Well said Ash? Name calling and incorrect knowledge of science is rewarded with compliments?
1. All plants and animals reproduce. It's not rocket science, or a gift from whichever of the 2000+ gods man has created: It's just evolution. (Before anyone starts this again, any opposing personal opinion about evolution is as invalid and irrelevant as your opinion about gravity, atomic structure and heliocentrism, etc.)
2. Assumptions and opinions about my single vs. married status, reproductive history and reproductive capability are also irrelevant.
3. Were all child-free people living "superficial" lives until they reproduced, or after they discovered they were unable to reproduce? Your own life before kids, or if your kids died, or if you can't have any, had/has no value to you or others around you?
4. Is it only through reproduction that someone's life is elevated in value from such "superficial" lack of meaning as those who have not reproduced?
5. Yes, money can buy happiness: It buys shelter, nutrition, health care, entertainment and security. And yes, more money can buy more happiness, if the things you need and/or want for happiness cost money, and they all do. Note that I said "can buy happiness" which does not equal "will buy happiness." Conversely, a lack of money cannot buy happiness. I believe this thread contains several dollar amounts and the parents' concern over the cost of schooling.
6. Yes, my point was very simple: If you want to raise new humans, that is each person's choice and their responsibility. As a society, we have agreed to all share the financial burden of your choice to a large extent already. The company does provide some assistance at great cost that many do not benefit from in other ways, and in fact accept a financial burden in taxation and reduced profits. Choosing to leave your country (for money, incidentally...) and its social support network is also each individual's choice. Some relief is made available by the company, some is not. I say: Deal with it.
7. If the company has problems getting and retaining employees because of this issue, they will do something about it, as they do with housing in HKG (whichever deal, if it's enough for their plans, not yours).
8. Yes, like most with common sense, I am aware that reproductive cells are not kids, and that kids are not reproductive cells (other than before/at conception), but pairing up males and females to create new humans is certainly called reproduction (online dictionaries are available). Despite your apparent confusion and lack of scientific comprehension, even reproduced humans aren't any more of a gift from god (whichever you like to imagine) than the horse's or sparrow's or worm's or lobster's offspring (bacteria too!), no matter how much you love and want and enjoy your kids.
9. Are all the young soldiers coming home without genitals, and other victims of violence, disease or medical issues, also going to be called "Tools" and "Buttheads" and "superficial" by you guys, since they "obviously can't reproduce?"
Sounds to me like a whole bunch of people shouldn't be too proud of reproducing their genetic traits and are probably raising an entitled and mean generation of science deniers.
So, back to the school system and education allowance thing now?
Last edited by Iron Skillet; 9th Jan 2012 at 14:31.