Why are children so much more important than adults?
Discussion
oobster said:
singlecoil said:
So, everybody here happy with a headline that says "22 children killed" when in fact 28 people were killed. Are you all OK with that?
Yes. singlecoil said:
So, everybody here happy with a headline that says "22 children killed" when in fact 28 people were killed. Are you all OK with that?
Most people are fine with that.Personally (and truthfully) I don't give a flying f
k about an amount of adults that I don't know that are killed in a crash in another country.I do, however, feel sad about children getting killed- whoever they are, whatever nationality or where it happened.
Like anyone who has kids- if you see any child getting mistreated or hurt you think of your own and instantly relate to teh child in question. There is no logic to it, merely a human instinct to care for children.
blindswelledrat said:
Most people are fine with that.
Personally (and truthfully) I don't give a flying fk about an amount of adults that I don't know that are killed in a crash in another country.
I do, however, feel sad about children getting killed- whoever they are, whatever nationality or where it happened.
Like anyone who has kids- if you see any child getting mistreated or hurt you think of your own and instantly relate to teh child in question. There is no logic to it, merely a human instinct to care for children.
Yes, I agree with that. Not so much "not giving a flying fPersonally (and truthfully) I don't give a flying f
k about an amount of adults that I don't know that are killed in a crash in another country.I do, however, feel sad about children getting killed- whoever they are, whatever nationality or where it happened.
Like anyone who has kids- if you see any child getting mistreated or hurt you think of your own and instantly relate to teh child in question. There is no logic to it, merely a human instinct to care for children.
k" more that I can shrug it off easily, whereas the death of a child is really quite painful to read/hear. This wasn't so much the case before my son was born.Headlines have a function. 22 childen killed grabs the attention more than 28 people killed. Whether you think it is right or not is immaterial. The news media wants to get you reading the article.
So the question really should be: Why would people be more likely to read an article headed 22 children kileld that one which read 28 people killed.
It is nothing to do with and 'value' placed on the lives of particular ages.
From my point of view, which might not be standard issue I accept, the kids are at the mercy of the adults. They are not driving, they can't tell the driver to slow down, they are put there. Adults accept responsibility for themselves but also for the children. Drop yourself in it and it is a tragedy. Drop some kids in it and it is appalling. It's an emotional response.
So the question really should be: Why would people be more likely to read an article headed 22 children kileld that one which read 28 people killed.
It is nothing to do with and 'value' placed on the lives of particular ages.
From my point of view, which might not be standard issue I accept, the kids are at the mercy of the adults. They are not driving, they can't tell the driver to slow down, they are put there. Adults accept responsibility for themselves but also for the children. Drop yourself in it and it is a tragedy. Drop some kids in it and it is appalling. It's an emotional response.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
You could widen this topic out. I always feel uncomfortable when I hear:
"plane crash in Chile, 200 dead, fortunately no Brits involved." or
"70 dead including 3 Brits"
Why not go the whole way "3 Brits killed in crash today, 67 non entities also died."
Really? The mention of Brits relativises the article to the nation the news is shown in. If the news had to show every bus crash that happens around the world daily, there wouldn't be time for any other news."plane crash in Chile, 200 dead, fortunately no Brits involved." or
"70 dead including 3 Brits"
Why not go the whole way "3 Brits killed in crash today, 67 non entities also died."
Also, can you point to the use of 'fortunately' and '200 dead' in news, anywhere? I can understand '200 dead, confirmed no Brits aboard', but your example seems a little sensationalist, to be honest.
Society has a value on every member.
Somewhat in order
coach crash kills 22 old age pensioners.
coach crash kills 22 blond haired catwalk models.
coach crash kills 22 teenagers.
coach crash kills 22 children.
Its a preprogrammed thing but affected by your particular attitude to various things. For most people the programming is above.
Imaging you were in a lifeboat in the middle of a freezing sea and those people were dying unconcious in the water and you only had space to pull one or two onboard before they all died. I don't think its even a concious decision.
Somewhat in order
coach crash kills 22 old age pensioners.
coach crash kills 22 blond haired catwalk models.
coach crash kills 22 teenagers.
coach crash kills 22 children.
Its a preprogrammed thing but affected by your particular attitude to various things. For most people the programming is above.
Imaging you were in a lifeboat in the middle of a freezing sea and those people were dying unconcious in the water and you only had space to pull one or two onboard before they all died. I don't think its even a concious decision.
singlecoil said:
So, everybody here happy with a headline that says "22 children killed" when in fact 28 people were killed. Are you all OK with that?
Yes.The main point of the story is that 22 children died. I'm sure if it was a coach full of adults it wouldn't have made the news over here.
Thousands of people die every day, most of them adults (depending on the definition), it is a lot rarer for a child to die than an adult. Things that are less common are more noteworthy.
