Selfishness Causes Problems

I found Popular Mechanics by Raymond Carver to be a disturbing poem which shows the consequences of unchecked anger.  When the picture of the baby was first mentioned, I thought that it wold be a source of unity between the clearly divided couple.  It should be, as both parents clearly show desire to keep the baby.  However, I was disturbed to find them treat this baby like an object that they wanted to keep and not as the child that they love.  Instead of deciding what is best for the baby, they argue over the baby, pulling on it to try to gain control.  "The baby was red-faced and screaming.  In the scuffle they knocked down a flowerpot that hung behind the stove (par. 26)."  While fighting over the baby, they were so absorbed in their selfish desires that they were oblivious to the destruction they were causing.  I think this destruction and selfishness exhibited in their argument over the baby can be used to predict why their marriage was unsuccessful in the first place.  They probably only thought about themselves and never tried to do anything for each other.  Inevitably, they would argue, and their marriage would fall apart around them.  Ultimately, they bring the ultimate consequence upon themselves which the author does no detail.  He says that they both pulled on the baby and "In this manner, the issue was decided (36).  It can be assumed that the baby was killed.  In the end, their selfishness not only ruined the marriage but destroyed what they fond most valuable.