It’s not clear to me that this is a misunderstanding. I think that my life is pretty dang awesome, and I would be willing to have children that are significantly less happy than I am (though, ceteris paribus, more happiness is better). If you aren’t, reaching out with friendly concern seems appropriate.
I would be willing to have children that are significantly less happy than I am
Remember, not “provided I already have children, I’m OK with them being significantly less happy than I am”, but “Knowing for sure that my children will be significantly less happy than I am, I will still have children”. May not give you pause, but probably will to most (first-world) people.
I suspect that most first-world people are significantly less happy than many happy people on LW, and that those people on LW would still be very happy to have children who were as happy as average first-worlders, though reasonably hoping to do better.
It’s not clear to me that this is a misunderstanding. I think that my life is pretty dang awesome, and I would be willing to have children that are significantly less happy than I am (though, ceteris paribus, more happiness is better). If you aren’t, reaching out with friendly concern seems appropriate.
Remember, not “provided I already have children, I’m OK with them being significantly less happy than I am”, but “Knowing for sure that my children will be significantly less happy than I am, I will still have children”. May not give you pause, but probably will to most (first-world) people.
I suspect that most first-world people are significantly less happy than many happy people on LW, and that those people on LW would still be very happy to have children who were as happy as average first-worlders, though reasonably hoping to do better.