Tags
Babies, Boyfriend, Boyfriends, Child, Children, Commitment, Dates, Dating, Dinner, Earth, Environment, Environmental Issues, Families, Family, Freshly Pressed, Friends, Friendships, Global Warming, Marriage, Men, Mothers, Pregnancy, Relationships, Romance, Sex, Society, Water Crisis, Women, Wordpress
Recently on Freshly Pressed there was a blog featured regarding snarky answers to some rather snarky questions on why a woman has nine children. You may have read this, but if not, I’ll provide you with the link.
http://gardengoatquote.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/answers-rude-questions-large-families/
As a blogger who writes about the perils, trials, and tribulations regarding the vast dating world, child rearing isn’t exactly my forte. However, raising children is an end goal of dating, though marriage or commitment bound usually comes first. This got me thinking about the majority of dates I have been on, the questions that were asked and answered, and the varied views of Singletons.
The Duggars
With the population of our planet effectively exceeding 7 billion people this past October – with no signs of slowing – love, or is that lust?, is very clearly in the air. Men and women all throughout the planet create families adding to the global population and the cycle continues.
But what about our planet’s sustainability? Is love the cause of our planets demise?
Unless you live as a hermit in a third world country, you’re most likely well aware of the global crisis happening as I type this. Our dependency on oil is equivalent to that of a hardened crack addict. Hold on there, this isn’t a lecture, so just stay with me and I promise it won’t be painful.
Water - A Necessity of Life
Bypassing the obviousness of oil, there’s something else that hasn’t quite caught your eye yet. It glistens off your lover’s bare skin, trickling down along the curves, right to that sweet spot you so love. I am, of course, referring to water.
Water Water Every Where Nor Any Drop to Drink
With a planet that’s 97% water, one would think a shortage would be impossible. If only the impossible were the probable. Only 3% of the water on Earth is drinkable and as our biological clocks tick louder and louder, we drown out the sound of the dripping tap and focus on energy upon our own selfish desires.
Am I suggesting we forgo having children? No.
However, I am concerned about the legacy we, as a global society, will leave our children. It is quite possible that our children will grow to fight in world wars over control of the last remaining reservoirs, or perhaps it will be our grandchildren that grow to fight these wars if action isn’t taken. For someone whose motto is make love, not war, this is more of libido killer than seeing your grandmother in a g-string attempting a pole dance with her cigarette clamped between her lips, but that’s another blog.
Deciding I need some equivalent to the little blue pill, I whipped out my little black book and let my fingers do the dialing and asked a few people about what they think of having a big family in today’s times.
Burden of Life - 19 Kids and Counting?
First call was to an old flame who has recently married his true love. John* and Bobbi* have discussed having children at length; weighing all the natural pros and cons, but adding a new issue to the board – societal responsibility. John argues that having more than one child is socially irresponsible due to the environmental and economical stability. Bobbi argues that raising responsible children we will change the planets fate.
Another call, this time to a favorite Singleton, answered my question as thus, “Look, Kate, everyone knows that the planet is f*cked, but no one seems to want to do anything about it. It is up to each of us to do the right thing, and hope for the best.”
Three very different viewpoints and a martini later, I sat across the table from my date of the night and asked him what he thought. He told me his opinions and enlightened me on his mates, as well. It seems that when it comes to heavy weighted issues, there are as many thoughts and opinions as there are ways to produce a child.
Though the global crisis isn’t still in its infancy, our societal views are. The question for me is will there be enough time for us to grow?
Please take a moment to share with me your thoughts on children, the environment, and any ideas/opinions you have regarding this subject.
*Names have been changed per their request.
