--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We in the West do not refrain from…" description: "\"We in the West do not refrain from childbirth because we are concerned about the population explosion or because we feel we cannot afford children, but..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/752/germaine-greer-1521_childbirth_we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-child_1794289.png" --- # We in the West do not refrain from childbirth because we… ![“We in the West do not refrain from childbirth because we are concerned about the population explosion or because we feel we cannot afford children, but because we do not like children.” quote by Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/752/germaine-greer-1521_childbirth_we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-child_1794289.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/752/germaine-greer-1521_childbirth_we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-child_1794289.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/752/germaine-greer-1521_childbirth_we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-child_1794289.png) > “We in the West do not refrain from childbirth because we are concerned about the population explosion or because we feel we cannot afford children, but because we do not like children.” [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She argues Western societies avoid having children not for economic or ecological reasons but because they simply dislike children. **In simple terms:** Dislike, not fear, drives low birth rates. Key Takeaway Address cultural attitudes toward children. Themes family population culture Mood critical analytical Type social cultural When to use this quote - policy making - family planning - social research Key Concepts sociology demography Questions to Reflect On - What cultural narratives shape attitudes toward children? - How could societies encourage positive views of childrearing? A Different Perspective Not all individuals share this sentiment; economic factors still matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childbirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childbirth/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Population explosion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population-explosion/) ## Related quotes > [“We can only afford two children' is a squalid argument, but more acceptable in our society than 'we don't like children'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/we-can-only-afford-two-children-is-a-squalid-argument-but-more/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“We can only afford two children' really means, 'We only like clean, well-disciplined middle-class children who go to good schools and grow up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/we-can-only-afford-two-children-really-means-we-only-like-clean-well/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [It's fairness to say those who work hard, get up in the morning, cut their cloth - in other words 'we can only afford…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-duncan-smith/it-s-fairness-to-say-those-who-work-hard-get-up-in-the-morning-cut/) [Iain Duncan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-duncan-smith/) > [As a documentary filmmaker, I couldn't afford to give my children the lifestyle I had in San Francisco growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/as-a-documentary-filmmaker-i-couldn-t-afford-to-give-my-children-the/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [“You need to take a step back from the problem in order to see it in global perspective. At present there are five and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/you-need-to-take-a-step-back-from-the-problem-in-order-to-see-it-in/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [Many scientists would argue that we are now in what is called Extinction, and it's caused by this perfect extinction storm: climate change, habitat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-corwin/many-scientists-would-argue-that-we-are-now-in-what-is-called/) [Jeff Corwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-corwin/) > [The population explosion is an ecological phenomenon of displacement. Unless we solve that ecological problem of displacing people - to build huge dams, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/the-population-explosion-is-an-ecological-phenomenon-of-displacement/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [We all worry about the population explosion, but we don't worry about it at the right time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hoppe/we-all-worry-about-the-population-explosion-but-we-don-t-worry-about/) [Art Hoppe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hoppe/) > [“The world has a very serious problem, my friend' Shiva went on. 'Poor children still die by their millions. Westerners and the global rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramez-naam/the-world-has-a-very-serious-problem-my-friend-shiva-went-on-poor/) [Ramez Naam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramez-naam/) > [“No civilization can possibly survive to an interstellar spacefaring phase unless it limits its numbers. Any society with a marked population explosion will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/no-civilization-can-possibly-survive-to-an-interstellar-spacefaring/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“The obvious pollution occurring in many places - worst of all, in the planned societies- has encouraged the growth of the environmental movement, which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-kasun/the-obvious-pollution-occurring-in-many-places-worst-of-all-in-the/) Jacqueline Kasun > [There would be no population explosion if people who are trying to keep the wolf from the door wouldn't let the stork fly in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/there-would-be-no-population-explosion-if-people-who-are-trying-to/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [“To face the days ahead we must ask two questions: first, "Where are we?" and second, "Where do we go from here?" We Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-d-alinsky/to-face-the-days-ahead-we-must-ask-two-questions-first-where-are-we/) [Saul D. Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-d-alinsky/) > [As long as there is no control of population, the population explosion will make it so easy for politicians to dominate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-huxley/as-long-as-there-is-no-control-of-population-the-population-explosion/) [Laura Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-huxley/) > [We plan to eliminate the state of Israel and establish a purely Palestinian state. We will make life unbearable for Jews by psychological warfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/we-plan-to-eliminate-the-state-of-israel-and-establish-a-purely/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) ## More by Germaine Greer > [You're only young once, but you can be immature forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/you-re-only-young-once-but-you-can-be-immature-forever/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Is it too much to ask that women be spared the daily struggle for superhuman beauty in order to offer it to the caresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/is-it-too-much-to-ask-that-women-be-spared-the-daily-struggle-for/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“Female castration results in concentration of her feelings upon her male companion, and her impotence in confrontations with her own kind. Because all her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/female-castration-results-in-concentration-of-her-feelings-upon-her/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Women have been charged with deviousness and duplicity since the dawn of civilization so they have never been able to pretend that their masks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/women-have-been-charged-with-deviousness-and-duplicity-since-the-dawn/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“Psychologists cannot fix the world so they fix women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/psychologists-cannot-fix-the-world-so-they-fix-women/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Bras are a ludicrous invention; but