I’m asking this as a guy, because I don’t think men talk about this honestly enough. There’s this weird tension between the biological reality (men can keep going, basically indefinitely) and the existential question: should you?
On one end you’ve got the “just replace yourselves” mindset. On the other, you’ve got historical outliers, guys like Genghis Khan, who turned reproduction into something closer to legacy-building at scale. Not saying that’s the model, but it raises the question: is there a meaningful upper limit if your goal is impact rather than comfort?
From a male perspective specifically, it feels like the calculus is different. I’m not the one physically carrying the kids, but I am responsible for providing, shaping, and actually being present. At some point, quantity starts competing with quality. Or does it?
Also, this is the more uncomfortable angle, how much of this is about legacy in the abstract versus something more personal? Ego, lineage, wanting some version of yourself to persist. There’s a strange intimacy to it that doesn’t get talked about much, especially among men.
So where’s the line? Financial? Emotional? Age?Number of kids already in the house? Or do you just…not stop, as long as you can responsibly continue?
Curious how people here think about it, especially other men.