4 ms·

I apply the same heuristic to the adults.

• notch656a 4y ago
  Engaging children can be nourishing to the soul of those who enjoy it. But the calculus is definitely different from adults. From a cold calculating standpoint, engaging an affluent adult can come with significant upsides: jobs, access to political power, commerce, international interface, mobility. An affluent adult can fuck you in a lot of ways, but you can also trade with them in ways that can really help you. On the other hand, the relationship with children is asymmetric. A poor / minority child isn't going to offer you anything (from a selfish viewpoint), but neither is an affluent one. However an affluent family can absolutely crush you if they misinterpret some engagement with their children. The poor / minority family may be less likely to have the power to make a misunderstanding turn into a significant legal hassle for you. Therefore the calculus for engaging an affluent child look pretty bad, while that of engaging a poor child look more like neutral. For adults I find it more of a wash, with the upsides typically higher than the downsides for engaging most any sane adult.
  • throwaway0a5e 4y ago
    I should have said "basically the same heuristic" I'm well aware of the benefits of having people with resources on good terms with me.
  • lupire 4y ago
    A child of a rich parent might marry your poor child.