However, could we say that "you at least have to play to not lose" is a particularly selfish reason for having children?
Here, "Playing" is making sure the parents will have caregivers, not that the children will live happy.
If the current situation is not worrying enough to rule out having happy kids, what would be the threshold? (Not a rhetorical question)
There is no threshold. Yes, I know Yudkowsky's position, not even there.
> Here, 'Playing' is making sure the parents will have caregivers, not that the children will live happy.
Parents having caregivers hardly comes into it at all.
For me, it does, an awful lot. Being a caregiver to my parents has implied a lot of existential suffering and emotional agony. Think about it: the people who raised you are going to die slowly and perhaps painfully and you are going to see it without being able to do anything. I feel I would be very cruel by giving that future to a child I love.