DeepSummary
The episode portrays a conversation between Pippa Johnstone and her partner during a dinner with friends. They discuss the prospect of having children, with Pippa expressing doubts due to concerns about climate change and its potential impacts on the future world. Pippa shares her guilt about wanting to be a mother amidst the climate crisis and the challenges it may bring.
The conversation shifts to Pippa's friends, Colin and Sydney Wolf, who live in the north of Canada, an area disproportionately affected by climate change. Colin and Sydney explain their decision not to have children, citing the tangible impacts of climate change they are already experiencing, such as flooding, forest fires, and extreme temperatures, which could jeopardize the survival of a child.
Pippa and her partner reflect on their own desires for parenthood, weighing the potential joy and fulfillment against the uncertainty and challenges posed by the climate crisis. They consider the possibility of a childfree life but also acknowledge the potential emptiness they may feel without having children.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The climate crisis and its potential impacts on the future world have led some individuals to reconsider having children.
- Individuals living in areas already experiencing the tangible effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events and environmental degradation, may be more inclined to choose not to have children.
- The decision to have or not have children in the face of the climate crisis involves weighing personal desires and potential joys against concerns about the quality of life and challenges a child may face.
- While some individuals may find fulfillment in a childfree life, others may experience a sense of emptiness or lack of purpose without experiencing parenthood.
- The climate crisis has added an additional layer of ethical and emotional complexity to the decision of whether to have children.
- The episode highlights the personal, emotional, and ethical dimensions of the climate crisis, beyond just scientific and environmental impacts.
- The decision to have or not have children due to climate change is highly personal and involves weighing complex factors and considerations.
- The episode encourages reflection on the potential future world that children may inherit and the responsibility of bringing new life into that world.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I'm so scared to bring someone into this world that will only suffer and have to complete compete violently with other humans for resources.“ by Pippa Johnstone's partner
- “And then the climate crisis was like, and then also the pandemic. So, yeah, there's a lot of factors up here specifically that really contribute to the decision. And I mean, like a big part of it.“ by Friend at dinner
Entities
Product
Person
Concept
Place
Book
Episode Information
Expectant
Pippa Johnstone
5/11/23
She asks him, what if we didn’t?
This episode features Colin and Sydney Wolf, and sounds best with headphones. Find the episode transcript here.