This analogy doesn't really work for me, because I don't really see any benefits at all to having children.

With exercise, it's pretty obvious why you'd do it, but with kids? Honestly, I just see downsides that lead to more downsides.

I don’t entirely disagree with you, but that is like saying people who are childfree don’t contribute to “the greater good”. I happily pay my taxes for other people’s children to be educated, I chat with the parents and kids in my neighborhood frequently, I support their school fundraisers, I helped hide a bicycle that the neighbor kid was getting for Christmas gift so it would be a surprise etc. Just because I do not have children, does not mean I do not contribute to the greater good. I push myself in other ways, I don’t need kids to push me out of my comfort zone. It’s ok that you do, but not everyone needs that

It gets incredibly tiring to be constantly told I’m not a real woman^tm^ because I don’t want children. Or that I’m going to regret it. Or that I’m not going to have anyone to take care of me when I’m old. It’s near constant up to a certain age for women to be harassed about having children from everyone when people should just mind their own business.

What’s really funny is that I live in a very family centered neighborhood with 30+ children in my cul de sac and not one of those parents have harassed me about having kids. They ask if it’s in the plans and when I say I don’t want them, they just say “that’s cool” and the conversation moves on. They are all super chill about it.

And all of my comments are from the perspective of a woman who would have very much kept and loved the child I miscarried, the child I never even knew I was pregnant with before I was miscarrying on a public restroom floor. But that was before pregnancy would have impacted my spinal fusion.

To me, there is no "greater good" to having children. From where I'm standing all you guys are doing is repeatedly dropping a rock on your feet and going "see this is so much fun, you should do it too!"

No thank you. I'm glad this brings you joy or whatever, but I do in fact value my own comfort and joy and peace of mind quite highly and so I will not be doing that.

I'm still waiting for the "feel good" part of exercising to kick in. Been doing it for years, managed to lose nearly 100 pounds, and still feel like shit whenever I do it and afterwards. I'm at my happiest during the days I don't do any exercise on my days off of work. My therapist doesn't really think much of it since I get enjoyment from other things like frequent theater trips and talking to friends. Like if I could lose weight another way without paying a fuckton for surgery I'd rather do that so I can stay away from the depressed feelings.

I’m doing it for let’s say “a greater good”

If i didnt think that was batshit insane delusion i might consider having kids lmao