Re: Sex and the Single Praxian

From: Matthew Thale <mattt_at_azstarnet.com>
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 18:14:46 -0700


I said:
>>IMHO, infanticide is relatively common among the Praxians due to the
>>harsh living conditions under which they suffer. <snip>

Robert Stancliff responded:
> I have to voice strong disagreement to this concept. While it makes
>sense that Praxians are capable of abandoning infants, the harsh realities
>of life in Prax and the Wastes would preclude the need to do so.
> Far too many children will die from infant disease, animal and plant
>poisons, trampling and crushing accidents, falls, famine, collateral death
>during raids, and several other grisly ends, to ever need to intentionally
>kill a healthy, well formed child. Any child that can survive past the age
>of 8 is a blessing for the clan because they will probably survive to
>adulthood and are capable of performing useful work as they grow and train.
>The absense of children to raise is far more likely than too many children.

I find your argument to be very compelling. However, seeing that infanticide occurs in similar societies in the RW, I believe that it is practiced in Prax.

I cannot give you coherent arguments beyond that. The need for infanticide is so alien to my comfortable style of living that I cannot argue the reasons why is occurs in Prax.

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