If someone doesn't want to have children, then not having children isn't selfish so much as it is in the best interests of the hypothetical child.
I've seen what happens with unwanted kids in our society. Better to not have any at all than it is to have one that you didn't want.
The concept of inferior and superior in this regard is silly because each instance is different.
From my own perspective, having a kid was what finally brought meaning into my life. I actually understand Kori's position very well because I've kind of adopted a "Do it for my ancestors" perspective a little bit. By having a child and continuing the teachings of my parents and ancestors, I do honor to them by continuing the meaning of their lives. If my son has children of his own some day, he will be continuing the meaning of my life and the lives of the rest of his ancestors.
So I totally get what Vyktor is saying, but I would change it slightly in my situation to say that I would have been an inferior person had I decided not to have children based on my personal belief system. For me, it's not religious as I have no religion, but it is somewhat spiritual. As for everyone else in the world, it is not me who judges their superiority/inferiority, it is they themselves who do this.
You know, I don't think this is impossible -- or any less meaningful -- with kids who aren't yours necessarily.
I know everyone here thinks I'd like to mount baby heads on spikes, but I actually have a fair bit of time for a smart kid who's to the point of being conversational. I
love encouraging people to pursue their talents -- something a lot of kids don't really get enough of (as opposed to being encouraged to pursue what their parents think will look best).
My family is sort of coming together lately, and it's by no means a typical arrangement, and most of it isn't genetic.
My best friend, whom we consider to be each other's "life partners" in all the ways that count, is planning to have a kid within the next few years. There's a naming convention (not surnames) in my family my dad hoped I would do, if I wanted to. Obviously I won't be, since I won't be having kids, and he's ok with that.
But guess who wants to. My friend.
I never asked her. She just said one day she'd like to.
It'll be her kid, and I don't want to be her kid's parent. But I like the idea of being the crazy aunt who tells stories and encourages a developing mind. Sits around at my coffee table and gives her tea and asks her questions.
My dad was like that, as were many of his unchilded friends who I saw a fair bit of. Rather than focusing on all the cutesy but ultimately non-intellectual things kids do, they focused on my intellect. And I'm better for it. I quickly grew impatient with people who were happy to just come down to my level, rather than challenging me to come up to theirs.
I've been that kind of figure to a couple of kids in the past. And while I certainly don't think any childfree person is obligated to work with kids or even like kids, and there are a bajillion different ways to impact humanity profoundly that have nothing to do with kids, and there are lots of non-kid related ways to have a legacy and I hope to have one myself, I like the idea of passing on that challenging and perhaps slightly subversive ethos that I grew up with.
So does my friend, evidently.
There's so much more to how to be human than the standard lines. I'm going to wind up with a really weird family, no doubt about that, but none of us are here because we have to be or anyone said we should be. We're just here because we want to be, and we have that love of depth and motion and purpose. DNA alone can't give you that any more than love alone can give you that.