4 ms·
Surely it is the malaria parasite that is the killer, rather than the mosquito?
by simonsquiff 16y ago
Surely it is the malaria parasite that is the killer, rather than the mosquito?
- DeusExMachina 16y agoThe mosquito is the vector of transmission, so the couple mosquito-parasite makes it an enemy as a whole.
- CWuestefeld 16y agoAnd the guy sitting in jail isn't the killer, but his gun? No, strike that. It's not the gun, but the bullet.
- SwellJoe 16y agoOne could view it as an accidental death. The mosquito didn't intend to transmit malaria, or to kill the child, it was just a side effect of what it does every day. Though, mosquitoes being parasitic by nature, they aren't very respectful of human right to property (they steal people's blood for a living, after all). Maybe more like an alcoholic who drives drunk. Anyway, I like your analogy as an answer to the mosquito vs. malaria blame game, but it may be impossible to directly compare a mosquito-inflicted death to one caused by a human in any fashion. In short, blame is irrelevant...human rights trump mosquito (or malaria) rights, IMNSHO, so if we could somehow destroy mosquitoes (and/or malaria) entirely in the sub-Saharan region, that'd be entirely alright with me, to hell with the consequences (some argue it would impact other wildlife, as mosquitoes are a food source for birds, as well as a pollinator for some plants, and those birds and plants are a food source for bigger animals, etc.).