The topic of this thread seems to fit right into my philosophy. I know what most of you are going to say: this sounds like a lot of teen angst, that this is just depression or complaining or something of that sort. But for once put the smugness aside, and try to understand the philosophy itself. You may disagree with it, but at least understand the points that it is trying to make. Thank you.

The Anti-Procreation Movement is a philosophical movement that claims that the human condition is one of profound suffering and that one should refrain from spreading this suffering to a new generation by abstaining from procreation.

Anti-Procreationism is a kind of Philosophical Pessimism in the tradition of Arthur Schopenhauer's pessimistic Weltanschauung. Its main idea is that there are three categories of human existence: survival (sometimes interchangeable with "work"), boredom, and entertainment. These categories are forms of suffering that are inherently bestowed upon all evolutionarily normal, self-reflecting humans.

The first category is Survival which is the constant struggle to stay alive and keep metabolic and physiological comfort levels in stasis. The struggle of survival, which is believed to take place in a certain socio-economic cultural context, is one form of suffering that cannot be avoided easily once one is thrown into existence.

Boredom is the second category of suffering inherent in the human condition. According to the Anti-Procreation Movement philosophy, the unique human brain/mind is in a constant struggle to flee from boredom which is described as a deep emotional feeling of ennui and despair. This category of boredom usually takes place after all apparent survival activities have been achieved. Boredom, is an unpleasant feeling similar in to the existential void discussed in psychologist Viktor Frankl's book, Man's Search for Meaning. Anti-Procreationists claim that this boredom, is not confined to one's culture or to only modern cultures, but is a cross-cultural phenomenon that occurs in all human societies.

The third and last category of this tripartite system is Entertainment. Entertainment, according to the Anti-Procreation Movement, is viewed as any goal an individual must contrive to "flee" the feeling of boredom (the second category). This entertainment can be seen as the endless real and potential ways that humans fill their time (other than survival). The various forms usually take place in a cultural context but can have some cultural universals such as: religious expression, art, and philosophy. However some forms of entertainment are restricted to specific cultures (watching tv, creating new business ventures, going out with friends, are all Westernized forms of entertainment for example). The entertainment can go on infinitum in various combinations and varieties, and range the whole human gamut of behavior and thought that are not associated directly with survival. The common world view that entertainment should be seen as a desirable pursuit, is turned on its head in this Anti-Procreationism philosophy. Accordingly, entertainment is the struggle against boredom and the realization that one cannot "just be". In other words, humans subsist in a constant battle against boredom or a constant pursuit of "finding the best way to kill time".

According to the Anti-Procreation Movement, the inherent suffering in the human condition can never be overcome for those who were tragically already born into existence. However, it can be prevented in a future generation. By not procreating, one is not bearing the burden of the three categories of the human condition on a potential next generation (and thus preventing suffering in a potential future being). This movement does not advocate suicide for two reasons. The first is that we are naturally averse to suicide for evolutionary and psychological reasons, and suicide, and thoughts of suicide can add to one's pain and suffering in the lead up to the actual suicide attempt.

The second reason is the idea of "annihilist Utilitarianism". Utilitarianism is an ethical system whereby the the moral worth of an action is determined by whatever brings the greatest pleasure for the greatest amount of people. Annihilist Utilitarianism claims that the greatest good is preventing future potential beings from being born (being "anti-procreation"). The only way to maximize the greatest good (preventing future potential beings from being born) is to spread the "good word" of the Anti-Procreation philosophy so that the greatest amount of people already born will be affected by this philosophy and consequently not procreate.

The link to the page this was taken from is <link>