Schopenhauer: Why Having Children is Wrong (Antinatalism)

Is procreation a moral crime? Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer thought so. In this deep dive, we unpack Schopenhauer’s radical philosophy of antinatalism—the belief that bringing life into the world is an act of cruelty. Forget the watered-down takes; this is Schopenhauer at his most provocative, arguing that existence itself is a prison of suffering, and parenthood is its chief architect.

What You’ll Learn:

1️⃣ The Origin of Suffering: Schopenhauer’s metaphysical argument that the split between the “will” and “representation” creates endless conflict—and why every new birth deepens this cosmic wound.
2️⃣ Asceticism as Salvation: Why Schopenhauer demanded sexual abstinence to break the cycle of suffering, and how his call for radical self-denial clashes with modern ideals of parenthood.
3️⃣ Hope vs. Harm: Is having children an act of love or a selfish delusion? Schopenhauer’s brutal answer—and why his ideas still shock philosophers today.

🔥 Key Debates:

Is non-existence truly better than existence?
Can compassion ever justify creating life?
Why Schopenhauer’s antinatalism is not “proto”—it’s fully formed, and fully terrifying.

Why This Matters Now:
In an era of climate crises, overpopulation, and existential dread, Schopenhauer’s 200-year-old philosophy feels eerily relevant. Whether you agree with him or not, his arguments force us to confront the ethics of birth in a broken world.

👇 Join the Debate:
Is Schopenhauer a misunderstood genius or a doom-obsessed nihilist? Drop your take in the comments—and let’s argue about the value of life itself.

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into philosophy’s darkest ideas. Smash the bell to never miss a video!

Content Warning: This video discusses themes of existential suffering and anti-natalist philosophy. Viewer discretion advised.
--------------
Subtitles are created with AI - Ignore minor spelling mistakes

[kartik]

✨ The one (and only) guaranteed way to prevent all the suffering of children is not to bring them into this world of diseases, crimes, wars, accidents, natural disasters, grief, old age, death, and all the unknown evils the future holds. ☮

[katherinekelly]

Creating life is paradoxical. Those who consider the moral implications of creating life and don't are the ones who most likely should and those who create life without considering the moral implications should not but do. That is a major contributor to the state of the world today.

[Human.equals.Hypocrite]

Yes Schopenhauer is absolutely correct. I 100% believe in not breeding! The world doesn't need more people suffering. Fix what we have now and stop the false hope for the "future generations"

[chilpeeps]

Given the example of my parents if you are not mentally stable to raise a kid then don’t have it you just gonna make a innocent person suffer.

I think having kids is very selfish lot of people without proper financial or mental stability bring new love into this world only to make their life insufferable.

And that is why I promise myself never to marry or have kids .

[reigninblood]

The universe is billions of years old. We live for about 70 years. On average none of us exist.

[Heisfree]

It’s very easy for people to say that it’s not wrong to have kid, when there privileged to even write their opinion on here. Some children have nothing some are disfigured to the point other children think there monsters, and some born to terrible violent families. So all I’m saying is don’t be quick to dismiss this thought process when you haven’t be on the bad end of the coin.

[markolumovic]

Having kids is huge waste of energy really huge not worth it at all.

[blackcrust]

Commenting for the algorithm so more people see this

[jansrensen]

Should be stoppes now. This Getting children. Its a Crime to getchildren ok. ❤

[michaeldillon]

If you believe in antinatalism then you shouldn't have kids .
If you are pro natalists then you should have kids . However, you need to do various things to justify that position - like ask the child if they wish to be born .

[rohanwilkinson]

I now refuse to breed after being denied children and I can not as I am too old, also the foundation of my sacred old Norse viking culture was to breed my own sacred patronymic Thorbjorn family legacy for remembrance so my Thorbjorn family are not just forgotten, now my sacred Thorbjorn legacy from earth mother Jord and Odin the Yule moon father is being fazed out of existence by sacrilegious nihilist who to will also be denied children by karma as they fall victim to their very own rules or authority especially if their own patronymic legacy is dishonorable and engages in misconduct or indulges in unfairness to the point that there is no fair reason for them to breed.

[OnePlusOneEqualTwo.]

If 10000bc 1000bc 1000ad 1900ad was real time and all those sun ups and downs happen...i wish i was never conceived as all that time went on and i was not in life death or anything here even if this reality was as fast as a blank of an eye

[SpenzDee]

I do think having kids is wrong... But it's more from their carbon footprint that I focus on.

[lacka]

Nietzsche was king, Schopenhauer Cringe.

[ToThoseWhoVanished]

Y no one told his to shopenhauers parents?

[naturalisted]

It cannot be better to not exist, since we all already didn't exist, yet a life was still imposed. Therefore, not existing cannot stop a life from being imposed. And so, had you never been born, then some other life would have been imposed instead of the life that's reading this. Just as you were unable to escape this individual life from being imposed, there wouldn't have been a you to escape from some other life from being imposed.

[KeithEdwards-by]

In saying this, are we saying nature made a mistake in creating us? Sounds like monumental arrogance to me. Yes, it's true the present state of mankind is horrid, but do not forget the possibility for individual transcendence and becoming an instrument of the highest form of spiritual order that represents. Such a being can bring spiritual Light into the darkness, and help others transcend their suffering and egotism, which may be the true purpose of human existence.

[theroyalwraith]

Antinatalism is cringe. Say yes to life, and say it with pride.