What are we surviving for if not to live?

It’s worth examining the deep ideological and philosophical foundations of the extreme poles in both our politics and consciousness. On the far left, many are deeply concerned with climate change, environmental justice, capitalism, and the state of the world. Some within this group believe it is irresponsible—even unethical—to have children, arguing that bringing new life into an unsustainable world only perpetuates the problem. At its core, this perspective carries an anti-human lens.

On the far right, we see bigotry, racism, and groups that believe certain people should not exist. Beneath this is another anti-human philosophy—sometimes even an explicit agenda. Though these ideologies arise from different concerns, they share a fundamental rejection of life itself. And if we assume that the purpose of life is to perpetuate life, then both fall short.

It’s easy to adopt ideologies that, when examined closely, are rooted in fear, skepticism, and diminishment. Choosing not to have children out of a belief that it will "save" an unsustainable world is not, in my view, a virtue. It is fear wrapped in the appearance of benevolence. There’s a deep irony in believing that not creating life ensures survival. What are we surviving for if not to live?

But beyond mere survival, I believe that consciously bringing children into the world is an act of self-love. When you reach a place of deep, unconditional love for yourself, there’s almost no choice but to create life—to channel that love outward. And that process is anything but narcissistic. In fact, it is one of the most challenging and self-sacrificing experiences a human being can undertake.

From a psychospiritual perspective, we should only create life when our love is abundant enough to give freely. Annie and I have been moving through this process deeply, and truthfully, we have not yet reached the level of self-love that feels ready to be perpetuated. That is why healing—transcending the wounds that limit our consciousness—is so important if we want to create life intentionally.

At the heart of all of this is a simple belief: that human experience, human consciousness, and human love matter. I understand that some perspectives reject this—that some believe humanity is a net harm to the world. But I don’t share that view.

I am a humanist. I love consciousness. I love the expansion of human experience. And I acknowledge that this belief, too, is built on certain assumptions. But if life is worth anything, it is worth continuing.