Better Never to Have Been
The Harm of Coming into Existence
by David Benatar · first published 2006
20mentions
9recommended by
16HN commenters
2010–2025first – last mentioned
56% recommend44% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Argues that coming into existence is a net harm, building a rigorous philosophical case that is clear and thought-provoking. Suited to readers interested in ethics and antinatalism, though the subject matter is bleak.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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…the only moral currency we have. This led me to veganism and anti-natalism, as the best way to prevent individual suffering is for the individual to never exist in the first place (see: David Benatar's Better Never to Have Been; or Ecclesiastes 4:2-3). Needless to say, these are wildly unpopular philosophies. In light of this, I began to come to the realization that we're all nihilists at our core. We embrace religion or other…
on ““Nihilism is OK” is not OK” ↗Back before i had my kid i remember reading (and really enjoying) Benatar's book, "Better Never to Have Been." I also remember it being a downer, unsurprisingly, and picking up Christine Overall's "Why Have Children" to get another perspective. She offered a somewhat more clinical — but readable — argument and…
on “The Case for Not Being Born” ↗Better Never to Have Been: The Harm Of Coming Into Existence by David Benatar . The best argument I've read as to what it means for a human being to be brought into existence, why it does that person more harm than good, and why…
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗…person) But white vegans aren’t prepared to actually reckon with the logical conclusion of their ideas. Go read David Benatar (he’s a vegan whose actually consistent btw) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Never_to_Have_Been
on “DolphinGemma: How Google AI is helping decode dolphin communication” ↗For a compelling opposing view see "Better Never to Have Been": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Never_to_Have_Been
on “Anthony Levandowski Pardoned” ↗See interesting philosophy books ‘Every Cradle is a Grave’ and ‘Better Never to Have Been’. Not for the easily depressed reader.
on “Roman Church Decorated with 4k Skeletons” ↗…philosopher David Benatar. A book he wrote The Second Sexism: Discrimination Against Men and Boys may be interesting. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007VJU7C4/ref=dbs_a_def_r... I like his book "Better Never to Have Been"
on ““It's not peaches and cream either for men”” ↗Pre-birth you were just a possibility. >Better Never to Have Been: The Harm Of Coming Into Existence Has some interesting thoughts on that perspective
on “Ask HN: Is pre-birth the same state as post-life?” ↗Shout out to Benatars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Never_to_Have_Been Its always easy to feel bad about kids who need to grow up in todays world. I would recommend considering this before you misplace your birth control. People already do it with species appropriate living…
on “Suicide Rates Are Up for Gen Z Across the Anglosphere, Especially for Girls” ↗"Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence" http://www.amazon.com/Better-Never-Have-Been-Existence/dp/01... Haven't read it, but the author taught a class I attended and it was great fun.
on “The Ivy League, Mental Illness, and the Meaning of Life (2014)” ↗…one interesting philosopher who claims to have solved Parfits' problems about population and moral theory is David Benatar [1]. His solution is anti-natalism, which he defends extensively in his book Better Never to Have Been, The Harm of Coming into Existence. [1] https://academic.oup.com/book/32901/chapter-abstract/2766430...
on “Derek Parfit: The Perfectionist at All Souls” ↗The author is a philosophy professor at the University of Cape Town. He is probably most famous for his argument that existence is a moral bad, as described in his book Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence.
on “David Benatar: Corporal punishment of children should be limited, not abolished” ↗> 2. Human life is its own good. This assumption is challenged in David Benatar's provocative book "Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence" https://www.amazon.com/Better-Never-Have-Been-Existence/dp/0... The thesis (which seems absurd, and most will not accept it), is that coming into existence is an…
on “Should We Be Having Kids in the Age of Climate Change?” ↗this topic always reminds me of David Benatar's "Better Never To Have Been," wherein he lays out a moral and practical case for general cessation of human reproduction. [Famously condensed by Matthew McConaughey in a 'True Detective' monologue.]
on “The childless, aging future” ↗There's nothing rational in having kids, as in many other things we do as human beings. I've no arguments to refuse books like David Benatar's Better Never to Have Been. Actually, I agree with most of his theses. The only rational actors that want us to have kids are governments, because citizens pay taxes and provide soldiers. Still, I embrace my lack of rationality.…
on “The New Work-Life Balance: Don't Have Kids” ↗