The Other Michael

They only kill female children?

I'd presume they kill their children for the same reasons other people want to kill their children for them. After all, killing children is one of the basic drives of the human species.

I'm sorry RD, but you are mistaken. People kill children because the children are cruel, sociopathic, manipulative monsters who get off on causing pain.

But then everyone knows that.

cheers,
Michael

Nostalgic Pushhead

Because when you have voices in your head, men tend not to listen to them.

Voice: *Kill your kids*

Man: What was that? Yes I was listening.

The Other Michael

I certainly tend to not listen to those voices. They are very annoying.

cheers,
Michael

Norseman

Well you could have told me so!

The Other Michael

You wouldn't listen, would you?

cheers,
Michael

Norseman

Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm sorry, I just get such a kick out of flooding your head with voices. But don't feel alone, you're not the only one.

Viti

Assuming you actually meant to discuss the issue. Infanticide is often sparked by either an existing mental illness and/or postpartum depression.

Sarpedon

Its probably a left-over survival instinct of some kind. Female mammals who can't care properly for their children often kill them. This is a common occurrence in human society, even to this day. It is widely written about by anthropologists. From a survival point of view, it is better to save the adult at the expense of the newborn, who, after all, probably wouldn't live to be an adult anyway. (in a state of nature anyway) Thus, the phenomenon of post partum depression may in fact be a reminant of this behavior: a woman who may feel that she has difficulty looking after her self, becomes depressed at the prospect of having to care for another person, and takes action. The child, now perceived (unconsciously) as a threat to survival is (conciously) identified with the depressive feelings, and is dispatched.

Men kill children for different reasons. If a man felt that he could not care for a child, his instinct is to leave and abandon it, rather than to kill it. He kills children that he suspects are the offspring of some other male, or even his own, if he perceives that they are a threat to himself or his perogatives...again, the natural instinct is to save the adult at the expense of the juvenile, quite the opposite of what our acculturation leads us to expect.

sea star

It is my perception from the news in the past several years that there have been approximately equal numbers of women killing one or more of their children and men killing either their pregnant wives or entire families.

It seems to me that the women are either mentally ill or suffering from post partum depression. Some of the men have been portrayed as reacting to the pressures of having a family and/or financial problems.

Just my 2 bits worth.

It's all very disturbing to me.

Disarray

The electricity in the contemporary woman's brain moves at a much lower frequency due to the reactions of the hormones we feed our cows with the woman's spine (she has one less rib). This lowers the resistance between the neurons, creating a higher collision rate between the neurotransmitters, and slowing cognitive thought: the slightest bit of an emotion, like anger, may spark an instant reaction with no method of hindrance(rationality).

Additionally Japan's Furby-culture being promoted in the US has caused a decline in our families, allowing the women less feelings of attachment to their produce, and if they happen to drive a blue car, well, you know.

-Disarray