【HMV】【タワー】潰れるのは？【WAVE】【新星堂】3
865 ：名も無き音楽論客：
I have many friends who are married but childless, as well as friends who have remained single.
Since we are now in our 40s, I find that my concerns differ greatly from theirs.
They are more concerned about the present and what is good for their own well-being.
I, as a parent, am very much concerned about the future, because my children will
still be alive long after I have left this world. My childless friends want government budgets to
go into health care and pensions for the elderly.
I am hoping for a bigger budget for education and a cleaner environment.
My friends and I are slowly moving into different camps.
This split of preferences will cause more conflicts as the years go by. For example,
it will be my children's generation who will have to support today's childless generation as
they get older. This situation is definitely unfair for those of us who are trying so hard to
raise children. When I complain, my friends always say, "That is why we do not want children.
There is no benefit to having children, only trouble and responsibilities. We no longer need
children to support us in our old age. The government will do this, and your children will work
to support the system. Ha, ha, ha... ." I know they tell me frankly what they are thinking
because we are friends, but I cannot help feeling cheated. At the same time, I want to let them
know how wonderful children are. However, I find it very difficult to describe to childless
adults how fulfilling it can be to be a parent. Comments such as these never appear in official
surveys. But I think a certain percentage of couples do have this "me-only" mentality.
These ideas must be takeninto account when we make public policies for boosting the birth rate.
Since we are now in our 40s, I find that my concerns differ greatly from theirs.
They are more concerned about the present and what is good for their own well-being.
I, as a parent, am very much concerned about the future, because my children will
still be alive long after I have left this world. My childless friends want government budgets to
go into health care and pensions for the elderly.
I am hoping for a bigger budget for education and a cleaner environment.
My friends and I are slowly moving into different camps.
This split of preferences will cause more conflicts as the years go by. For example,
it will be my children's generation who will have to support today's childless generation as
they get older. This situation is definitely unfair for those of us who are trying so hard to
raise children. When I complain, my friends always say, "That is why we do not want children.
There is no benefit to having children, only trouble and responsibilities. We no longer need
children to support us in our old age. The government will do this, and your children will work
to support the system. Ha, ha, ha... ." I know they tell me frankly what they are thinking
because we are friends, but I cannot help feeling cheated. At the same time, I want to let them
know how wonderful children are. However, I find it very difficult to describe to childless
adults how fulfilling it can be to be a parent. Comments such as these never appear in official
surveys. But I think a certain percentage of couples do have this "me-only" mentality.
These ideas must be takeninto account when we make public policies for boosting the birth rate.
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