Beliavsky wrote:
On Nov 13, 7:20 pm, Ericka Kammerer wrote:

If I have a daughter, I'll want her to get a good education so that she
has more choice in what *she* wants to do, regardless of whether that's
having a high-powered career or being a SAHM or spending some time on
both, or having a large family or a small one or no children. I'll want
her to do what she finds fulfilling, rather than what I might want. For
that, I've got my own life.
No kidding. I would not want my daughter to read
in a newsgroup someday that in my opinion, her utility
to me lay "primarily" in her ability to produce high status
grandkids for me. shudder

It's not a matter of status, and it would not be mostly for my sake.
Since I think more intelligent people create benefits for society,
based on the research I have cited, I will try to encourage my kids to
marry smart and good people and have lots of kids. I'm not sure how to
accomplish that, but I have plenty of time to think about it.

On average, less intelligent and responsible people have more kids
than their opposites, and that's a bad thing for society. Some people
worry about global warming. I worry about this.

But what you *said* (in a public forum, to which your
daughter will have access someday) is that your *primary*
reason for encouraging her to get a good education is so she can
can produce high status/smart/whatever you want to call it
grandkids for you and desirable citizens for society. You didn't
say an ancillary benefit, or something more moderate. You
said it's the *PRIMARY* reason you'd want her to have a good
education. What, she's not deserving of a good education
unless she wants to procreate? Her passions and ambitions
and interests and so forth take a back seat in your mind
to her utility in populating the world with more people
just like you? If my father (or mother) ever said such a
thing about me, with the concomitant implications about my
intrinsic worth as a human being and my abilities to contribute
to the world in other ways, I would be beyond furious.
Hopefully your daughter won't ever stumble on that post.

Best wishes,
Ericka