On Choosing Life

A certain tone or attitude is developed in words spoken or written that mirrors the feelings an author or orator has about a subject. An author’s attitude is described in their word preferences, sentence structure, and figurative language employed. “On Choosing Life” describes and explains the differences in children’s choice, need and want in the contemporary and past generations. The author describes how this want and need has changed over time, with childbearing changing from a ‘no choice’ to a ‘choice’ people have to make. This essay finds that the author uses a formal and objective attitude, establishing a cautionary tone accompanied by a knowledgeable diction that increases the subject matter’s persuasion among readers and personally.

A formal and objective attitude focuses more on facts of the subject matter rather than personal emotions or subjectivity. The author establishes this attitude through the formal statistical facts from renowned sources outlined, establishing that in a survey conducted by the New York Times Survey, only 42% of Americans wanted children, and according to an International Report, only 39% of millennials listed the choice of having a child. The author also utilizes complex sentences, a knowledgeable diction ‘On Choosing life,’ and provides a third-person perspective. The author refrains from using the pronouns “I and you,” providing a more objective perspective, free from personal thoughts. The complex sentence structure can be seen, for instance, in the first paragraph, the last sentence, which is long and complex, with the use of a knowledgeable diction that shows high-end insight and understanding of the subject matter. All these aspects thus enhance the formal attitude of the author.

The author presents a cautionary tone as if trying to raise awareness or warning and reminding people that when choosing to have or not have children, as it has become a choice, people should have valid and candid reasons to avoid future regrets. This is seen when the author says, “Now that children are something we can freely choose, it is all the more important that we try to understand the reasons behind our ambivalence.” Through this sentence, the author warns against making the free decision that will probably result in future regrets, raises awareness of effective decision-making to ensure the uncertainties and indecisions are effectively cleared before making the ultimate decision, and reminds people always to understand themselves.

I agree with the author’s ideas that many people are hesitant to have children due to anxiety, fear of bringing life in a deteriorating and unsafe world, the need to have more leisure time, and the need to pursue their dreams and careers, among others. Unlike in history, today, childbearing is a right supported through the concept of reproductive justice. Reproductive justice is the right of individuals, especially women, to sustain bodily autonomy, making personal decisions to have or not have children, and the right to parent their children in more secure and sustainable environments. Women have been shunned for choosing a career or leisure over raising a family or children, and men have been critiqued by culture when they choose not to have children. However, today, many factors have limited this choice, with many choosing not to have children based on personal reasons. Moreover, it is no longer the question of “Do We Have” but “Should We Have” children. According to the Guardian, the majority from five European countries recorded to postpone having children, while the birth rate has fallen by 20% in the USA. This decrease has been explained as an erosion of a developing sense of accountability among many people, increased inequalities, and structural changes that maximize future anxiety and fears (Cain). Nevertheless, as people pursue not or chose to bring another life in the world, they should be cautious of the causal factors and reasons, as the author states.

Work Cited

Cain, Sain. Why a generation is choosing to be child-free. 25 July 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jul/25/why-a-generation-is-choosing-to-be-child-free. 8 November 2020.