[the_third_wave]

It sounds like you don't want to have children and are trying to justify that choice. While I can unequivocally state that I never had any regret having - as in fathering and raising - children I will not try to convince you of the error in your ways. If you don't want to have children, don't have them - it will give you the opportunity to dedicate your life to yourself and it will spare your not-to-be-born children a parent who regrets their appearance in their lives.

...or maybe... there is something beyond a life of self-indulgence after all? Maybe the sacrifice in time - which is the largest sacrifice, all that money-talk is secondary in my opinion - is worth the gains? You might have to skip a few festivals and you might not always have the latest iGadget but you will not miss these because you have far more interesting and challenging prospects, namely the raising of the next generation.

[silicon2401]

Have you ever imagined that someone who's infertile or lacks reproductive organs could be capable of equalling your worth as a human being? Or do you assume that in the absence of children, human beings are only capable of a life of hedonism and self-indulgence? Your comment is a great example of the unabashed stigmatization and intolerance towards people who don't have kids by many of those who do, who at the same time elevate themselves into something like saints just because they raised kids

[the_third_wave]

Put that straw man in the garden, it might scare off some birds. If the poster was infertile s/he'd have posed a different question - leaving it to the rest of the world to insinuate what motivation lies behind a question and to treat any other interpretation as "insensitive" or "stigmatisation" or what-have-you-not is just a way of putting up tripwires for people to stumble over. This happens all too often and should not be encouraged.

Honesty goes the furthest, whether in asking or in answering questions.

[nunez]

You focused so much on the strawman (infertility) that you forgot to answer the very real question right behind it (stigmatization of people who voluntarily choose to be child-free).

[the_third_wave]

The question which was not related to the one brought up here and only was used to initiate some blame-gaming? No, since it bears no relevance to the actual question I see no need to answer it. I'll stick to the subject at hand which was what are the benefits to having children.

[silicon2401]

I'm not convinced by your claims. The OP submitted a genuine question and it's obvious from the comments in this thread that people would rather react emotionally and bash somebody who has a non-conventional worldview than engage in a discussion.

[agent008t]

False dichotomy. Not procreating does not imply a life of self-indulgence. Just like choosing to not sleep 5 hours a night and getting a 2nd job during the freed up hours to donate the proceeds to charity or imposing any other needless hardship on yourself imply a life of self-indulgence.

[nunez]

"Error in your ways?" Are you serious?

It is totally possible to have a fulfilling life without children. My wife and I (both in our mid-30s) do it! Volunteering, exploring the world, good times with friends, tinkering, planting, side projects...