Women and Children first?

[naomi24]

With all the talk recently of the Titanic, and other marine disasters, I was listening to a discussion today where the question was asked 'On a sinking ship, should women and children be given priority?'

Should they? And if not, who should?

[joko]

i thought of this question the other day and was going to ask it!

children first for sure... for women - i dont know - although i agree we are equals and they have as much right to live as a woman - but then as is generally the case men are stronger than women and may fare better if left to fend for themselves.
women are not like they used to be either - they had giant skirts and corset abd were generally less active and weaker... and had the mentality of needing protecting - now women are stronger and would get involved etc

i dont think men are 'morally' bound to help women!
as human being we should help anyone

wyed dyed is correct too

that really there have only been a few ones that had the women and children first thing - and the titanic was down to the captains orders rather than a rule

[marval]

This is the link about it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...world-europe-17693480

[WyeDyed]

^^^
Thanks Marval and I've found the ST article copied in the Australian:
http://www.theaustral...nb64oi6-1226326871259

[marval]

You are welcome, I wil read your link.

[Old_Geezer]

I don't think anyone is strong enough to avoid being sucked down with the ship. Children and Old_Geezers first, naturally.

[keyplus90]

I think it all comes to the individual thinking and the amount of sacrifice one is willing to show. Children and women both as God has declared that men are protectors. It has always been the case in ideal societies regardless of whatever they believe in. But now neither societies are ideal nor their thinking and many would not agree with me just for the sake of it (I know). I will have no problem at all in staying behind if that saves the life of a child and the mother.

Otherwise you can always put names in the hat if you do not agree with me.

[cathfromsaron]

i would allow my children to go first, then launch the boat and jump in too!

[Canary42]

If it's an Italian Cruise ship then captain and crew appear to get priority.

[wildwood]

The 'women and children' theme when a boat is sinking is outmoded and unwise. I'll probably get slaughtered for this, but men are general are physically a lot stronger and resourceful than women so are able to row the boat and devise methods of gathering food from the sea. One daily seagull can keep 4 people alive. Eating fresh fish provides the necessary moisture and nourishment etc.

[naomi24]

Bellazella, //Been listening to jeremy vine naomi //

Ha ha! No, The Wright Stuff when I was putting my make-up on this morning. Personally, I think gender is irrelevant, but I do think the young should take priority. The old have had a life.

[joko]

wildwood - i take the stronger thing... but are you seruiously suggesting that women cant row a boat and are not resourceful?

the only reason women didnt do so much in the past is because men wouldnt allow it and any women that did do anything 'unladylike, was seen as weird and wrong etc .. it wasnt that long ago that women could not vote or even have higher education

todays women are very different

[RATTER15]

Im happy with women and children first.

[bellazella]

It was topical on the jeremy vine show

[sandyRoe]

None of the women or children survived this sinking off the Irish coast.
http://cruiselinehist...ould-it-happen-again/

[wildwood]

joko, would you really prefer to have your children in a lifeboat with two women rowing, rather than two men? I know which I would put my money on! This has nothing to do with PC. It is a matter of life or death for the little ones.

[joko]

i would be happy with 2 sensible adults with arms!
you do not have to be superstrong to row a boat!

women are not the delicate litle flowers who faint at the slightest thing as films like pride and predjudice would have you believe.

who do you think rowed the titanic life boats?

there have been stories of women picking up cars to save people.

in a crisis, most women will forget the social niceties of being 'ladylike' and do whatever it takes to survive and to protect their children

have you heard the notion of a women and children being akin to a lioness and cubs..? because she will fight like a lion to protect them, find strength she didnt know she had.

although generally men are stronger than women- there is a large overlap in the middle, of strong women and weak men ...

i know myself if something happened i would not just stand there whimpereing waiting for men to fix it...i'd be in there doing what i could

[ludwig]

I think the issue of 'women and children first' isn't about giving preference to those who are more worthy of living - clearly there's no difference between men and women in that respect.

It's really about giving preference to the physically weaker. The people that would otherwise just die in an 'every man for himself' scramble - along with the elderly and disabled. It's our ability to put others needs first that makes us civilised and humane, and I think it's about holding on to that humanity even in the face of crisis and imminent death.

When a ship's sinking there's no time to asses everyone's needs in terms of ability etc, so women and children is a simple way of doing it in a hurry, that's all. Of course there's also an element of 'we've had a life, they haven't' with children.

[mibn2cweus]

In principle, 'woman & children first', seems like a reasonable policy as children are most likely to be dependent on the assistance of others and woman are best equipped to address their immediate needs. In the ensuing chaos, woman and children first, also provides a much needed means to establish group priorities. Any man who found himself alone in a boat loaded with woman and children best be prepared to merit their favour.

That said, if there were ever any question at all regarding the certainty of rescuing everyone from a sinking vessel, being the thoughtful, considerate and unshellfish person I am, I reckon I should be the first one of all to board a lifeboat in the hopes of sparing another of my fellow human beings from being shackled with a life time of survivor's guilt.

[jomifl]

From a survival point of view, since children have a greater tolerance of chilling and women have better thermal insulation it would be far better if the men gave priority to the women and children, but only after they had impregnated the women :-)

[naomi24]

^^ Speedy Gonzales. ;o)