No one is saying an adult dying is less important, just that it is less rare. This thread has got very mumsnet.
julian64 said:
Society has a value on every member.
Somewhat in order
coach crash kills 22 old age pensioners.
coach crash kills 22 blond haired catwalk models.
coach crash kills 22 teenagers.
coach crash kills 22 children.
Its a preprogrammed thing but affected by your particular attitude to various things. For most people the programming is above.
Imaging you were in a lifeboat in the middle of a freezing sea and those people were dying unconcious in the water and you only had space to pull one or two onboard before they all died. I don't think its even a concious decision.
Exactly. The catwalk models would win every time, with a pensioner to make me a cup of tea once we reached land.Somewhat in order
coach crash kills 22 old age pensioners.
coach crash kills 22 blond haired catwalk models.
coach crash kills 22 teenagers.
coach crash kills 22 children.
Its a preprogrammed thing but affected by your particular attitude to various things. For most people the programming is above.
Imaging you were in a lifeboat in the middle of a freezing sea and those people were dying unconcious in the water and you only had space to pull one or two onboard before they all died. I don't think its even a concious decision.
carmonk said:
julian64 said:
Society has a value on every member.
Somewhat in order
coach crash kills 22 old age pensioners.
coach crash kills 22 blond haired catwalk models.
coach crash kills 22 teenagers.
coach crash kills 22 children.
Its a preprogrammed thing but affected by your particular attitude to various things. For most people the programming is above.
Imaging you were in a lifeboat in the middle of a freezing sea and those people were dying unconcious in the water and you only had space to pull one or two onboard before they all died. I don't think its even a concious decision.
Exactly. The catwalk models would win every time, with a pensioner to make me a cup of tea once we reached land.Somewhat in order
coach crash kills 22 old age pensioners.
coach crash kills 22 blond haired catwalk models.
coach crash kills 22 teenagers.
coach crash kills 22 children.
Its a preprogrammed thing but affected by your particular attitude to various things. For most people the programming is above.
Imaging you were in a lifeboat in the middle of a freezing sea and those people were dying unconcious in the water and you only had space to pull one or two onboard before they all died. I don't think its even a concious decision.
singlecoil said:
I also understand that the death of one's own child would be particularly devastating, but these deaths, unfortunate as they are, are the deaths of other people's children. Why would a person consider a child to whom they are not connected to be more important that an adult to whom they are not connected?
i take it you dont have kids right , if you even have to ask iphonedyou said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
You could widen this topic out. I always feel uncomfortable when I hear:
"plane crash in Chile, 200 dead, fortunately no Brits involved." or
"70 dead including 3 Brits"
Why not go the whole way "3 Brits killed in crash today, 67 non entities also died."
Really? The mention of Brits relativises the article to the nation the news is shown in. If the news had to show every bus crash that happens around the world daily, there wouldn't be time for any other news."plane crash in Chile, 200 dead, fortunately no Brits involved." or
"70 dead including 3 Brits"
Why not go the whole way "3 Brits killed in crash today, 67 non entities also died."
Also, can you point to the use of 'fortunately' and '200 dead' in news, anywhere? I can understand '200 dead, confirmed no Brits aboard', but your example seems a little sensationalist, to be honest.
Someone highlighted this on another thread recently; there was a coach crash with schoolkids and a fatality(a teacher died) and it was headline news, consequently other subsequent coach crashes in the following weeks get greater coverage. Then the media do their goldfish thing and it's yesterday's news, until the next coach crash/ cruise liner foundering/ ferry disaster, with a focus on whether there are british people involved, and then the cycle repeats.
julian64 said:
carmonk said:
julian64 said:
Society has a value on every member.
Somewhat in order
coach crash kills 22 old age pensioners.
coach crash kills 22 blond haired catwalk models.
coach crash kills 22 teenagers.
coach crash kills 22 children.
Its a preprogrammed thing but affected by your particular attitude to various things. For most people the programming is above.
Imaging you were in a lifeboat in the middle of a freezing sea and those people were dying unconcious in the water and you only had space to pull one or two onboard before they all died. I don't think its even a concious decision.
Exactly. The catwalk models would win every time, with a pensioner to make me a cup of tea once we reached land.Somewhat in order
coach crash kills 22 old age pensioners.
coach crash kills 22 blond haired catwalk models.
coach crash kills 22 teenagers.
coach crash kills 22 children.
Its a preprogrammed thing but affected by your particular attitude to various things. For most people the programming is above.
Imaging you were in a lifeboat in the middle of a freezing sea and those people were dying unconcious in the water and you only had space to pull one or two onboard before they all died. I don't think its even a concious decision.
After reading this thread I now know that the "won't someone please think of the children" joke isn't
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