Antinatalism is a philosophy that holds the premise that pain and suffering are bad and that pleasure, while good, is not needed by those who don't exist. New human lives will inevitably contain pain and suffering. Therefore, antinatalism concludes through philosophical reasoning that it is better for human beings not to be born. By not being born, a potential but as-yet-unborn person has avoided the suffering of life, all of which was preventable if the parents had not procreated and brought that person into existence.

The philosophy draws in particular on the work of David Benatar, a lecturer and philosopher at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. How do those who adopt or advocate this philosophy live? Here are some philosophical and practical suggestions.