People with money problems continuing to have children, why?

Purple said:

Mind you I feel the same about old people; if they haven't made provision for their old age then what the hell are they doing hanging around?

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I know this was said tongue-in-cheek and is part of a bigger post. But, this is where the internet is dangerous. Let's roll the clock forward say fifty years. Purple is now retired, walking for fitness instead of using the local Health Club and suffering a lesser car having invested in the banks to prepare for old age. The banks collapse (surprise, surprise) and suddenly investments have gone pear shape.

Then Purple, do you think what are YOU doing hanging around? Many people made provision for their old age through what was thought to be gilt edged investments and through no fault of the investors their funds collapse rending them almost penniless. As I keep pointing out, nobody is in prison having caused this dreadful situation. But, the retired people must struggle on and being asked what are they doing hanging around is not nice.

Leper said:

I know this was said tongue-in-cheek and is part of a bigger post. But, this is where the internet is dangerous. Let's roll the clock forward say fifty years. Purple is now retired, walking for fitness instead of using the local Health Club and suffering a lesser car having invested in the banks to prepare for old age. The banks collapse (surprise, surprise) and suddenly investments have gone pear shape.

Then Purple, do you think what are YOU doing hanging around? Many people made provision for their old age through what was thought to be gilt edged investments and through no fault of the investors their funds collapse rending them almost penniless. As I keep pointing out, nobody is in prison having caused this dreadful situation. But, the retired people must struggle on and being asked what are they doing hanging around is not nice.

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I n that scenario I’d probably have to become a street entertainer, return to prostitution or sell some organs.

Losing out on the gym won’t be a problem as I’m not in one.

Purple said:

I have four children. If things get bad we'll sell one.

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We're at that stage now...not financially, but emotionally. Put one of them on e-Bay but no offers. Actually, some family came back to us with an offer of 20k. Got all excited n'all that I might change the car until they clarified that they would need to be paid 20k to take the good looking one.

Purple said:

I n that scenario I’d probably have to become a street entertainer, return to prostitution or sell some organs.

Losing out on the gym won’t be a problem as I’m not in one.

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" Return to prostitution " - you really have had a varied career Purple ! - looks like you have already sold ( or at least rented out ) one organ.

Does the missus know ?

Deiseblue said:

Does the missus know ?

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How do you think we met?

I'm a recently retired person "hanging around" and am presently researching as to whether there is a condition where young women are afflicted with a strong desire to be in the company of old men ,regardless as to their financial status.
(My 18yr old daughter has recently developed the opposite condition -for some strange reason choosing the company of other young people than spend time with her aged dad.)

If, Purple, your wife has cognisance of the ailment I'm researching -gerontofilia ,I'd imagine it'd be called -and is aware of any young females suffering from it, please contact me. This hanging about bit the last year is getting me down -there's only so much gardening,hill-walking and leering I can do.And my wife is constantly suggesting a take a long trip,one-way ticket only. I'm dreading I may have take up golf.

i want to know Hugh Hefner's secret -surely it's not the money?

Eventually I hope to become self-employed and work (to some degree) until I drop. Not really expecting this 'clinking glasses on the yacht' guff. A 4 days week from 70 until caput (health allowing) doesnt sound that bad to me (I am only half way to 70 so maybe by then I'll feel differently).

Have 2 boys, they're great, but inclined to leave it at 2. Agree that its not fair on kids to codemn them to a life of poverty, however some people will feel this is the darkest hour, and in 5 years time they'll be going ok again but maybe the biological clock cant wait that long - a child is not just for Christmas etc etc

Here in England there are peoplewho apparently have lots of children as a career choice; I don't know what the benefits system is like over there but here it can be very lucrative to have a large family.

I know one thing. When we had our children we could not afford them. Things got better and whatever we had we spent on them. I have some sympathy with the title of this thread, but taking it to the Nth Degree would suggest that human civilisation will die out.

At the expense of being slated, tell me if I am correct.
I see adverts on TV for children in Africa, with some children in terrible condition. Should these parents refrain from having children if they are going to be brought up in theses condition or die? How many children do they have per family? Should we not be providing contraceptives instead of food

roker said:

At the expense of being slated, tell me if I am correct.
I see adverts on TV for children in Africa, with some children in terrible condition. Should these parents refrain from having children if they are going to be brought up in theses condition or die? How many children do they have per family? Should we not be providing contraceptives instead of food

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Slated for what?

Ive never understood this myself, not only are these people continuing to have children they cant feed, but they are actually condemning these children to horrific lives of starvation.

I understand that they have a lot of children per family, because the child mortality is so high, to try to increase the chances of having one child make it.

What I genuinely fail to understand is how people are actually able to get pregnant in these conditions. There are cases you see where infants and their mothers are scrawny and starved looking, its not something that happens overnight, so how did they have the energy or inclination to get to be pregnant in the first place, and then how did they survive the pregnancy/birth?

roker said:

At the expense of being slated, tell me if I am correct.
I see adverts on TV for children in Africa, with some children in terrible condition. Should these parents refrain from having children if they are going to be brought up in theses condition or die? How many children do they have per family? Should we not be providing contraceptives instead of food

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I agree, can't understamd why people have children knowing that they may die or live a life of absolute misery. Feel the same here in Ireland when we are told certain children will live in poverty with very little change of a decent future. Why would you bring children into the world to suffer?

Some reasons to consider:

Non availability of contraception due to cost or religion.

The need to have many children to, hopefully, provide for the parents in their old age.

The fact that many children die in infancy due to disease and /or malnutrition.

Little or no alternative forms of entertainment which are free at the point of partaking.

In the case of Swaziland, where I worked for three years, a monarch who would rather buy Mercedes for his multiple wifes than spend the money on educating his people.

With an average life expectancy of 32yrs it is "necessary" to keep the population growing.

Probably going off topic but I think the population of Ethopia has double since the days of Live Aid.