Also in the science news...
A recently unearthed ancient human skull shows signs of a disorder that might have caused mental retardation. This offers the earliest evidence that ancestors of Homo sapiens did not abandon young with severe birth defects.
The 500,000-year-old skeleton belonged to a five to 12-year-old child who suffered from craniosynostosis. The rare congenital condition occurs when two of the flat bones that make up the skull fuse together along their margins (sutures) too early during fetal development, hindering brain growth.
Responsible procreation.
Excellent spot On Lawn. Unlike today’s urban yuppie who kill their own young (especially if they are deformed or disabled) our ancient inseminators had MORE (not less) of a respect and reverence for fragile human children.
ReplyDelete"It began in infancy. When a Spartan baby was born, soldiers came to the house and examined it carefully to determine its strength.The baby was bathed in wine rather than water, to see its reaction. If a baby was weak, the Spartans exposed it on the hillside or took it away to become a slave (helot). Infanticide was common in ancient cultures, but the Spartans were particularly picky about their children."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.historywiz.com/didyouknow/spartanfamily.htm
Thanks, Mr H-G for a good example of a practice that I would not consider to be responsible procreation.
ReplyDeleteThey had a society where everyone and everything was owned by the military. And that penetrated every aspect of their life. You pointed out the practice of eugenics, consider also their practices concerning marriage, from the Wikipedia...
___________________
Marriage
Spartan men were required to marry at age 30,[69] after completing the Krypteia.[70] Plutarch reports the peculiar customs associated with the Spartan wedding night:
"The custom was to capture women for marriage(...)The so-called 'bridesmaid' took charge of the captured girl. She first shaved her head to the scalp, then dressed her in a man's cloak and sandals, and laid her down alone on a mattress in the dark. The bridegroom—who was not drunk and thus not impotent, but was sober as always—first had dinner in the messes, then would slip in, undo her belt, lift her and carry her to the bed.[71]"
The husband continued to visit his wife in secret for some time after the marriage. These customs, unique to the Spartans, have been interpreted in various ways. The "abduction" may have served to ward off the evil eye, and the cutting of the wife's hair was perhaps part of a rite of passage that signalled her entrance into a new life.[72]
[...]
Sexual equality
Women, being more independent than in other Greek societies, were able to negotiate with their husbands to bring their lovers into their homes. According to Plutarch in his Life of Lycurgus, men both allowed and encouraged their wives to bear the children of other men, because of the general communal ethos which made it more important to bear many progeny for the good of the city, than to be jealously concerned with one's own family unit. However, some historians argue that this 'wife sharing' was only reserved for elder males who had not yet produced an heir.[77]
__________________
So much wrong with their state ran culture of marriage and procreation.
I much prefer the more organic view of marriage equality the quality of the representation of each gender in marriage. And as born into the responsibility to the uncertain future of your spouse's and children's needs.
My comment was merely a response to Fitz's misinformation about ancient society, nothing more. It lacked truth so I added that point on information and cited the source in case there was any confusion.
ReplyDeleteIn the context of the story above, I think you need to read the article above to better understand who Fitz meant as, "our ancient inseminators". Certainly it was not a blanket statement of all of the cultures on this planet. If your comment was merely to discredit Fitz, I have to say you should take more care in correcting others in case it is your own understanding which is shown to fall short. Or perhaps find a more noble pursuit.
ReplyDeleteEither way, I still thank you for your example. As I said before I think it helps shine the light on the potential dangers of "state ran culture of marriage and procreation". Greco-Roman studies show many other examples, as well as Monarchies of west and east.
Again, "I much prefer the more organic view of marriage equality the quality of the representation of each gender in marriage. And as born into the responsibility to the uncertain future of your spouse's and children's needs."
Thank you, Mr. Hosty-G, for the very instructive example of the potential for harm when government takes control of marriage.
ReplyDelete