Do You Need Children to Care About the Future?

Shady Trees or Empty Branches?

 “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” - ancient Greek proverb

Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,

To the ancients, not having children was not an option. It was literally critical to the well being of the society, of the community, of the family. Lineage was storied and revered and the lines from ancestors to progeny clear. Battle scenes begin with recitations of those before them and myths with those who will come after. Not having children, therefore, would have been completely unfathomable, because how would anyone be able to live on, to have their memory respected, if their descendents weren’t around to do it? 

There is a secondary effect of having endured sleepless years, beyond a hope for imagined immortality, or at least a pretty gravesite. It connects you to a future in a very visceral way... because suddenly 2055 isn’t just a random date, it’s when my daughter will be my age, hopefully with a child of her own... when, I imagine, she’ll be thinking about 2095 in the exact same way. 

But is having a child essential for contemplating and truly feeling the need for a better future? 

Now... this is where we enter into a more thoughtful conversation, because I am sure there are readers among you who are currently shaking your heads. And it is exactly this point I wish to discuss! We live in an era with many more people and no doubt plenty are thinking of the crowded cities and of our being mercifully relieved of having to maintain a society one kid at a time. 

And this is a pertinent discussion, both socially and politically. It is something being debated between political candidates as well as over family dinner tables. After decades of decline, women are only very recently increasing their likelihood of having children, but of course it’s still far off the levels and expectations that have been the norms for thousands of years. 

For decades childlessness was on the rise, and pridefully so, as many women opted out of what they saw as traditional roles. It was no longer a mark of shame or selfishness, but of certainty and ambition. 

However, should it be? Are we making progress or retarding perspective-giving processes?

Now, a few important things to note... There is a difference between childless and childfree. Not everyone can have children, and so perhaps those deep connections are sought in children that aren’t biologically their own. Then again, maybe those who choose not to have kids also seek said relationships?

There is also a long, noteworthy list of great thinkers and artists who have contributed enormously to project humanity sans progeny. Plato, arguably one of the greatest philosophers of all time, is among them... as was Virgil.

Moreover Democritus, the Ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher primarily remembered today for his formulation of an atomic theory of the universe and who many consider to be the "father of modern science", did not want children and argued that people should be free to choose for themselves whether or not to raise families.

Additionally, among the modern philosophers, you can include Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Kant, Hume, Hobbes, Locke, Kierkegaard and Spinoza among the childfree. Indeed, looking at the list, one may conclude that not having children is beneficial for philosophical thinking! 

So where does that leave us, dear reader, with today’s question? Both at an individual and a societal level, are progeny essential for planning? Do we need kids in mind to construct a world that will hopefully be better? 

Do you need children to care about the future? 

Let us know what you think in the comments below and take part in the great conversation! A time honored tradition of philosophical discussion and inquiry that connects us both to the past and the future. 

In fact, if you aren’t already, make sure to become part of our community to help keep this critical way of thinking and interacting with the past alive. From weekly discussions and deep dives into ancient ideas, we are committed to bringing classical wisdom to our modern lives.

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All the best,

Anya Leonard

Founder and Director

Classical Wisdom

P.S. I went down a little rabbit hole trying to find the origins of the quote at the very top... but one of the best ancient references I found was of Cicero: 

‘serit arbores, quae alteri saeclo prosint,’ ut ait Statius noster in Synephebis,

‘he plants trees, which will be of use to another age,’ as [Caecilius] Statius says in his Synephebi. - CICERO Cato Major vii. 24

If anyone has any further intel on the quote, I’d love to hear it!