virus: RE: Why have children?

Hakeeb A. Nandalal (nanco@trinidad.net)
Tue, 29 Oct 1996 17:34:03 +0000


Richard Brodie wrote :-

> ..........
> ..........
>
> If Level-3 people have children, they do it because it supports their
> purpose in life.
>
> It would be interesting to see if the average number of children
> decreases as people progress up the levels.

It's a well established fact that the higher the standard of living, the
less children people have. This applies in principle for whole countries
and the different classes within societies. One of the criterion for
determining which countries are "developed" or "developing" (formerly
politically incorrectly referred to as "underdeveloped") is the
fertility rate. Here are some figures for population increase rates for
the period 1970 - 1977 :-

U.K. 0.1%
Germany (W) 0.2%
France 0.6%
Italy 0.7%
USA 0.8%

China 1.7%
India 2.2%
Ethiopia 2.3%
Bangladesh 2.4%
Brazil 2.8%
Pakistan 3.2%
Mexico 3.5%

By "standard of living" I'm referring to financial status, housing and
education. Does this mean that there is a correlation between the three
"Levels" and economic/educational status?

My original question : "Exactly why do people have children?" can now be
narrowed to the Level-3 people and their reason. How is having children
suppose to "support their purpose in life"? Does it come back to God
creating Man for His amusement? Are we God? Isn't bringing someone into
this world for whatever reason, regardless of how noble the intention
(to teach them etc.), the most selfish act we can perform. Are children
Level-3 pets?

**************************
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* Hakeeb A. Nandalal *
* nanco@trinidad.net *
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