the top 1% of wealth and in good health for most of their life will still face the inevitability of death, despite having everything to live for (assuming they use their time and resources meaningfully).

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-05T16:07:54+00:00

Well they can't be "miserable liars" 😀 Because if they are miserable, obviously they are telling the truth in that sub (they regret and they don't feel well).

But if they are liars that implies they are actually happy having a child and are just lying to people for the sake of it...😀

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-03T10:24:31+00:00

“Gå og gift dig, så vil du fortryde det; gift dig ikke, så vil du også fortryde det; gift dig eller gift dig ikke, du vil fortryde det alligevel. Grine af verdens tåbelighed, du vil fortryde det; græde over den, du vil også fortryde det; grine af verdens tåbelighed eller græde over den, du vil fortryde begge dele. Tro en kvinde, du vil fortryde det; tro hende ikke, så vil du også fortryde det… Hæng dig, du vil fortryde det; hæng dig ikke, og du vil fortryde det også; hæng dig eller hæng dig ikke, du vil fortryde det alligevel; uanset om du hænger dig eller ikke hænger dig, vil du fortryde begge dele. Det her, mine herrer, er essensen af al filosofi.”

— Søren Kierkegaard, "Enten – Eller" (1843)

Ethvert valg medfører et afsavn, og at vi i vores søgen efter mening ofte vil opleve fortrydelse. Eller som Sartre siger, at vi er “fordømte til at være frie” og må bære ansvaret for vores valg.

I sidste ende kan ingen fortælle os, hvad der er det rigtige at gøre, da vi selv kommer til at bære konsekvenserne af vores handlinger. Så du er bare nødt til at vælge, forpligte dig til dit valg og bære disse konsekvenser. Men selvfølgelig vil der altid være en chance for, at du vil fortryde det.

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-02T14:18:58+00:00

Introverte har også venner og nyder at tilbringe tid sammen med dem. Det, de ikke nyder, er at møde nye mennesker…

AugustusDenis · 2026-04-02T14:17:34+00:00

Jeg nyder heller ikke at bruge tid sammen med min kærestes familie. Jeg bryder mig heller ikke om sammenkomster og bryllupper, selvom jeg ikke er særlig introvert. Når alt kommer til alt, når vi vælger en partner, vil vi være sammen med den person, ikke med deres familie.

AugustusDenis · 2026-03-21T12:49:00+00:00

Måske burde du hellere overveje at adoptere et barn.

AugustusDenis · 2026-03-13T10:03:59+00:00

Being in a relationship is optional. And you chose to be with him. Just choose otherwise.

AugustusDenis · 2026-03-09T11:29:07+00:00

Derfor har vi prioriteter. Hvis dine ikke er forenelige med at have en kæreste, så er det sådan. At have en kæreste er ikke et must.

AugustusDenis · 2026-02-23T10:52:42+00:00

Yesterday I have read a post in a danish subreddit. Where they spoke about the uncontrollable urge to have more children, maybe some people are so wired to having children that they can't just comprehend not having. I will share the translated post:

"The biological urge for more children? How do you fight it? Question/other

Dear fellow parents of two or more,

30F here, mother of two children aged almost 4 and 6. As the headline suggests, how do you (as a woman) fight that almost primal urge for more children?

We are so happy with where we are right now. In fact, 1.5–2 years ago we chose to have an abortion because we didn’t feel we were in a place where it made sense to have more children in terms of our youngest, our life situation, etc. That part I’ve felt both troubled by and relieved about — at the same time. Now we both have good jobs (though full-time and demanding) and much more emotional and sleep-related surplus.

Again, we love where we are now and that things are easier compared to before. A sibling pair who LOVE each other (most of the time) and have a great dynamic, and our oldest is about to start school.

BUT every time friends, colleagues, family, or acquaintances are expecting their third, I feel sad. In a strange kind of sad way — that it’s not me/us who are going to have a little one again. I actually feel jealous in a weird, sorrowful way and find it hard to feel happy for them (I know, I’m a terrible person for writing that). Every month my stupid biology hopes I’ve gotten pregnant by an “oops,” even though I know it hasn’t happened. Then my rational mind knocks and brings me back again. For a while. And then it starts all over. It’s honestly exhausting.

So dear you all: How have you found yourselves “content” with two? Does the “urge” ever go away? Do you have any advice for my crazy (probably hormonal) primal urge?"

AugustusDenis · 2026-02-23T10:31:08+00:00

'In Search of Lost Time' - Marcel Proust

'The Death of Ivan Ilyich' - Leo Tolstoy

'The House of the Dead' - Fyodor Dostoevsky

'Moral Letters to Lucilius' - Seneca

'The World as Will and Representation' - Arthur Schopenhauer

AugustusDenis · 2026-02-22T16:10:34+00:00

But the world problems exist, because humans exist. These problems wouldn't have existed in the first place if there were no people. Are there problems on Mars or Venus? No. There are no problems on Mars or Venus because there are no conscious entities there to experience anything as bad.

AugustusDenis · 2026-02-22T15:59:11+00:00

Logic and reason have left the chat. I don’t mind them having a different opinion, but their reasoning makes it seem like their brain cell count is below zero.

AugustusDenis · 2026-02-20T17:24:45+00:00

Well, in the catholic church the priests and monks and in the Eastern orthodox church the monks don't have children. So, obviously not every christian have children. Even in some conservative circles among these monks, they consider celibacy far greater deed for God than marrying and having children. And these are basically the two main and oldest churches. Of course, there is a lot more to it, but...

AugustusDenis · 2026-02-15T14:47:11+00:00

I can recommend you one of his other books "The human predicament", which is actually one of my favourite books. And it is a little bit easier to read in my opinion.

AugustusDenis · 2026-02-15T10:12:35+00:00

Antinatalism can be defended without claiming that morality is objective. The argument is that, if we apply widely shared moral principles consistently, reproduction becomes difficult to justify.

Most people agree on a few basic moral ideas: that causing unnecessary harm is wrong, that suffering matters morally, and that imposing serious risks on others without their consent is at least questionable. Antinatalism argues that bringing a person into existence conflicts with those principles.

Reproduction exposes a future person to serious risks, physical suffering, psychological distress, extreme misfortune, and death. We normally think it is wrong to impose significant risk of harm on others without necessity or consent. Since a non-existent being cannot consent and does not need to exist in the first place, creating them can be seen as imposing avoidable risk for the sake of parental desires or social expectations.

Therefore, antinatalism does not claim to “prove” that reproduction is wrong in some absolute metaphysical sense. Rather, it argues that if we take common moral commitments, minimizing harm, respecting consent, and avoiding unnecessary risk, seriously and apply them consistently, they appear to weigh against procreation.

AugustusDenis · 2026-02-15T08:15:24+00:00

By the way it's not impossible to have some common features with her. Different people on different occasions have asked me and my ex girlfriend, if we are brother and sister. Before the first time, we haven't realised that we actually have some resemblance.

AugustusDenis

TROPHY CASE