| People growing up in western society have become so egocentric it's absurd. We've finally made it, we're incompatible with what human society has been for thousands of years and to some extent still is in Asia -- "discipline" has finaly become the biggest cuss-word and the most horrible thing ever. Sure, the world doesn't need more people, you certainly don't NEED kids but come on. The key reasons boil down to "you'll have more responsibilities, it's hard work, and will need to share your life with other people and not make it all about you". You even somehow managed to utter "the company you founded" in that same sentence. Having done both, I'd say raising children is actually lot like starting a company, just requires a lot more discipline and is more stressful. It would happen that I tried to do both at the same time, and both are hard work, you pile on responsibilities, reduce hobbies and "me time" and become responsible for other people's lives in the process and in both you're essentially fucked without strong willpower and discipline. I wasn't good enough to do both at the same time so I sold off and left the company and got a well paying 9-5. Btw the ticket out of the "children situation" for man-children (and sorry but you managed to paint yourself as one) also exists, it's not impossibly hard and, assuming you'd do your fair share of obligations, could possibly even benefit your wife and kid(s). I too hated the lack of "me time", don't get me wrong. I had a hobby I was deeply passionate about and really got back to it (and still fairly infrequently) only when my kids were well into school age. I also gained about 12 kg (some 25 pounds) that it took me years of gym, running and mountaineering more-less just to halve and I don't really go down from there (tho my "build quality" did improve :) ). I've also halved my learning rate in things, had to rearrange my priorities and generally "streamline" my career in many ways. But here's the other side of it. Had I not become a parent I'd probably have fucked up my business. Neither of the issues were me not having enough time -- most were not knowing enough, not being man enough and not being mature enough. The children might have hindered my speed of improving in the first thing but have made me surmount a Mont Everest in the latter two -- which I don't feel that I would be able to (short of some traumatic experience). I'm much more confident as a man than I would ever be without having them and knowing them. Also children return on that investment of time, nerves and forgoing with (at least in that age between two/three and puberty) unreserved love you'll never witness (and I've had dogs and kitties so, no, sorry, no contest there really), and later, with slowly becoming men (well, people, It's just that I have two boys) and although much of their accomplishment has fuckall to do with you, you can't help but be filled with pride. I regret a thing or two in my life, but having them was the best damn thing that ever happened to me. |