Why were we all not born David Beckham?
TW E N T Y- S E V E N-Y E A R - OLD Raphael Samuel, who lives in India, is suing his parents for being born without his consent. This may seem bizarre behaviour until you realise that many a teenager – possibly including yourself – has at one time yelled in anger at their parents: “I didn’t ask to be born”.
For a 27-year-old to attempt a legal ruling on the matter smacks a little like post-teen pique, although in his defence, Samuel is a self-proclaimed anti-natalist. And no, I didn’t know such a thing existed, either.
Anti-natalism is a philosophy that believes procreation is bad. It has been around since the Ancient Greeks. If it had caught on back then, we might not be here now and the planet would be a lot less polluted. One interpretation of the belief suggests that all being born does is doom children to old age and death. Although some might say this is also called the cycle of life.
Philosopher David Benatar says it is morally wrong and selfish because children produced
One interpretation suggests that all being born does is doom children to old age
and death
have no choice in the matter. He points out the chances of being born into happy circumstances and having a happy life are not even great. And besides, you still get old age and death at the end of it.
Among the many gloomy points he makes are that 20,000 die every day from hunger, 840 million suffer from hunger and malnutrition, 40 million children are maltreated each year, millions have died from disease and in conflicts over the centuries, and more than 100 million died in conflicts in the 20th century alone.
Oo-er, mum. Why did you have me without a choice? Can I take retrospective litigation because I wasn’t born David Beckham?
Raphael Samuel puts it more simply on his Facebook page.
Isn’t forcing a child into this world, and forcing it to have a career, kidnapping and slavery?”
He says parents have children instead of a toy or a pet. “You owe them nothing. You are their entertainment.” Although I can’t help thinking it would be cheaper to go the pictures for entertainment rather than have a family.
On the positive side, having children also gives you and them, your own reality show without need of a telly.
Raphael says parents should pay their children for the rest of their lives, because it was not their choice to be born. Strange, I thought we already did.
His parents are both lawyers and have reacted to his allegations with equanimity. His mother says: “If Raphael could come up with a rational explanation as to how we could have sought his consent to be born, I will accept my fault.”
Try stopping his pocket money, as well.