if you make bralessness a rule, you're just subjecting yourself to yet another repression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/bras-are-a-ludicrous-invention-but-if-you-make-bralessness-a-rule-you/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [The essence of pleasure is spontaneity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/the-essence-of-pleasure-is-spontaneity/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [If a person loves only one other person, and is indifferent to his fellow men, his love is not love but a symbiotic attachment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/if-a-person-loves-only-one-other-person-and-is-indifferent-to-his/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Gillard is as likeable as Rudd is charmless. She is self-deprecating; he is ludicrously vainglorious. She is a mistress of understatement; he is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/gillard-is-as-likeable-as-rudd-is-charmless-she-is-self-deprecating/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“Liberty is terrifying but it is also exhilarating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/liberty-is-terrifying-but-it-is-also-exhilarating/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [It is often falsely assumed, even by feminists, that sexuality is the enemy of the female who really wants to develop these aspects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/it-is-often-falsely-assumed-even-by-feminists-that-sexuality-is-the/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Women who were housewives, who were pretty miserable ... felt inspired by her book and their life changed. They didn't become megastars, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/women-who-were-housewives-who-were-pretty-miserable-felt-inspired-by/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [It is in our interests to let the police and their employers go on believing that the Underground is a conspiracy, because it increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/it-is-in-our-interests-to-let-the-police-and-their-employers-go-on/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Rescuing women from their burden of unwarranted guilt is going to require 'educational practices and socializing agents' even more effective than the ones that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/rescuing-women-from-their-burden-of-unwarranted-guilt-is-going-to/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Men have still not realized that letting women do so much of the work for so little reward makes a man in the house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/men-have-still-not-realized-that-letting-women-do-so-much-of-the-work/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) [Explore all 232 Germaine Greer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) ## More Childbirth quotes > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The revolting details of childbirth had been hidden from me with such care that I was as surprised as I was horrified, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-curchod/the-revolting-details-of-childbirth-had-been-hidden-from-me-with-such/) [Suzanne Curchod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-curchod/) > [I have always wanted to act ever since I was a little girl. I would put a blanket under my shirt and pretend that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-fanning/i-have-always-wanted-to-act-ever-since-i-was-a-little-girl-i-would/) [Dakota Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-fanning/) > [Real change doesn't come without crisis. Childbirth doesn't come without crisis. I think that's happening with humanity now. Our growth has generated multiple crises...and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/real-change-doesn-t-come-without-crisis-childbirth-doesn-t-come/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-the-apostle/for-the-creation-was-subjected-to-frustration-not-by-its-own-choice/) [Paul the Apostle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-the-apostle/) > [Maternal health remains a staggering challenge, particularly in the developing world. Globally, a woman dies from complications in childbirth every minute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-capshaw/maternal-health-remains-a-staggering-challenge-particularly-in-the/) [Jessica Capshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-capshaw/) > [Chronological time is what we measure by clocks and calendars; it is always linear, orderly, quantifiable, and mechanical. Kairotic time is organic, rhythmic, bodily,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/chronological-time-is-what-we-measure-by-clocks-and-calendars-it-is/) [Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/) > [“The birth of a child is divine miracle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-birth-of-a-child-is-divine-miracle/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [And I saw it didn't matter who had loved me or who I loved. I was alone. The black oily asphalt, the slick beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorianne-laux/and-i-saw-it-didn-t-matter-who-had-loved-me-or-who-i-loved-i-was/) [Dorianne Laux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorianne-laux/) > [“Birth is experiential. You have to experience it to fully know it. An exercise such as Bellydance for birth embraced during pregnancy can act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maha-al-musa/birth-is-experiential-you-have-to-experience-it-to-fully-know-it-an/) [Maha Al Musa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maha-al-musa/) > [Discrimination and multiple deprivations of human rights are also frequently part of the problem, sentencing entire populations to poverty... It is surely a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navi-pillay/discrimination-and-multiple-deprivations-of-human-rights-are-also/) Navi Pillay > [I became hysterical and frightened and begged for sedation. And that was just the first prenatal visit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-became-hysterical-and-frightened-and-begged-for-sedation-and-that/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [“Yeah, women could go on all they liked about how painful childbirth was. Eventually most of them thought about having another baby. No guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evie-hunter/yeah-women-could-go-on-all-they-liked-about-how-painful-childbirth/) Evie Hunter > [It is a mistake to talk about the artist looking for his subject. In fact, the subject grows within him like a fruit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/it-is-a-mistake-to-talk-about-the-artist-looking-for-his-subject-in/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) [Browse all 279 Childbirth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childbirth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We in the West do not refrain from childbirth because we are concerned about the population explosion or because we feel we cannot afford children, but because we do not like children.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Germaine Greer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-childbirth-because-we-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Childbirth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-childbirth-because-we-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/752/germaine-greer-1521_childbirth_we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-child_1794289.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/752/germaine-greer-1521_childbirth_we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-child_1794289.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/752/germaine-greer-1521_childbirth_we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-child_1794289.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We in the West do not refrain from childbirth because we are concerned about the population explosion or…” — Germaine Greer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Germaine Greer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We in the West do not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-childbirth-because-we-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/we-in-the-west-do-not-refrain-from-childbirth-because-we-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```