Re: Re: [school-discuss] etc ... and war

["Daniel Carter" <danultra@myrealbox.com>]

> I agree with you Neil.  As to where it comes from, I suspect it's wired 
> into the species.  If you give boys and girls sticks to play with, the 
> boys will almost always use them to perform heroic deeds of valor, while 
> the girls will almost always use them as magic wands or something 
> similarly less "violent."

Hmm, I dunno.  As a child, I always shied away from war "games".  Maybe I'm just not a hero.

I've seen boys and tomboys.  There is a huge diversity of nature, regardless of gender.  Serious chemical imbalances excluded, problems seem to start when some kind of negative influence (or lack of positive influence) gets in the way.  If you bring 'em up right, a child is much more likely to turn out right.  Sadly, that's not to say s/he will - a kid's parents is not the only force at play.

btw, I'm not speaking as a parent - I'm barely an adult, myself.

<Jonothan...>

>As to where the need for boys to play games such as >war and killing
>things, I am going to go with Doug, it is hard wired.

It is...  But I don't think it's hard wired in every male human being (or that it is hard wired in no female human being).

As for your other comments, I must say I largely agree with them.  I think it's wrong to assume that every male is hard wired to play war games, be "heroic" and play with sticks.

Dan