I was/am instinctually driven to want them (a feeling I mostly disregard), but given the state of the world and my own financial situation, I can’t say that I want to force any intelligent being, especially one that is my offspring, to suffer through a lifetime of this shit like I have been forced to so far.

This is interesting to me, as I've never had the biological urge to have kids. I love them and enjoy hanging out with them, joking, playing, etc., but never my own. In any case, I commend you on being resolute.

I’m currently in a long term relationship, and we’re planning on signing the papers next year, so soon I’ll have someone I can legitimately call my wife. She is very much on the side of “never have kids”. So that’s my decision as well.

My girlfriend doesn't want them either. She's a good deal younger than me - 31 years old - but she says something similar to me: raising kids in this world would be a tragedy.

Frankly, I've always felt there are too many humans. I never understood the push for more. Just maintain or reduce the population naturally.

Good luck staving off that biological imperative. I feel lucky not to have it myself.