Are humans the only species where the adults regularly and deliberately slaughter their young?

[Irish_Dem]

The Germans (Hitler) and Russians (Putin) come to mind.

Now of course, Americans must be added to the list.

[Kaleva]

1. Tigers will eat their young. Same with mice.

Male lions will deliberately kill the young that were sired by another male

[Easterncedar]

5. Bears, feral house cats too

And just about everything, I think, that is crowded and stressed.

The axe and shovel murders at daycares in China and South America are unimaginable horrors.

[Kaleva]

6. Nature is brutal

[Easterncedar]

9. Our mistake is forgetting we are animals too

And have not evolved above our base instincts.

[Irish_Dem]

38. If the GOP can dramatically increase the stress level in the US, the mass shootings will increase.

[Irish_Dem]

36. Yes but do tigers on a regular basis, slaughter random groups of tiger cubs?

For no reason?

[Kaleva]

46. Male lions do

Cats are known to kill kittens. Male bears are known to kill cubs. Chimps will attack other groups of chimps.

[Irish_Dem]

48. I guess humans are on their evolutionary level.

We have not evolved at all.

[Kaleva]

58. We, along with other species, have evolved into apex predators.

[Irish_Dem]

59. Yes, women and children are now the hunted prey.

[Hope22]

2. Some male cats will kill kittens. n/t

[Phoenix61]

3. Happens in lots of species.

A male lion who has taken over a pride from an adversary will kill all the cubs. This forces the lionesses into heat so he can mate with them and help raise his own cubs. Male grizzlies will kill and eat cubs, even their own as will male bobcats.

[TheBlackAdder]

4. When hamsters feel stressed, they will eat the heads of their litter.

[Irish_Dem]

37. Humans are on par with hamsters from an evolutionary standpoint. :(

[Lovie777]

7. Mammals...............

humans are suppose to be a "higher, intelligent" more understanding, compassionate, loving and way smarter species but damn.

Our killer intent is more intense.

[Irish_Dem]

39. Apparently this is a myth taught to us from an early age.

[Doc Sportello]

8. I hope future replies answer the question asked

The OP asks "regularly slaughter their young?"

Because an animal kills their young for mating or food purposes in no way equals what is going on with serial killers in our country.

[Kaleva]

12. Wolves will attack and kill other wolves not in their pack

Chimps will do the same .

OP did mention Hitler and Putin

[mathematic]

18. You're scolding people for not answering a rhetorical question?

The internet, everybody.

[Doc Sportello]

19. Those weren't answers to a rhetorical question

Read them again.

[Kaleva]

21. OP mentions Germans and Russians

Not individual killers

[Irish_Dem]

40. That is my point. Isolated, atypical animals killing other animals is not what I am talking about.

I am talking about the habitual slaughter of children, in which other adults do not protect their young.

[Doc Sportello]

61. That's how I took it

It was not a rhetorical question. It's a question that points out how far we have come in this country from the most basic self-preservation of our own species. But, like climate change, every new atrocity is rolled into the ever-bubbling witches brew that we all have to drink from and can't seem to do anything about.

Great post.

[raging moderate]

10. Some young male lions defeat old male lions.

Then they kill all the old lion's cubs and impregnate his widowed females.

[wnylib]

11. Semi feral barn cats do the same thing.

[Takket]

13. I've seen documentaries about primate wars

Where one tribe will invade and kill another that is encroaching on their territory.

Though those killings are usually driven by survival instinct and not pleasure or a desire to “get even” for some perceived slight.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. No. So now what?

[KY_EnviroGuy]

15. Many fish species often eat their young.

I always felt Republicans are a very fishy species......

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

16. Male lions almost always kill the little cubs of new pride to start over a fresh family with harem

And their hierarchy of food means males eat first, then females, then cubs get what's left, when food is scarce, cubs will be first to starve

Yeah, nature is rough in lion society

[GenXer47]

17. I think this was a rhetorical question y'all

The animal nerds just sort of jumped out of the woodwork there!

[Easterncedar]

20. I think it's worth considering

Why are so many mass shooters sexually frustrated males? We keep saying they are somehow abnormal, but perhaps they are not the outliers we like to imagine. Same for the murderous world leaders mentioned in the OP. We have met the enemy, and they are us. So, how to address this?

