NESchaadt wrote:
>
> Ms. Dunston:
>
> I found this short story rather chilling and a bit offensive.
> My husband and I choose to remain childless for one reason. Curiosity is
> not a reason to procreate. Is it appropriate to bring a child into this
> world to satisfy intellectual curiousity? I don't think so.
> The childless couples I know are engaged in a variety of philanthropic
> activities. They build natural surface trails, volunteer at abortion
> clinics and work with elders. They are not hedonists, constantly looking
> for thrills and new knick knacks.
> NS
> Nancy Schaadt
> Free-lance journalist based in N. Texas.
>
----------
Gidday Nancy
I apologise for chilling and offending you. This was not my intention.
Please be aware that I offered the story as 'one of the biggest reasons'
- not THE biggest reason (and I've had an email from Berni on the list
with an equally valid major reason and a FAR more chilling - to me -
scenario than the one I described)
And, as I said to Berni, the reason that you have offered for your
acquaintances' lack of children is another important answer to the
question 'does anyone know the reason why?' that was raised on this list
earlier this week. My Tinks in the story were an amalgam of the Tinks
that I personally know and love - some of whom are my own close family,
so I feel I know my own area of this subject quite well, as you do
yours, and as Berni appears to also.
>From what I've seen so far, it would appear that the answer to the
question raised is not as simple as it first appears, and very much
depends on whether the choice to have children or not is self-determined
(by education, preference or vocation) or inflicted (as in Berni's
example).
I'm not sure I follow the reasoning behind your statement 'Curiosity is
not a reason to procreate' - do you feel that I was suggesting it should
be? That also was *certainly not* my intention, either. Or are you
stating that the reason you and your husband chose to remain childless
was *because* you feel curiosity is not a reason to procreate? Apologies
again if I seem dense; my own personal 'playtime' comes rather late in
the day - usually when the rest of the household are sleeping- (due to
the demands of running two businesses and four children from home taking
up most of the 'normal' hours of the day) this can have a detrimental
effect on my mental abilities from time to time.
Thanks for your response
-- Regards
Melanie Dunstan
in Perth, Australia
Encaustic Art: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~cbooth/melanie.htm
Allcrafts specialises in Unusual Crafts
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu May 25 2000 - 19:06:30 PDT