A number of my friends and relations seem to be having babies around now. To me, they all look pretty similar and aren't very interesting until they're older (like, 20 perhaps). Thankfully some justification for my indifference is provided by the finding that men are less able to recognize cute babies than women.
I am, however, curious as to how this finding was reached, as opposed - for example - to the idea that the babies aren't actually cute or that the standards/criteria of cuteness employed by men and women differ...
They all look alike and they are not very interesting until they are older. It must be the oldest of clichés employed by the (generally younger) and childless when affecting a detatched attitude towards what seems all too conformist - i.e., rearing children and, even worse, being excited and happy about them.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it can instead be suggested that the experience of parenthood provides us with an important ability to recognise the fascinating and meaningful not only in those who share our age/interests/maturity/station in life, but also in those who are so 'different' from us in terms of how they understand life (being just born into the world).
In that sense, a lack of interest in the child is a most troublesome shortcome that one should consider overcoming as quickly as possible!