delete

You're the one suggesting that men shouldn't have an opinion on the topic, or that their own viewpoints have no relevance. Sure, the OP asked for female opinions, but males contributing to the thread doesn't stop that from happening. Oh, and if the OP had asked the same question, directing it towards only men, you'd (along with other women) be in here voicing your opinions just as much as the males.

The point is that you're projecting. "Shouting women down. As if the woman is not entitled to her opinion." There's been very little if any, of that on the thread. The OP posted to AH.. which everyone knows isn't the place for a serious discussion.

Very human of you. Find something in life that is so personally profound and transformative that you genuinely wish everyone else finds the secret to life and happiness and fulfillment that you have. To the point you imagine them on death beds having revelations of regret for not having spent their life as you did.

So we can see paragraphs from such people that (emphasis mine) "You need to have kids. It's our entire reason for being. Your legacy will be your kids.". Somehow missing that 1) many people live fulfilled lives without, 2) there is seemingly no actual "reason" for being other than the reasons we find for ourselves, and 3) plenty of people have left legacies small and large not involving children.

Countless 1000s of people find the same effects from entirely different things. And many look at others with the same thoughts as you - that they just wish the world would discover what they have. Or your phrase that anyone without is somehow "ducking their responsibility" - a responsibility they do not actually have - but you have ascribed to them anyway?

Hell you get it in simple things like diets too. Some people discover a diet that works for them - sends their energy and health and well being through the roof - so they can not wait to preach the diet to everyone else. Telling them that it is _the_ path to better health and energy and drive and well being. They can not understand why others do not want to try it. Or when they do try it - it fails to have a similar effect.

Not to mention people who discover things like "god".

I have kids. 4 now. I do not feel they are my "legacy". I do not feel anyone else "needs" to have them because I did. They are life altering as you say sure but not _the most_ life altering thing I've ever done nor the most complex. In fact in many ways it has been incredibly simple and most of the complexities I have heard of were illusory.

All the things that have been life altering to me I discuss very often on this forum. But I never tell anyone they need to try it too or that doing so will enrich or change them. Rather I describe what has been transformative to me in the hopes it inspires others to find what is transformative to them. All the while realizing they might get absolutely nothing from what has been profound for me.