Why having kids is ethical (if you want them) | Christine Emba

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Aug 22, 2025

The conversation dives into the ethics of parenthood in today's troubled world, questioning whether having children is a responsible choice. It tackles the fears surrounding raising kids during climate change and political strife. The discussion highlights the potential economic risks of declining birth rates and the spiritual significance of creating the next generation. Emba encourages a hopeful outlook, emphasizing that parenthood can be an investment in a better future and a commitment to societal change.

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INSIGHT

Risks Of Having Too Few Children

Declining birth rates create economic and social risks like strained elder care and weaker public support systems.
Christine Emba argues children can increase adults' stake in society and future stability.

ADVICE

Think Beyond Personal Insurance

Don't choose parenthood solely as a personal pension plan or expect coercive care from children in old age.
Consider children as a non-monetary investment in society and in cultivating future commitment.

INSIGHT

Progress Is Harder To Imagine Than Decline

Life expectancy and many quality-of-life measures have improved dramatically over centuries.
Emba cautions that our imagination favors doom, yet historical trends and new voices suggest possible improvement.

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“In our current social and physical climate, there's a sense of fatalism, a fear that bringing someone new into the world might be a bad thing.”

**Is It Ethical to Have Kids? The Debate That’s Shaping Our Future**

With climate change, political turmoil, and economic uncertainty, more people than ever are questioning whether bringing a child into the world is the right choice. But what if not having children is just as risky? In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the economic, social, and philosophical stakes of declining birth rates—and why choosing to have kids might actually be an act of hope.

Are we underestimating humanity’s ability to create a better future? Could having children be the key to change rather than a burden on it? Let’s rethink the future—together.

What are the risks of not having enough children? In today’s landscape, there are questions about whether or not it’s ethical to bring children into a volatile world, but what are the risks of not having children? Author Christine Emba examines the moral dilemma associated with having kids in 2025. Economic ramifications like Social Security and caretaking considerations are practical reasons one might decide to expand their family, but the largest consideration may be spiritual: Having children can offer parents a stronger stake in society: To play a part in creating the next generation and shape the future. Often, when people ask, "Should I have children in the face of climate change or a bad presidency?," they're not really asking about children, they’re asking whether they should be completely fatalistic about the climate or politics or gun violence in schools, whether or not the human condition is in inexorable decline. Emba urges us to look at the data: Statistically, quality of life is relatively high today. So, what should you actually consider when deciding whether or not to have kids?Timestamps:0:00: Having children in a “doomed world” 0:51: The risks of not having children2:29: Quality of life3:51: Natality

About Christine Emba:Christine Emba is an opinion columnist and Editorial Board member at the Washington Post, and also serves as a contributing editor for Comment magazine. She is the author of Rethinking Sex: A Provocation. Before coming to The Post in 2015, Christine was the Hilton Kramer Fellow in Criticism at the New Criterion and a deputy editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, focusing on technology and innovation. She grew up in Virginia and holds an A.B. In public and international affairs from Princeton University.

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