--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is one kind of exception: those who…" description: "\"“There is one kind of exception: those who believe that the world is too horrible a place into which to bring children. Such people believe that there ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/david-benatar-19400_children_there-is-one-kind-of-exception-those-who_242658.jpg" --- # There is one kind of exception: those who believe that the… ![“There is one kind of exception: those who believe that the world is too horrible a place into which to bring children. Such people believe that there happens to be too much bad in the world to make procreation acceptable. That belief must be right. I disagree only in one way with those who advance…” quote by David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/david-benatar-19400_children_there-is-one-kind-of-exception-those-who_242658.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/david-benatar-19400_children_there-is-one-kind-of-exception-those-who_242658.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/david-benatar-19400_children_there-is-one-kind-of-exception-those-who_242658.jpg) > ““There is one kind of exception: those who believe that the world is too horrible a place into which to bring children. Such people believe that there happens to be too much bad in the world to make procreation acceptable. That belief must be right. I disagree only in one way with those who advance it. Unlike (most of) them, I think that there could be much less suffering and yet procreation would remain unacceptable.”” [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that bringing children into a world with inevitable suffering is morally problematic, even if suffering could be reduced. **In simple terms:** Having kids may be wrong because life inevitably includes suffering. Key Takeaway Consider the ethics of procreation. Themes ethics existentialism parenthood Mood thoughtful somber Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - family planning - policy debates - personal decisions - philosophical counseling Key Concepts harm suffering moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Is it possible to create a life with minimal suffering? - What responsibilities do prospective parents have? A Different Perspective Some argue that potential joy outweighs suffering, which the author does not fully address. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Procreation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procreation/) ## Related quotes > [Creating new people, by having babies, is so much a part of human life that it is rarely thought even to require a justification.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benatar/creating-new-people-by-having-babies-is-so-much-a-part-of-human-life/) [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Marriage is the commodification of affection, copulation, and, reproduction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/marriage-is-the-commodification-of-affection-copulation-and/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The power of procreation is not an incidental part of the plan; it is the plan of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/the-power-of-procreation-is-not-an-incidental-part-of-the-plan-it-is/) [Boyd K. 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He said if men are going to pull something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/rick-santorum-doesn-t-like-sex-he-doesn-t-like-the-pill-he-really/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“In my lifelong study of the scores of species of ants to be found in the tropical forests of Dal Hon, I am led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/in-my-lifelong-study-of-the-scores-of-species-of-ants-to-be-found-in/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Cloning represents a very clear, powerful, and immediate example in which we are in danger of turning procreation into manufacture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/cloning-represents-a-very-clear-powerful-and-immediate-example-in/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [The conclusion, therefore, is that there are two major forces in society: love, which multiplies the species, and the nose, which subordinates it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machado-de-assis/the-conclusion-therefore-is-that-there-are-two-major-forces-in/) [Machado de Assis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machado-de-assis/) > [Scoring high in procreation, got an A studying female anatomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/scoring-high-in-procreation-got-an-a-studying-female-anatomy/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [Christianity has ever been the enemy of human love; it has forever cursed and expelled and crucified the one passion which sweetens and smiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/christianity-has-ever-been-the-enemy-of-human-love-it-has-forever/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) > [Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the procreation and education of children. Children are really the supreme gift of marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/marriage-and-conjugal-love-are-by-their-nature-ordained-toward-the/) [Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/) > [There is a divine moment in our lives when we all become one. It's called procreation, and it is reborn, continually and forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-benedict/there-is-a-divine-moment-in-our-lives-when-we-all-become-one-it-s/) [Dirk Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-benedict/) > [The ethical system of these men of the New Republic, the ethical system which will dominate the world state, will be shaped primarily to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/the-ethical-system-of-these-men-of-the-new-republic-the-ethical/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) ## More by David Benatar > [“There’s such a thing as chronic pain, but there’s no such thing as chronic pleasure. ... For an existing person, the presence of bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benatar/there-s-such-a-thing-as-chronic-pain-but-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) > [Creating new people, by having babies, is so much a part of human life that it is rarely thought even to require a justification.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benatar/creating-new-people-by-having-babies-is-so-much-a-part-of-human-life/) [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) > [“For instance, since none of us lives until age 240, people tend not to think that failing to reach that age makes one’s life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benatar/for-instance-since-none-of-us-lives-until-age-240-people-tend-not-to/) [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) > [On my view there is no net benefit to coming into existence and thus coming into existence is never worth its costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benatar/on-my-view-there-is-no-net-benefit-to-coming-into-existence-and-thus/) [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) > [Coming into existence is always bad for those who come into existence. 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