On Tuesday 27 Mar 2012 1:49:54 pm Deepa Mohan wrote: > Saritha Rai's new fortnightly column in the New York Times online- > http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/when-daycare-slips-into-night-car > e / > > How do you all feel about it? > > Deepa.
For the heck of it I post a slightly edited version of something I said elsewhere. The language was designed to trigger particular switches in the target audience :D Children need mummies and daddies to grow up as healthy well adjusted individuals. The institution of marriage evolved for just this purpose and it was aided by joint families. The institution of marriage unfortunately trampled on women's freedom and rights. The women's rights movement and the desire to "set free" female sexuality from the burden of childbirth led to the development of contraception and laws that dissolved marriage more easily. That in turn led to societies in which multiple sexual partners for male and female became easier as part of freedom. Single mothers by choice also became more common without having to face criticism from society for having a baby outside of marriage. But children are themselves an economic burden and a restriction of freedom as is marriage. So couples without marriage and without kids are the ultimate in financial and physical happiness. This is the ultimate freedom. Marriage and children are bonds that reduce physical, emotional and financial freedom. Freedom from these bonds constitutes modernity. Archaic and oudated societies such as Hindu society encourage freedom restricting ideas like "Dharma". Dharma demands the bondage of marriage and children as a duty. Dharma restricts freedom and by insisting that couples have children. This is a disaster for individual freedom and wealth. I am sure the state can look after children as happens in advanced countries and old people can go to old age homes courtesy the state. This gives people a lot more freedom. Sexual freedom. Financial freedom. Freedom to travel. etc. Every individual has to decide for himself what he wants. You could choose the route of bondage and outdated laws and restriction of freedom. Or you could choose a free society. The former conforms to dharma, the latter is adharma. shiv
