Not a comment on the argument in the post which seems like it could be roughly correct, but just to throw this out there:
I guess I’m even weirder than the typical LW’er.
Not only am I interested in a wide variety of subjects, I’m also married with a kid. The optimal raising of my child is just one of a wide variety of subjects I’m interested in on a deep level.
If you want to know the specific numbers of how unusual you are compared to the rest of LW, 18.2% of LW is married, and 18.4% of LW has at least 1 kid, according to the most recent survey results.
According to Gallup, 53% of people 18-40 (I’m 37) have children, and another 40% who don’t want to.
Also according to Gallup and contrary to the implications in the original post, only 7% of all those aged 45+ with children would go back and not have children.
Ehh, I don’t think that’s a valid question to ask someone with kids. It’s effectively, “would you prefer your children not be alive right now?” Or, “do you consider your children mistakes now that you’ve raised them?”.
I’m not sure what the optimal way to phrase the question would be but maybe:
“If your biological age was reset to 20, would you start another family?” Or
“If you could give advice to the parallel universe you who is 25 years younger, would you tell him to have kids?”
Not a comment on the argument in the post which seems like it could be roughly correct, but just to throw this out there:
I guess I’m even weirder than the typical LW’er.
Not only am I interested in a wide variety of subjects, I’m also married with a kid. The optimal raising of my child is just one of a wide variety of subjects I’m interested in on a deep level.
I also want to live forever.
If you want to know the specific numbers of how unusual you are compared to the rest of LW, 18.2% of LW is married, and 18.4% of LW has at least 1 kid, according to the most recent survey results.
How does this compare to the general population of a similar age?
According to Gallup, 53% of people 18-40 (I’m 37) have children, and another 40% who don’t want to.
Also according to Gallup and contrary to the implications in the original post, only 7% of all those aged 45+ with children would go back and not have children.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/164618/desire-children-norm.aspx
“Go back and not have children”
Ehh, I don’t think that’s a valid question to ask someone with kids. It’s effectively, “would you prefer your children not be alive right now?” Or, “do you consider your children mistakes now that you’ve raised them?”.
I’m not sure what the optimal way to phrase the question would be but maybe:
“If your biological age was reset to 20, would you start another family?” Or “If you could give advice to the parallel universe you who is 25 years younger, would you tell him to have kids?”
Hmm, those still aren’t great.
This is a good point, but I did a poor job conveying the actual question asked by Gallup, which was:
Which, at least, is a little better than what I implied.
Or just an LW’er who has been a little more successful at getting what a lot of us want but have not achieved.