Little Sister

This makes perfect sense to me. Since a child’s mental capabilities are lesser, then why should I consider that they don’t have the capability of dealing with violence? And of course, all instruction should be violent. Also, since they lack experience, they shouldn’t be treated as equals, or have equal rights. Giving them MORE rights just takes away the ability of some hard working adult to beat their frustration out on some unproductive larva that eats up time, money and energy. Besides, since we’re the adults with all the experience, there is absolutely nothing that a child can teach us, and no way that they can enrich our lives. Trying to be a good protector or provider for them is a waste of time. They never appreciate it, and it never makes you feel good. A superior entity should never feel any responsibility to nurture something weaker or less developed than themselves. Evolution would do us all a favor by coming up with a child that is quiet, and doesn’t eat much.

But especially quiet.

Gotta go kick my dog now, folks. Another lesser creature that deserves no protection.

meritocrat

Why should children be treated as equals?

In what context do you use the term 'equals'? Should children be able to vote? Or have sex? Or drive?

As for learning things, I've never learnt ANYTHING from a child. I remember children in my local neighbourhood trying to tell me that actions never have consequences. Should I still learn things from children?!

No one can really (at this time anyhow) prove that animals should have rights. So your argument is a non sequitur!

extinctionist

Well, you clearly know all there is to know about everything, and always act infallibly. But for us lesser mortals, children can teach us some very important things about ourselves and about the world, often without even trying.

I remember some adult telling me I was going to hell once. Should I still learn things from adults?!

Presumably not. Therefore we can only learn things from either ourselves or animals. I remember a dog telling me 'woof woof' once, which rules dogs out. Which only leaves myself, but I told myself I should bother responding to you... so shit, I guess I'm screwed

Triumphalist exclamation marks aside, I think Lil Sis was using sarcasm to demonstrate a lack of human empathy in your argument. Now prove that humans have intrinsic rights, otherwise your argument is non-sequitur!

Fencesitter

Your OP is confusing. The title is children and violence. Children are protected from violence in the same ways that adults are protected from violence--by laws. And then there's added protection for the fact that children don't have the mental capacity to make informed decisions. For instance, children may not enter into valid written contracts that are enforceable because of their lack of competence.

As far as voting, that's a privilege, not a right. Illegal aliens are not allowed to vote either.

As to having sex, generally if children are having sex with other children, there are no laws protecting that that I know of. The laws are only protecting children from adults because of the discrepancy in mental capacity.

As far as driving, this again is a privilege that is not bestowed on everyone.

What do you mean when you say that you should not have to "care" for children? In what ways do you feel required to "care" for children?

meritocrat

No child can teach me anything.

That's his/her opinion. You can ignore it if you choose!
You SHOULD bother??
Empathy to whom? A child?!

meritocrat

I've already stated why I should not be responsible for others' children. It's not my duty to care for them.

meritocrat

Which 'burden' is this? Through extra taxes?

I don't see how ill people are a 'drain' on society!

Fencesitter

Since you seem to think that you've answered the question about why people should "care" about children, I'll answer your original OP. And since your original OP, I don't see any examples or cases where you've shown you are required to "care" for children.


Violence against children is prohibited in the same ways that violence against adults is prohibited. Why should children be different?

And children do have fewer rights than adults. You mentioned some of them: the right to vote, drive, etc. This is unrelated to violence against children. If you're inferring that children should have lesser rights against violence than adult because they have lesser capabilities, this does not logically follow. Please show the connection.

Yes, rights for children in the way that they are enforced are different than they were in the recent past. Again, what does this have to do with violence against children? Children's lives were more difficult, sometimes by necessity. But in these examples, you haven't shown a connection to violence and children.

As the second poster noted, you've given one question and two non-sequiters.

And you haven't shown any instances where you're required to "care" about children. What would you do differently if you didn't "care" about children? If it's not different, how is this issue affecting you or the hypothetical person in your OP that needs to "care" about children?

extinctionist

I'm beginning to think that no one can teach you anything.

Anyone else find that their irony meters just exploded at this point?

If you say so.

Hmmm... maybe a child is a bit much for you at this stage. Learn to run before you can walk

Hyndis

Hmm...seems meritocrat is proposing some kind of social darwinism...

Where greed and selfishness are the most highly prized attributes, and only yourself matters. So you might as well just go shoot your mother if she's getting sick, since you can inheret her money then rather than having to waste all of that money on that person who went through the effort of giving birth and raising you.

I torn between being shocked, apalled, or saddened by the lack of empathy here. Every type of social animal in the world has empathy! And humans are social animals. This kind of empathy has a very useful purpose, which is even indirectly selfish, too.


If you get sick, I will take care of you. Then if I get sick, you will take care of me. Then we're both happy and healthy and alive.


This is why every human culture on the planet with the exception of US and maybe a few others places great emphasis on family connections and taking care of other people. This empathy and altruism is what keeps human society from turning into a Mad Max kind of world, or maybe something as demonstrated in maximum security prisons where might always makes right.

Seriously, this complete and utter lack of empathy just scares me.