I am not a nihilist

I AM NOT A NIHILIST. I am an anti-natalist vegan. Oftentimes, anti-natalism is falsely associated with nihilism. Many people seem to struggle with this idea. That being said, this position - of rejecting procreation - is fundamentally and explicitly NOT nihilistic. I would go so far as to argue that it is anti-nihilistic entirely.

Nihilism is commonly defined as "the rejection of all religious and moral principles, in the belief that life is meaningless," as a quick Google search provides. The vegan anti-natalist position is a flat rejection of this premise. Life is meaningful, because life is suffering. Suffering is self-evident and affects all living beings. Sentient life is uniquely capable of comprehending this suffering. All sentient beings experience an immense amount of suffering during the course of their lives. Suffering is meaningful. Life is suffering. Thus, vegan anti-natalism rejects nihilism wholesale - by placing the utmost value on the suffering of sentient beings.

Why is suffering meaningful? It's easy to understand. Even pro-natalists (the conscious position of believing that having children is morally righteous) will make the argument that their position will lead to less suffering. Virtually all political, philosophical and religious affiliations claim that their ideology is uniquely positioned to reduce suffering. Everyone understands that suffering is fundamental to existence, and everyone makes an attempt to reduce the suffering in their lives. So, why then is vegan anti-natalism falsely smeared as "nihilistic?" Perhaps people are ignorant of the definition of nihilism. Maybe they interpret this position - this commitment - as a personal attack, as opposed to a structured, sound, consistent ethical position. In any case, vegans and anti-natalists should strive to present themselves as true to the position that they hold. Vegan anti-natalism is not nihilistic in any sense.

Ultimately, the only way to truly guarantee suffering will not exist is through guaranteeing that sentient life will not exist. The simplest, most effective way to do this in your personal life is to make a lifelong commitment to not engage in procreation. The next step is to encourage your friends, family, and loved ones to also make this commitment. Even those who have had children before can atone for this action by simply choosing to not pursue procreation any further than they already have. It's the only hope - to reject delaying the inevitable, and to reject imposing the wasted suffering that more sentient life will ultimately lead to.