[dspillett]

The other circle of life!

Society needs a new influx of kids all the time to replace those leaving or those looking after those soon to be leaving, so we have a biological drive to procreate like any other animal. Our use of technology and other knowledge to improve our survival rates has led to an over-population/resource-overuse issue, but that is a different discussion.

Our mental development means that we have other drives which can override the biological signals that tell us to procreate (or lead us to enjoy practise sessions and accidentally do the real thing!), or reduce the risk of unintended procreation, so unlike pretty much all the other life forms on the planet we don't have to.

If you don't want to, don't. Though if you have a partner who wants to, then things get more complicated, perhaps you are (no longer) well suited as partners?