Antinatalism is a philosophical argument that assigns a negative value to birth. It is seen as an umbrella term for views that are critical of reproduction for any reason. Many of them share the perspective that bringing a person into existence exposes them to immeasurable suffering and pain. It also argues that procreation is immoral, as all humans are born without consent and cannot choose to be born. If your baby could foresee all the hardships, heartbreaks, and overall pain and suffering the world has to offer, would it really choose to be born?

As Antinatalism and suicide rates are increasing, we must compel ourselves to confront these challenging questions. South African philosopher David Benatar was best known for his advocacy of Antinatalism. His famous asymmetry argument further pushed these views into the limelight. It argued between two scenarios: one where the person in question ceased to exist, and one where the person does exist. It weighs the pros and cons of each option and ultimately concludes that the cons far outweigh the pros. Benatar argues that life is actually much worse than we believe because humans have a tendency towards optimism. Our sole purpose for reproducing is to succumb to our evolutionary instincts, rather than a genuine desire to bring a sentient being into existence. David Benatar solemnly argues that if everyone were to realize the true extent of the misery in our lives, society would crumble and we would be too despondent to take any action, let alone sustain the human race. He implores people not to perpetuate this cycle, stating that it may be too late to save ourselves from existence, but we can still prevent the existence of future generations.

But in the end, one must reflect on the kind of individuals who hold these perspectives. To gain a better understanding of Antinatalism, it is important to examine the demographics of its believers. You will find that advocates of Antinatalism often have a distorted view of the world. This is because the extent to which they perceive the world as hellish determines the level of their radicalism. One's hatred for the world is proportional to their reluctance to bring people into this world.

Antinatalism as a whole, however, has garnered little support compared to other ideologies, and its followers are few in number. Whether we will be forced to confront these principles or whether Antinatalism will become another baseless theory still remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, though: life is worth living.