I agree with you to an extent El Barto. If you were to tell me of the deaths two complete strangers one in his 80's and one whom is 1 year old, I will probably feel more for the 1 year old. I would feel more for the baby, here are my reasons. They are on equal ground as far as deeds for this world. The old may have done great things; the young may grow to do great things. This also is on par with the bad that has been done or could have been done. So this is not a factor in my thought/feeling process, as far as I'm concerned they cancel each other out. What is the contributing factor is that the elder has already experienced a fairly long life; the baby has not yet had the chance. To me they young and old are equal, but clearly the old has something the young does not and that is the experience of life.
It's very much like the old saying goes "It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all". In order for me to make a different decision I would have to no more about the two people. For instance Christopher Hitchens is ill with cancer, if you were to tell me that he died and the very same day one of his kids died, I would feel more for him. To my knowledge his children have not contributed anywhere near what he has to the world.
I also completely understand what you are saying as well. Babies are basically a blank slate and the old have shaped society to a degree. Although I don't hold your position I can understand it and appreciate the logic behind it.
[rant]
Are children overvalued? Yes and no. There is no higher price to be paid then the loss of our children, I don't mean that in life only. People seem to overvalue the child's innocence far too much. You see it everywhere; parents coddling their child when it falls (and doesn't hurt itself in the slightest), parents being too protective ie germs, T.V, music and language etc.. And as mentioned before this bullshit propaganda that everything must be fair, everyone is a winner, this mentality is ruining society.
All this kind of crap does is breed ignorance and makes people sue or have laws passed because they are offended.
People need to stop having everyone else raise their children. If T.V is too violent or sexual turn the channel and teach to them about right and wrong, about sexuality. Teach them to think for themselves, teach them there is a time and place for all emotions, disagreements and most all have them question everything that they don't understand. Far too often I see a child ask a question and the parent either dismisses it or acts like it is a stupid question, instead of encouraging the child to ask more they are put in their "place".
Another thing that pisses me off is seeing a child that is incredibly obese. There is hardly an excuse other than bad parenting; genetics will play a small role.
[/rant]
EDIT: This discussion may have paralells to some on religion. In a discussion about the "value", for lack of a better word, of religion in ones life, or society as a whole, it will be unlikely that two sides can come to a real consensus. The two sides being an atheist, and a christian who has had a revelation from god. The later has had a life changing experience that has altered the way they see the world.
Same with being a parent.
This type of thinking is so full of bull. The only change in opinion on children I have ever heard of is that of the opinion toward ones own child. It is typically they hadn't realized how much they would love the child or how much it has changed there priorities. Don't pull the "you'll find out when you have kids" garbage it's different for everyone.
As for the religious gibberish of your post. Any Atheist that I have met that ever wrestled with the notion of god(s) has once realizing that there isn't one has come away a less distrought person, myself included. It was a life changing experience to realize that I didn't have to watch who I am and ask forgiveness for being human. You have no idea how good it feel to realize there is no celestial dictator watch my every move and threatening me with eternal torture.
Well like I thought, saying children are over valued is just an opinion you have. Just like my opinion that sexually abusing a child is just as egregious an act against another human being as murder. I really feel they are on the same level of awfulness. To me, it's the two worst things you can do to another person. And it's not just child abuse. I think rape is right there too. So opinions.
So opinions? Rape should never be put on par with murder, what a stupid thing to say. Yes rape is disgustingly terrible, it changes a person, it can be very detrimental to that person. Though where rape and murder differ is you can move on from rape, you cannot move on from death. Being murdered means your life is over, done. There is no moving on, there is no counseling, there is no having a good time afterward... You are DEAD... Even if there is an afterlife, you are still robbing a person of their life here on earth. Don't equate rape and murder, that’s just nonsense.
Topic: Who cares about the children? (Read 24031 times)
