Is a child's life worth more than an adults?
September 29, 2006 5:21 PM Subscribe
Why do terrorists/governments/religious groups/societies take particular offence when some of their children are killed in acts of violence? Is it more ok to kill adults? Is it because they believe the other side's children might convert to their way of thinking as an adult?
I was thinking that if you were the parent of a child in one of the downed September 11 planes, or in a town being bombed in Afghanistan, you could just tell the child a convenient story about how they were going to their grandparents in Heaven and play computer games all day long, and they would look forward to what was coming.
So it can't just be about the anguish we feel towards the more innocent humans. What is it?
I was thinking that if you were the parent of a child in one of the downed September 11 planes, or in a town being bombed in Afghanistan, you could just tell the child a convenient story about how they were going to their grandparents in Heaven and play computer games all day long, and they would look forward to what was coming.
So it can't just be about the anguish we feel towards the more innocent humans. What is it?
This post was deleted for the following reason: chatfilter or obviousfilter.
Best answer: From a strictly biological viewpoint, we are just vehicles for our DNA, and as such our children are vital to the continued survival of that DNA. Our brains are geared to that basic truth.
posted by lekvar at 5:33 PM on September 29, 2006
posted by lekvar at 5:33 PM on September 29, 2006
Best answer: It's because, as children, they are completely unblameworthy. Whatever you have against their parents, they've done nothing wrong. I see that you think you've thrown this reason out, but for the life of my I can't understand why. You could tell me I was about to get laid before you shot me in the face, and I'd be happy too. I don't see what that has to do with innocence.
It's because they haven't yet lived their life. Never grown up, never met a girl, never had a kid...It would suck to die at 45, but at least you would have experienced a lot of what life had to offer.
It's because we're hardwired to protect our young.
It's because they're children, dammit! Do you not feel upset when someone kills a child, or are you just trying to understand your own feelings?
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 5:35 PM on September 29, 2006
It's because they haven't yet lived their life. Never grown up, never met a girl, never had a kid...It would suck to die at 45, but at least you would have experienced a lot of what life had to offer.
It's because we're hardwired to protect our young.
It's because they're children, dammit! Do you not feel upset when someone kills a child, or are you just trying to understand your own feelings?
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 5:35 PM on September 29, 2006
Best answer: It's the same reason there is a disctinction between military targets and civilian targets. Children are usually too young to engage in warfare and are probably innocent.
posted by destro at 5:44 PM on September 29, 2006
posted by destro at 5:44 PM on September 29, 2006
Best answer: In civilized societies, women and children are considered off limits as targets, its a very broad ranging social convention found accross the globe.
You won't hear feminists asking for equal rights on that score, let me tell you.
posted by Vindaloo at 5:51 PM on September 29, 2006
You won't hear feminists asking for equal rights on that score, let me tell you.
posted by Vindaloo at 5:51 PM on September 29, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by headspace at 5:23 PM on September 29, 2006