Acharya Prashant questions the fundamental reason why people want to have a child, suggesting it is a dangerous question to ask because most people do not know the answer. He posits that the desire often stems from imitation and social pressure, simply because everyone else has a child. He likens this to a child demanding a balloon just because others have one, without any real understanding of why they want it. This same logic, he notes, is often applied to marriage, where people feel compelled to marry because everyone in their peer group is doing so. When asked how to handle the pressure from others, Acharya Prashant humorously states that one must either convince them or conceive. He dismisses the argument that problems will increase if one doesn't have children, countering that the problems associated with pregnancy will only arise if one actually gets pregnant. He uses the analogy of cancer, stating that while cancer will certainly bring more problems, the logical question is why one should get cancer in the first place. Similarly, regarding the complications of late pregnancy, he argues that the problem only exists if one chooses to get pregnant at all. He then presents a strong ecological argument, stating that educated people should understand the current state of the world. The planet, he asserts, cannot bear the burden of even one more new child. This is not a spiritual claim but a scientific and ecological one. A new child requires resources like roads, air, housing, water, and food, all of which are already scarce on Earth. He questions where a new child will live, what they will eat, and where they will find clean air to breathe and water to drink. For those who have a genuine desire to act as a parent—to nurture, caress, and raise a child—he suggests that this is a noble thought that can be fulfilled through adoption. He points out that there are countless children who would benefit from being adopted. He criticizes the stubborn and childish insistence on having a biological child, questioning the connection between love and one's own semen. He concludes by emphasizing that unlike other matters he might leave to an individual's discretion, the decision to have a child is not a personal one. It is a matter that affects all people, as well as animals, birds, and the very existence of the planet. The child you produce will demand food, and providing it will lead to the cutting of forests, which he finds unacceptable.
