Sibling Rivalry

I have no idea of where to place his thread. It will cross many boundary subsets I think if it progress in such a way that I hope. So I placed it in "uncategorized". Let's see where it ends up from there.

What is it about the choices we make in life that compel us to make the choices we do? Is it because we think it beautiful, durable, bigger, faster, cheaper, better, etc? Does it make sense that if anyone had a commodity that was the best that anyone would want it too? Is it our nature to want the very best life has to offer? Or is it something acquired that we innately would not have if things were different? What is envy and where does it come from? Jealousy is a most serious condition and what would it be like if it didn't exist?

The other day in responding to another thread I noticed something quite odd. A poster made a comment in which he thought it quite congratulatory for a woman to say that she thought some men to be beautiful. We were discussing beauty. I offered beauty is that of woman though I can understand why anyone would say something is beautiful. Yes it is an exclamation of what one regards that can be woman or a child or a thing. What is it about a thing that would create that desire that would compel us to have it for ourselves? More importantly to have it alone and no other.

Then, and how my mind works as if by magic the words 'sibling rivalry' came to my mind. I almost fell out of my chair. What can we say about the attention we get from others? Is that the root cause that motivates us to want? So we will stand out when we never thought we did before.

I was the oldest of three brothers, no sisters, and I was the cream of the cream of the corp for the first 4 years of my life and the photo album my Mother and Father had of me proves it. I was the apple of their eye until my second brother came along. There was no such album put together for him and the third, even less. My brothers never knew this album existed. I did. I never gave it much thought until the other day. It help me tie up a loose end and why I was the way I was in regards to my two younger siblings. I was not the best big brother. Not by a long shot.

I resented the attention I was not getting anymore. It wasn't malicious, I was too young; therefore it could be innate. I was 4 years old when the "other" appeared and at that age I don't remember or can recall if my parents warned me of what was about to transpire and I would no longer be the sole object of their attention. I don't remember, but the album speaks other wise.

What would my life had been like if I were an only child? Could this be a sign that I recall it as I do to say we are meant to have only one child at a time or only. I think only is that answer. We are meant to have but on child and that is all or perhaps at least until the one "leaves the nest". Then....................perhaps, another?

Many questions will arise that will be offer as to why it would be better if we had but the one and that is what I would like to discuss in this thread.

Many things must be considered if we are to discuss that:

The repercussions of those younger siblings and how it effects how they think and what they do in their life?

Like I said I was the oldest and can only speculate as to what my two younger brothers when through. They were indeed closer in that only 2 years divided them and they were close through out there life until one was lost in a car wreck 5 years ago at the age of 50. The youngest and I truly don't think the brother next to me has come to grips with that yet and I strive to help him deal with it and am trying daily to take the place of the younger to fill that void. I don't know if I am having any luck though. They were very close and I think that had something to do with my being alienated from them. They loved me dearly when we were younger and I have always regretted the felling was in reciprocal. That will be a burden I will carry until the day I die.

I have tried all my life to make amends to my younger brothers for, through no fault of my own, I was a terrible big brother. Whether it was because of my parents not telling me of the additions before hand and just "sprung it on me" or something else. As I said, I think it is an innate condition.

I am using my own life in hopes that it will give you the courage to speak of your own. Where were you in the "pecking order" as it were and how do you think that status affected you.

Why we have more that one child will definitely come up. That will involve the desire for sex and procreation. Is there a reality that will cause us to have a lesser urge?

I mentioned once it could be be engage in sex so much because we are bored with little else occupy ourselves with. Just one of the reasons. Could we find other things more appealing thank just having sex? Granted it does have it's "climaxes" and is indeed an orgasmic experience. That does explain a little of it. But is that all we are; just sexual creatures?

What are the costs involve in having so many children?

Does afford ability have anything to do with it? (My parents each had 9 siblings. My Father was next to the youngest and my Mother was the youngest and they both came from poor beginnings. My Father assuredly so. Barefoot and dirt poor) and most husbands will ever know if all were sired by the same Father unless there are striking differences. That is a secret a Mother will carry to her grave if she is not found out before hand. I had an Uncle that made a comical statement once, "MOMMA'S BABY, DADDY'S.......MAYBE!" Ha! Honestly that is not very funny, but I can assure you there are so many instances where it is definitely true. Such as can be illustrated in the song in which the lyrics state "...how sad to be married to someone else when the one you love comes along" or something like that.

It will address population and the balance of resources.

Many conclude there are too many of us on this planet. I am of an opposite opinion. I think we have room to spare. Sibling rivalry goes much deeper than that. Yes, I will agree we are having too many children and for all the wrong reasons and some of that involves fulfilling selfish desires and the child born into such a situation suffer because of it.

But most importantly it will address what we might think evil is and where it "might" come from. Could it be as simple as truly coming to realize we are meant to have but ONE CHILD. If this is so we can't force that to happen but can we learn to teach it so all will understand how important the child we have is and the repercussions of having more than one will have in the world we live in.

Before you respond perhaps you might want to read this article.
I just found it. It is by a man name William Boyle Ph'd in 1999. It is a fascinating read and I concur with much of what he had to say.

I have offered many times the one universal paradigm we know is true is the man/woman/child or what we have become to know a Father/Mother/Offspring.

Those of you searching for truth, let's see if we can generate a discourse that will allow us to get closer to it and I think this one will if all would offer a little more about themselves in the process. This thread, I hope will do just that. It is said the first child killed his sibling. What truth can we gain from that? And they two..............were brothers.

Thanks beforehand for anything you might contribute,:bigsmile:

William