“For some reason we like having family men at the to, perhaps because we think they’re kinder or more empathetic.” In fact, the opposite is true. The problem with having children is that it makes you more grasping on their behalf – at your colleagues’ expense. A recent Danish study found “that the first thing male CEOs do when they have their first child is to give themselves a raise”, while paying the rest of the company less. If it’s a first-born boy, expect the boss to pay himself an average 4.9% more and pay the company at large 0.2% less, with male employees in particular suffering a 0.5% cut. Interestingly, fathers of girls take a smaller pay rise (3%) and give their female employees a tiny rise, perhaps reflecting awareness of “the pay gap that could now affect their daughters”. Whatever the case, caring about your children clearly doesn’t necessarily translate into caring about anyone else. “It might be time to give the childless a chance at promotion.” (Martha Gill, New Statesman).

I have never heard of this happening and know of no instances, personally, but I can imagine it to be a sign of the the modern power of bosses of companies, large and small. Having a child has nothing to do with what you are paid. Having a child should simply mean you work harder. At least that has been the unwritten code of behavior for centuries.

Epicurus would, I suggest, have shamed company bosses back into line. Regrettably there is no one available to do such a thing any more. Those who used to be the conscience of the community are now cowed or the beneficiaries of subventions from those very company bosses.

Treat everyone the same from top to bottom and away with wage discrimination!