One US import we can do without ...
One American import we can do without - an exacerbated culture war between parents and non-parents.
I spent the first 21 years of my adult life as a batchelor, had fifteen months as a married person whose children had not yet arrived, and for just under fouteen years have been a parent. So I have some understanding both of how non-parents sometimes view families with children and how it seems from the other side of the fence.
I enjoyed to the full the freedoms I had as a single man. I respect those who would prefer to keep that freedom, or tie themselves only to one fellow-adult.
I spent the first 21 years of my adult life as a batchelor, had fifteen months as a married person whose children had not yet arrived, and for just under fouteen years have been a parent. So I have some understanding both of how non-parents sometimes view families with children and how it seems from the other side of the fence.
I enjoyed to the full the freedoms I had as a single man. I respect those who would prefer to keep that freedom, or tie themselves only to one fellow-adult.
Marriage and parenthood have brought pains and pleasures. Even in the most difficult moments I have never regretted the decision my wife and I made to try to have children, but I accept that what was the right decision for us would not have been right for everyone.
The decision to have, or not to have children is not one that everyone gets to make. I know of some people who would have loved to have children, and who would have made great parents, but never had the opportunity.
But most people are part of a couple who have the choice. That choice is intensely personal and I don't think there is anything whatsoever to be gained from those who have made either choice engaging in a "culture war" with those who made the other.
I did like one paragraph in particular in the article I have linked to below:
" One could ... make the economic case that, with their taxes, childless couples are selflessly subsidizing the education and well-being of other people’s children (who provide tax breaks for their parents). Conversely, it is these parents’ descendants who will be taking care of the childless adults — and keeping society operational — when they are elderly."
Neither parents not non-parents have a monopoly on selfish or selfless individuals. Both groups include a majority of people who make a postivie contribution to society. An inclusive society which celebrates differences should be able to celebrate this difference too.
Link to New York Times article about a book on the subject: here.
The decision to have, or not to have children is not one that everyone gets to make. I know of some people who would have loved to have children, and who would have made great parents, but never had the opportunity.
But most people are part of a couple who have the choice. That choice is intensely personal and I don't think there is anything whatsoever to be gained from those who have made either choice engaging in a "culture war" with those who made the other.
I did like one paragraph in particular in the article I have linked to below:
" One could ... make the economic case that, with their taxes, childless couples are selflessly subsidizing the education and well-being of other people’s children (who provide tax breaks for their parents). Conversely, it is these parents’ descendants who will be taking care of the childless adults — and keeping society operational — when they are elderly."
Neither parents not non-parents have a monopoly on selfish or selfless individuals. Both groups include a majority of people who make a postivie contribution to society. An inclusive society which celebrates differences should be able to celebrate this difference too.
Link to New York Times article about a book on the subject: here.
Comments
what do i mean by "does not really care"
well i quite simply mean this, I dont care what single people get as long as it means i dont get less. I did not care about married people having tax breaks as a single man, as I did not pay more, sure they got to pay less, but i never had to pay more, so why kick up a fuss.
lots of people in the RAF complained when Chefs got a big pay rise, I did not, technicians never got paid less so why would i care what a chef is paid? so long as they made the dinner they were ok in my book.
too much of this in the world, everyone wants a worse deal for others for some reason. Over time I leaned that all you can ever hope to do is worsen things for "them" never make things better for "you", and that is a valuable lesson all people need to learn.
Be they single, married, parents or none parents.
I mean its great that isn't it, not only does it overlook the fact that rich people pay VAT, it's really saying "taxes that only the rich pay have been cut" so it recoginises the fact that the better off pay more taxes than those that don't, but still its written to complain.
People who want taxes to raise always have this in common, they want "other peoples" taxes to be raised, and "the rich" is pretty much anyone who earns slightly more than they do. Its all just so laughable.