The problem is that you're looking at this whole thing from the perspective of someone living in a country that can benefit from more babies and that stands to lose a lot if less babies are born. Perhaps you yourself have been wanting to participate in reproduction and have been unable to...if this is the case I'm sorry, I don't meant to bother an open wound.

I am a fan of VHETM though I have never really met any of the people in that "club" and I want to tell you why.

When I was struggling with the decision, my own personal decision, to reproduce. I came across their website and the whole extinction part really turned me off. I love humanity, I want to see it prosper and grow. I actually stuck around the website to see who the hell was promoting extinction because I wanted to have some words with them...

But then I came across this "why breed?" chart and my life changed. Every single reason stated for wanting to have children I have considered, and every single conclusion they reached as to my reasoning and what I needed to get over that misguided desire was right there on the same chart.

After seeing that, I can't in good concious have children of my own. Why? I wouldn't have children for anything other than ego, why does the child have to be associated to my biology? That's ego! At least for me...and I will not bring a life into this world over my own insecurities as an individual and much less for external pressure.

I think they should dial down the whole extinction part, but then again maybe they use those words in particular to get people PISSED OFF, just like they've got you upset. Maybe your anger won't let you see what they're telling you in reality, but if you're really concerned with your reproductive responsibility then you will read what they're actually sharing with an open heart. Some of it you might agree with, other things you won't agree with. This isn't some religion where it's forbidden to doubt some god...

I am not afraid to bring a child into this world to suffer. Pain is part of life, there is no way of identifying joy without some pain, eternal bliss is not a thing. I might eventually have a child or adopt, children are a blessing and they teach us a lot of things. But I will not have a child to look after my own personal fulfillment or because I think my offspring can do better than other people's.

You may be thinking "why should I care that your life was changed by realizing your own personal reasons for wanting to have kids were selfish?" but in reality you should be thrilled.

I am one less parent raising a human for the hell of going with the motions, one less parent raising an UNWANTED baby. Because I don't want babies, I just wanted to feel loved and useful. And if I have a baby and I don't get the satisfaction I thought I'd get out of it, what do you think will happen? I will be stuck caring for human beings, I will feel stuck, and my babies will notice that I'm not 100% with them. I can't do that to another human, much less a child of mine.

This is the first time in the history of humanity when we actually have a choice to reproduce, I believe each person should think real hard about that choice. I'm not saying don't have kids, but maybe have 2 instead of 5 because you think that's normal since your father had 20.

I have 2 sisters I have not met because my father had children for society, over peer pressure, because it happens even if it didn't happen to you in Germany. My father decided not to speak to me again because the hard work he had put in to please society he thought would be undone by the perception society could have of me...thus his performance as a parent. I have two sisters that I don't know because of how someone thinks society will react, haven't spoken to my father in over a decade, and here you are telling us all how peer pressure is no biggie.