I've always thought that the list below is one of the coolest things ever and my anthropology of economics professor recently brought it up in lecture. We are discussing marriage and offspring as major fitness maximizing economic decisions and the way in which the prestige bias of the successful elite has led to the recent "maladaptive" culture where children are no longer trendy; it is maladaptive because it will eventually lead to the end to our humanity (please, if the number of high school classmates with children is any indication, we'll be fine). Realistically, however, this is a legitimate concern for most of Europe which, of course, leads to tons of economic and migrations issues within itself. Anyway, I love that Charles Darwin actually made a ' Marry/ Not Marry ' pros & cons list. It comes directly from his journal which is why I love it. I am really into intuitive, spontaneous, gut-feeling decisions but when it comes to marriage and children this is exactly the way I think. The only difference is that personally I find the reasons to not marry (or not have children for that matter. Yes, I am maladapative) way more compelling (he obviously did not since he married his cousin). Enjoy!
Marry
Children (if it Please God)
Constant companion (and friend in old age) who will feel interested in one
Object to be beloved and played with. Better than a dog anyhow
Home, & someone to take care of house
Charms of music and female chit-chat
These things good for one’s health—but terrible loss of time
My God, it is intolerable to think of spending one’s whole life, like a neuter bee, working, working, and nothing after all—No, no, won’t do
Imagine living all one’s day solitary in smoky dirty London House
Only picture to yourself a nice soft wife on a sofa with good fire and books and music perhaps
Compare this vision with the dingy reality of Great Marlboro Street, London
Not Marry
Freedom to go where one liked
Choice of Society and little of it
Conversation of clever men at clubs
Not forced to visit relatives and bend in every trifle
Expense and anxiety of children
Perhaps quarrelling
Loss of Time
Cannot read in the evenings
Fatness and idleness
Anxiety and responsibility
Less money for books etc.
If many children forced to gain one’s bread (But then it is very bad for one’s health to work too much)
Perhaps my wife won’t like London; then the sentence is banishment and degradation into indolent, idle fool
PS one week until the Voxtrot show in SF. I'm taking my sister who, I'm pretty sure, has never listened to any of their songs so she'll help me keep my composure. Anyway, this review of the kickoff to the mini-farewell tour made me excited and a bit nervous. I hope the show is not a drag for them. 2 midterms, 1 twenty pager, and tons of Arabic HW stand between me and Voxtrot. Oh and it's my sister's birthday tomorrow. On my siblings birthdays I make a Kiva microloan in their honor. If you've never heard of it, check it out!
Silvio Rodriguez "El Mayor" *
