Kids or dogs?

[Ichirou]

It seems kind of ridiculous but they're talking about how one of the causes of the lower birth rate in Japan nowadays is that women, instead of getting married and having kids, buy small dogs and then lavish affection on them.  I have seen a lot of this in person, so I don't doubt the reports - I have a dog back home, but I would never treat them as ridiculously as owners do here.

So, KIDS or DOGS?  The future of the human race may well rest on your decision.

[Starscream]

Demons

[CajoleJuice]

[Ichirou]

They're planning a TAKEOVER.

[cloudwalking]

it doesn't take 3 years to toilet train a dog, they're cheaper, and they die a lot sooner. i think the winner is obvious here.

[Fragamemnon]

Treating pets like children is bad for the pet and sad for the "parent". Dogs and cat's brains aren't wired like a child's is.

That being said, if I had to choose between the two, I'd choose the pets. In an advanced first-world society and economy, the benefit of having children has been whittled to near nothingness outside of the parent's own sense of "hey, our parts work look what we made, aren't we awesome".

[Tauntaun]

it doesn't take 3 years to toilet train a dog, they're cheaper, and they die a lot sooner. i think the winner is obvious here.

   harsh, woman! 



kids 


.....
....
.wait for it...
....

AND DOGS!

[Rman]

Kids....
Not for everyone, though.  Anyone who has worked with kids (teachers, camp counselor, etc.) will tell that some people just should never have them. 

[Flannel Boy]

High average IQ + employment opportunities for women + birth control + expensive housing = low birth rate

[Ichirou]

I don't get people who have tons of pets.  I like having one dog, maybe two at most, but...my aunt has like five or six dogs, that's insane.  She doesn't even walk them, just keeps them in her house or yard.  It's sad, really.  And she also has like three cats who spend their free time breaking all her stuff by climbing on her glass shelves and cracking them or knocking down books, vases, ceramic figurines, etc.

[Smooth Groove]

I don't get people who have tons of pets.  I like having one dog, maybe two at most, but...my aunt has like five or six dogs, that's insane.  She doesn't even walk them, just keeps them in her house or yard.  It's sad, really.  And she also has like three cats who spend their free time breaking all her stuff by climbing on her glass shelves and cracking them or knocking down books, vases, ceramic figurines, etc.

Her house must smell like shit.  Kids win by a huge margin,  just based on smell alone. 

[Ichirou]

Yes, it does.  My mom actually makes a point to comment on it every time we visit, 'cuz she thinks it'll shame my aunt into taking better care of her pets or cleaning more often.  Hasn't worked, though.

My aunt's nuts...she only pays attention to her cats, anyway, her dogs just run around the yard getting all dirty and disgusting (and then she brings them into the house whenever it starts to rain, making the house dirty and disgusting).

I also know a co-worker who has four dogs, but her house is really clean.  She pampers them way too much, though.  That's the opposite extreme from my aunt.  She's the type of person I talked about in the OP (except she's married with kids).  She celebrates the dogs' birthdays, she dresses them up for Halloween, she takes them with her on vacation, etc.

We have one small dog (shetland sheepdog) at our house.  It's clean, we walk it every day, it sleeps in the garage, it's housetrained, and it doesn't climb on furniture.  That's the only way to live with a pet, IMO.  Animals are animals, people are people.

[FlameOfCallandor]

Treating pets like children is bad for the pet and sad for the "parent". Dogs and cat's brains aren't wired like a child's is.

That being said, if I had to choose between the two, I'd choose the pets. In an advanced first-world society and economy, the benefit of having children has been whittled to near nothingness outside of the parent's own sense of "hey, our parts work look what we made, aren't we awesome".

What about the reward of seeing your kid grow up and be succesfull? There is also the whole continuing the human race thing.

[Ichirou]

World's overpopulated as it is.

Part of the appeal of having a pet is having a kid that never grows up - i.e., one that always needs to be taken care of by you, is affectionate and never goes through that annoying rebellious teenager phase, etc.

[Oblivion]

Yeah, get pets instead. Though I would recommend kitties.

[Ichirou]

I would never own a cat.

[Flannel Boy]

I would never own a cat.

And all this time I thought pussy avoided you.

[Ichirou]

 :'(

[bagofeyes]

Japanese chicks are fucking nuts

[Fragamemnon]

What about the reward of seeing your kid grow up and be succesfull? There is also the whole continuing the human race thing.

Or your kid could be a total failure.

In the end, you only have so much influence on upbringing. In the end, the math isn't really favorable that your child's contribution to society and civilization will eclipse their lifetime consumption of resources and production of waste.