"I never asked to be born"

Have you ever heard someone exclaim "Well, I never asked to born!"? The reason I've been thinking about this is that things aren't turning out too well for me, what with failing one of my college classes, I can't afford to get my best friend something really nice for Christmas (much less see him), and I don't think the way most people around me would like me to think (alongside other problems). When this kind of stuff happens, I usually think of the titular quote because if I hadn't been born, which isn't my fault, then I wouldn't be like this (or even be able to be like this*

).

But it wasn't until around yesterday that I thought "Hey, this is probably/might be very unwarranted of me and other teenagers*

since our lives have turned out much better than others' have in the world; we could be much worse off, and we're complaining?" (Note how I said probably/might be, I'm still dangling between both opinions.)

So, do you think "I never asked to be born" is a legitimate complaint or not? Also, please don't tie this into an abortion thread (we have enough of those already) or a blame game. Keep it civilized.

I've heard it once before on this forum.

So, the phrase is basically complaining about being alive, which you had no choice over. But then, the natural conclusion to that statement would normally be that the person that said it should kill itself. Unless you want to blame your natural drive to live and rather say "I never asked to be born and live this bad life, but this stupid survival instinct doesn't let me end my life either."

Murrl LustFatM

Nah. It's pure adolescent drivel. Nobody can ask to be born; doesn't mean we should up and go extinct.

Hail Martin Septim!

I don't think that's a legitimate complaint.

A good comeback could be, "Well, you were born, so might as well make the situation work." After all, humans evolved to be adaptable and change for the better, right?

edited 5th Dec '11 10:13:28 AM by BlackElephant

I'm an elephant. Rurr.

I would frame it as "I have no inherent duty to live". The logical conclusion is to either enjoy yourself or commit suicide. I recommend enjoying yourself, personally.

The phrase itself is basically a cliche.

What has that to do with extinction? The phrase works on an individual level.

Basically, has hit the nail on the head and has said everything that needs to be said.

Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken. Unrelated ME1 Fanfic

"I didn't ask to be born" -> "People are wrong to conceive without their future offspring's permission".

Hail Martin Septim!

"I didn't ask to be born."

Well, we can fix that problem.

Time travel?

To me, this really just illustrates the limitations of subscribing to an ideology based on limitless choice and limitless freedom i.e. no-one gets either. A lot of everyone's life is dictated by things they don't control. As well as never asking to be born, other things people don't ask for include:-

1.Dying.

2. Paying taxes.

3. Only having one leg.

4. Beauty.

5. Talent.

6. A large and oddly-shaped head.

7. Being American.

8. Being North Korean.

9. Being John Malkovich.

10. Being burned to death by a cloud of gas from an randomly erupting volcano.

I could go on and on, but hopefully you get the point.

"Well, it's a lifestyle"

So, no one should have children unless their future children come back in time to tell them it's ok ... sounds good!

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw

Try some context, Blue Ninja. It'll do you good.

Hail Martin Septim!

Hold on, I'll try it after I get you a new humor detector. Since the pothole to Insane Troll Logic apparently wasn't enough of a tip-off ...

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw

Also, I feel like "I never asked to be born" further implies that people should only conceive children if they feel their life will be "good" enough. So people in Africa should stop having children??

Blaming your parents (or God) for creating you is kind of odd.

edited 5th Dec '11 12:14:20 PM by Excelion

Murrl LustFatM

I thought you were accusing me of Insane Troll Logic, because you somehow thought I agreed with the logical implications. Stranger things have happened on debate threads.

Also, Nigerians have the highest life satisfaction on earth. No, I don't know why either.

edited 5th Dec '11 12:17:00 PM by DomaDoma

Hail Martin Septim!

Cheap weed?

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

"Blaming" your parents for creating you is, well, kind of obviously true. Blaming God for creating you is rather silly, unless you're hiding the fact of being the second coming of Christ.

No, just that line struck me as humorous, and ITL is generally used as a humor pothole. By me, anyway.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw

It was an honor

You can blame God for everything, really. It makes just as much sense as thanking him for anything.

I never asked for this

hashtagsarestupid

I've said this before as a way to justify suicidal thoughts. I never asked to be born, so I can snuff my self out if I please. Also can be used as a response to the notion that we should be "grateful" for having been given life. I love and respect my mother and all, but I can't say I'm "grateful" that she happened to give birth to me. I never chose this. I dunno. I'm definitely not trying to blame anyone for anything.

It's a perfectly reasonable sentiment, and it's unfortunate that suicide is such a taboo in most societies. Ideally, you should be able to off yourself and have your friends and family go "well, it was a fun ride while it lasted." Sadly, the actual reaction is more likely to be "what did I do wrong that I couldn't save this person," which, of course, makes the situation rather more complicated than "well, why don't you just kill yourself, then?"

I'd say it's a good thing that suicide is taboo. Otherwise people might start offing themselves for what are frankly stupid reasons, like "my boyfriend/girlfriend broke up with me!" from lovestruck, idiotic teenagers.

That said, I support the right to commit suicide provided the person is of sound mind (i.e. not in significant emotional distress right now), has given informed consent, does it in a way that cannot cause direct collateral damage (i.e. lethal injection before a bullet to the brain that could theoretically keep going), and above all, does so without the direct assistance of another.

Such is my opinion, and I'd ask the other posters of the thread to kindly not start a big old euthanasia derail over how I don't like direct interference with suicide...

I am now known as Flyboy.

Dude, people don't say "well, it was a fun ride when it lasted" when their loved ones die of accident or illness. Nor should they. Adding despair to the death certainly doesn't help.

Hail Martin Septim!

No, but they don't blame themselves, either - at least, not as much. Even though accidental death should generally be seen as more unfortunate than someone exercising their right to choose the time and, ideally, manner, of their own departure.