Were we meant to die as children?

[Emerita]

Considering how long humans have been around, it's only recently that child mortality has dropped significantly. Not going to lie this made me feel envious. Clearly I was born in the wrong era.

 

[SecretDissociation]

Same. I was born prematurely, I think a month and a bit premature. Had I been born maybe a decade or two earlier I would've been dead. Then again, dying as a baby defeats the whole purpose of what life and having a baby is meant to do, so while I don't think we were 'meant to die' as children, I think I should've died as a baby anyway TT

 

[bankai]

Yes. Whenever people talk about the good old times, they don't really understand how good we have it today. There weren't any good old times in the past. Women used to die during childbirth so often, and hell, you needed to get on a Bullock cart or something to get to the hospital. Nearest hospital was 50 miles away

And yes, the average age people used to live to was around 30. And life just used to be horrific for everyone. Didn't matter how wealthy or how affluent you are. Children used to die very often and very easily. Today you have diarrhea and you browse Sasu on the throne. In those times you had diarrhea and well you'd be dead.

 

[wham311]

I came out with the umbilical chord wrapped around my throat. ICU.

So close.

 

[DivineSpark]

Yes. Whenever people talk about the good old times, they don't really understand how good we have it today. There weren't any good old times in the past. Women used to die during childbirth so often, and hell, you needed to get on a Bullock cart or something to get to the hospital. Nearest hospital was 50 miles away

And yes, the average age people used to live to was around 30. And life just used to be horrific for everyone. Didn't matter how wealthy or how affluent you are. Children used to die very often and very easily. Today you have diarrhea and you browse Sasu on the throne. In those times you had diarrhea and well you'd be dead.

Yeah, thanks to healthcare and better living standards :3

 

[SomewhereAlongThe]

If my mom got an abortion, I would have loved that.

 

[Ligottian]

My mother had at least one miscarriage. I so envy my "phantom sibling".

 

[JesiBel]

Evolution, modernity, and technological advances have allowed us to develop a more "favorable environment" for life. And we haven't experienced the atrocities of the animal kingdom, whose newborn offspring are sometimes devoured by predators. We don't even die from a simple flu or infected due to lack of hygiene and transmission of diseases or pests.
However, no matter how advanced society is today, if your parents don't take good care of you, you can die in any domestic accident when you are a baby or child.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I shouldn't even have been possible. My parents were told it would be a 'medical imposibility'. My Dad had a very low count. I really resent that tenacious little sperm that wanted to prove them wrong. My parents had actually accepted the news by the time they were proved wrong.

Then, I missed out again because my Mum had simultaneously been diagnosed with cancer and, she delayed chemo as a result. Then, died 3 years later.

It's actually pretty sad when my Dad thinks it was this miracle blessing when it's just been a curse for me. Plus, while he said she wouldn't have, I still wonder if my Mum would have survived or at least, lived a bit longer if she'd started chemo earlier. It just feels like such a horrible waste. She loved life I believe.

The more curious thing I find is considering that people had many more children to compensate for the inevitable loss of some along the way. Plus, that that still goes on in countries today where the children will very likely just starve. We're supposed to be thinking creatures but surely- that's no more than just primal basic animalism. Pop out as many as you can so that a handful survive. Nevermind if they starve, scream and suffer. Just make some advert and hope rich people will take enough pity on them to feed them. I just don't get it. They must view life and suffering differently I suppose. I know that sounds heartless of course. I was brought up to pity the children suffering and starving. Obviously, I still do. It's not their fault but, I truly can't fathom why their parents would bring them into that to begin with.

 

[Mooncry]

Today you have diarrhea and you browse Sasu on the throne.

I feel targeted. >:|

 

[FuneralCry]

I understand as it really feels like I've suffered for so long in this torturous existence, it's all so dreadful to me and I wish I never suffered more than anything, I find it terrifying how a human can exist for so long just to be tortured by old age, I always wish I was already gone and at peace, I just want to never suffer ever again.

 

[cemeteryismyhome]

I never thought of it like that, but it makes sense. I'm highly suspicious that everything called "progress" is not really progress, and things that are natural should probably be left alone. That's really interesting though. Maybe whatever makes us miserable adults would have correlated with dying as a child. I'm extra irritated at the thought of that.

 

[tercermundista]

My parents are idiots who should never have children, I shouldn't exist.

 

[dead dav]

I almost drowned as a child fell in a rock pool managed to get myself out I wish now I had let the water claim me

 

[Mooncry]

I almost drowned as a child fell in a rock pool managed to get myself out I wish now I had let the water claim me

I fell in a pool when I was a little kid. All I remember is sinking down into the deep end and somehow I have a memory of seeing my aunt diving in to save me. I don't remember blacking out, but I must have, considering the next thing I recall is waking up to her doing CPR on me.

I never thought too hard about it, but I wonder to this day how close I actually came to dying. I don't remember feeling panicked at all, or even crying, which is very odd. One of my strangest experiences.

 

[PrettyWhiteFlower]

Kinda makes me think of all the babies born with really severe illnesses. Who can't move or speak or do anything but their parents fight to keep them alive. A selfishness to force someone to live in constant suffering. No other species does this. We may have done many impressive things with out higher intelligence but maybe animals are right. We see them as lacking compassion when they abandon a sick pack mate or kill there own offspring. But isn't that just the natural instinct.

Anyway this turned into a rant

 

[AreWeWinning]

This reminds me of the "mouse utopia" experiments. A couple of articles about it:

• The 'mad egghead' who built a mouse utopia | Science | The Guardian
• Mouse Heaven or Mouse Hell? | Science History Institute

And a related phenomenon, called "behavioral sink":

• Behavioral sink - Wikipedia

In short, humans have infested the earth, there is overpopulation, life is too comfortable, and there is nowhere new to explore, which leads to deviant and abnormal behaviour. This might be the reason for the prevalence of mental disorders, the low birth rate in certain countries, and other issues in society.

Old times were cruel but better and healthier.