Ronald Bailey at H&R links to an op-ed by Steven Pinker where Pinker lists some questions that can’t be asked in polite society. My favorite: “Do parents have any effect on the character or intelligence of their children?”
I don’t think that parents, other then via their genetic legacy, have any impact on their children’s intelligence. Character, on the other hand, is a trickier question. I believe that basic personality traits are inborn but that through the steady application of severe abuse and neglect parents can turn any child into a monster. Aside from creating monsters, however, parents are helpless to affect how their kids turn out. They can fret and pray, but that’s about it.
This news should be liberating for parents. They can stop all this nonsense about “parenting” and get back to the passive role of “having kids”. Think of the time and energy you will save. And your psyche will be healthier now that you don’t have to worry about having “quality time” with your kids. Send them out to play and have a nice cup of tea or a glass of wine. They’ll be fine. They don’t really need for you to amuse them all the time. As long as you feed and clothe them and drive them where they need to go, your work is pretty much done.
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1 comment:
Better yet, just train them to go get your beer from the fridge.
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