Each one of us was harmed by being brought into existence. That harm is not negligible, because the quality of even the best lives is very bad—and considerably worse than most people recognize it to be. Although it is obviously too late to prevent our own existence, it is not too late to prevent the existence of future possible people.
Interpretation
The quote suggests that existence is inherently harmful, and while we cannot change our own birth, we can influence the future of potential lives.
David Benatar’s quote reflects a philosophical stance known as anti-natalism, arguing that being brought into existence causes harm and that even the best lives have significant suffering. He emphasizes that recognition of this harm is crucial and implies a moral responsibility to prevent the birth of future individuals to mitigate further suffering, thus highlighting the burdens of existence versus the absence of life.
In practice
In a philosophical discussion about the morality of bringing children into the world.
It is curious that while good people go to great lengths to spare their children from suffering, few of them seem to notice that the one (and only) guaranteed way to prevent all the suffering of their children is not to bring those children into existence in the first place.
The most common ego identifications have to do with possessions, the work you do, social status and recognition, knowledge and education, physical appearance, special abilities, relationships, person and family history, belief systems, and often nationalistic, racial, religious, and other collective identifications. None of these is you.
Every one speaks well of his own heart, but no one dares speak well of his own mind.
Valar Morghulis - All men must die.
the masses are everywhere they know how to do things: they have sane and deadly angers for sane and deadly things.
Character is "a stamp of good repute on a person."
Statistics show that a soldier's chances of survival in the front lines of combat are greater than the chances of an unborn child avoiding abortion. What should be the safest place to live in America - a mother's womb - is now the most dangerous place.
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