The first lesson, simple as it is, is that whatever court we're in, whatever we are doing, at the end of our task some human being is going to be affected. Some human life is going to be changed by what we do. And so we had better use every power of our minds and our hearts and our beings to get those rulings right. - Justice David Souter
According to Jeffrey Toobin's book The Nine, Souter has a decidedly low-tech lifestyle. He writes with a fountain pen and does not use e-mail. According to Toobin, Souter has no cell phone, no answering machine, and no television. He prefers to drive back to New Hampshire for the summer.Souter also does his own home repairs, and spent five hours fixing his own roof in 2008.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
To Have a Child, or Not, That is the Question
Plurk's short responses do not really allow for lengthy philosophical replies.
Someone has asked the question:
If you were asked "Why do you *want* a child?" what would you respond?
So, I shall try to reply here at some length, and then just post the link into the Plurk thread.
I shall add to this blog over the course of the coming hours and perhaps days, so if you have some interest in what I write, then do save the link and check back from time to time.
A young teenage relative of mine, years ago, now in her 30s, had no thought or desire to become pregnant, but it happened. She had her child, a baby girl who is now in her teens, and her dedication to her baby inspired her to turn her life around by earning a G.E.D. putting herself through college, earning a college degree, and building a career which provided a very good living, with house, cars, etc.
Not every story has a happy ending.
Her teenage daughter is now very troubled, even though the parents did everything in the world to provide a life that would make their daughter happy. Their teenage daughter is in an abusive relationship with an older girl, is failing in school courses, and is experimenting with alcohol and tobacco.
When one decides to have a child, there are no guarantees. You cannot know if your child will be successful or delinquent. You cannot even know if your child will have normal health and intelligence or be handicapped physically or mentally.
My father's father had two boys and a girl. One boy was a lifelong alcoholic and had no children. My father's sister had one boy who had two marriages but no children. My father had only one child, me, and I have never had any children. So, raising three children is no guarantee that you will have descendants to pass along the family name, or whatever other benefits you feel that posterity will bring you.
I may well add to this blog, but I shall save what I have now and post this link to Plurk and Facebook.
Someone has asked the question:
If you were asked "Why do you *want* a child?" what would you respond?
So, I shall try to reply here at some length, and then just post the link into the Plurk thread.
I shall add to this blog over the course of the coming hours and perhaps days, so if you have some interest in what I write, then do save the link and check back from time to time.
A young teenage relative of mine, years ago, now in her 30s, had no thought or desire to become pregnant, but it happened. She had her child, a baby girl who is now in her teens, and her dedication to her baby inspired her to turn her life around by earning a G.E.D. putting herself through college, earning a college degree, and building a career which provided a very good living, with house, cars, etc.
Not every story has a happy ending.
Her teenage daughter is now very troubled, even though the parents did everything in the world to provide a life that would make their daughter happy. Their teenage daughter is in an abusive relationship with an older girl, is failing in school courses, and is experimenting with alcohol and tobacco.
When one decides to have a child, there are no guarantees. You cannot know if your child will be successful or delinquent. You cannot even know if your child will have normal health and intelligence or be handicapped physically or mentally.
My father's father had two boys and a girl. One boy was a lifelong alcoholic and had no children. My father's sister had one boy who had two marriages but no children. My father had only one child, me, and I have never had any children. So, raising three children is no guarantee that you will have descendants to pass along the family name, or whatever other benefits you feel that posterity will bring you.
I may well add to this blog, but I shall save what I have now and post this link to Plurk and Facebook.
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