Many people my age have terrible boomer parents who just had kids because "that's just what you do". They didn't even consider you could just not make babies.
Maybe we just think more for ourselves than the older generation.
For me it's the climate - no point in bringing a child in a world with a society that will inevitably collapse and a possible world war over land that's still inhabitable.
Adoption maybe - but for me more children only equal more future suffering - and if not for my children because it'll be somehow possible to shield them from the worst then for a couple of others that have to suffer in exchange when western countries pull up the drawbridge and let the global south deal with the mess they made for those countries...
We won't have kids because, despite doing everything right, despite working hard, we're struggling with finances. Kids wouldn't be affordable without an extra job, and most of work two already!
Not having kids is one of the biggest middle fingers to the capitalist machine. Take away their wage slaves and lets see how much good their money will do the rich.
You want families? Help people make more money and give them assistance affording literally everything, especially childcare, healthcare, housing, and education.
Republicans: If you actually care about families, help them afford things as stated above.
If you really believe in small government, make it easier for immigrants to become Americans.
Otherwise you're gonna be starting down the barrel of a demographic collapse that will drag America into an economic gutter it'll likely never class it's way out of. Like China.
Don't think I'd make a good dad, especially since:
I really don't like children.
I'm not an antinatalist, though. I think we can still improve our situation, so I don't agree with choosing to not have children, because of the current state of the world, or because of fear it'll become too extreme. I guess it's possible you just want to wait to see if it gets any better, but personally speaking, if I were to have children, I'd choose to do so before I was 40. It isn't enjoyable for the child, for them to be born much later than that.
I wonder how many won't have any due to the Weimar conditions in America or the looming climate apocalypse. In combination with financial issues I assume it is huge.
For me, a Zennial, born between Millennial and Gen Z, I won't have kids due to following reasons:
My abyssal lack of/difficulties with social interaction (I'm practically an hermit), friendships and relationships (not sure what "loving someone" is/means; I feel more comfortable among literal "demonic entities" and computers than with people)
Climate changes turning Earth into a vision of underworld that even Dante couldn't imagine, with ever-increasing scorching temperatures.
Other complex and multifaceted political, societal, technological, esoteric, philosophical and scientific reasons too long to be summarized and enlisted.
And, of course, finances: it'd become worse for my hypothetical son/daughter.
Not that Earth and Nature couldn't bear more individuals (considering a mutual respect between the Homo sapiens and the whole biosphere, a respect that Homo sapiens clearly lacks), but the idea of a children growing in a world where 120°F/48°C is the "new normal" can't be bearable. Not to mention that Homo sapiens is walking towards extinction due to our poor relationship with the environment and with ourselves. Unfortunately, next generations will inevitably face ever-increasing, deadly issues. Not only humans, other animals too (some are already becoming extinct).
This is concerning. Especially people telling poor people to not have kids.
Are we just gonna take it and accept that the joy of being a parent and having children should only be a right bestowed on the wealthy? Poor people are stuck in a financial fuck loop that they will never escape, having children is the only joy some people will experience in this fucked up system
Edit: it's crazy how many people have been brainwashed into accepting this roundabout eugenics and telling poor people they aren't entitled to children