[Renew Deal]

23. Where are the statistics on this?

"Why are so many mass shooters sexually frustrated males?" Is there any stats on the "sexually frustrated" part? Particularly affiliation with MRA movements or anything like that?

[Renew Deal]

22. Your post is poorly worded.

It implies that Germans, Russians, and Americans are different species. Besides that, it is not acceptable in "humanity" to "deliberately slaughter their young." So it's a ridiculous comparison.

[Easterncedar]

24. Hmm. I read those as examples

Last edited Wed Apr 12, 2023, 12:33 PM - Edit history (1)

Of those members of our species that kill their young. It’s a general conversation starter, I’d say. Not an argument. Not sure why the harsh response is called for.

[Irish_Dem]

41. It is totally acceptable to many Americans to see schoolchildren slaughtered on a regular basis.

The myth of humanity seems to be just that, a myth.

Perhaps rewording of your post is in order.

[sanatanadharma]

25. So now we know humans are not the only species self-killing

But I suspect that the humans are the only species free-willing killing their young.

[GusBob]

29. Are humans the only species that choose to abort their progeny?

I guess that's the flip side to the question

[brooklynite]

26. No.

[edisdead]

27. Nope.

Infanticide is a fairly common occurrence in animals.

But there is a difference in that they do it for survival. We do it because we are narcissistic fucks that can’t be bothered to have tules and regulations.

[librechik]

28. yeah that's the way species usually handle unnecessary or troublesome young.

often consuming the offspring. Because survival. Look up chimpanzees about this topic if you want to get really depressed.

Humans are the exception, and proud of it. Nevertheless, humans have to survive too.

[DFW]

30. Alligators have their young for lunch

Especially if their other choices are not on the menu that day

[sarisataka]

31. Do you realize your broad brush

Should, continuing your format, read-

The Germans (Hitler) and Russians (Putin) come to mind.

Now of course, Americans (Biden) must be added to the list.

Somehow I don't think that is the picture you were trying to paint...

[LakeArenal]

32. Slaughter? Same words Republicans use for abortions?

Terrible choice of language.

[UTUSN]

34. That was my first impression, too.

[LakeArenal]

35. Thanks.

[Irish_Dem]

43. See my post below.

[Irish_Dem]

42. I stand by my wording 100% The GOP doesn't scare me into avoiding word usage.

I will not be shut down or intimidated by anyone.

[LakeArenal]

53. I'm not scared. And no one is trying to shut you down.

Nor is anyone intimidating you in using whatever words you want.

At least a couple disagree. That happens on a discussion board.

[Irish_Dem]

55. Thank you.

[ecstatic]

60. I didn't think of that. That comparison only comes to mind

if someone views a clump of cells as a fully functioning, independent human. But you're right, it's important to stay ahead of how others might perceive things.

[Rustynaerduwell]

33. Our brains are tripartite. with reptilian, mammalian and the Homo Sapiens brains

I can't believe the human part is the dominant when a person rampages. To suggest it is a human act insults humans.

[Irish_Dem]

44. Humans deserve to be insulted for not protecting their young, murdering them with impunity.

[Raine]

45. NO. nt

[betsuni]

47. How are Americans not voting for Republicans, the party against gun control, responsible

and slaughtering their young?

[Irish_Dem]

51. Because they refuse to protect their young by pretending to be helpless.

They stand by and let it happen, week after week.

[betsuni]

52. What can they do without legislation?

[Irish_Dem]

54. Why do Americans tolerate corruption that leads to the death of their children?

Why do Americans permit elected officials and judges to cause the murder of their children?

American adults adamantly refuse to protect their young.

All the excuses and hand wringing do not alter that basic fact.

[betsuni]

56. Those tolerating it are Republican voters who will never vote for Democrats because of

propaganda and ideology. Republican politicians don't even need to be corrupt, it's their ideology, the way they get elected.

Who and what do you mean by "excuses and hand wringing"?

[Irish_Dem]

57. Americans pretend there is nothing they can do to prevent the slaughter of their schoolchildren.

It has gone way beyond political party at this point.

The issue: Will American adults get off their butts and protect the children of America?

Or will American adults keep wringing their hands, making excuses?

[Conjuay]

49. You never raised fish, have you?

[Irish_Dem]

50. So humans are on the same evolutionary level as fish?

[SYFROYH]

62. With or without an AR15?

That seems to be the critical issue for many.