Pop Quiz

[cranioscopical]

Several interesting answers to kids' questions. For example, with reference to one's sister, "Why can't we just cook her?"

And for those who want only the answer to this one:

Spoiler

You cannot just cook and eat your sister, because your father is trying to civilise you. You would find it existentially upsetting. Even if you were uncivilised, like the 70-plus species of mammal that are known cannibals, it would not be your sibling you would kill and eat. For instance, male lions and female chimpanzees kill and eat the offspring of rivals, not infants who are closely related to them genetically. In a cave I was excavating recently, I discovered the ancient remains of butchered babies and toddlers, so I know that early humans certainly sometimes ate other humans. It was not always their enemies. Before farming was developed to provide regular meals, if a member of your family died, it would have made nutritional sense not to waste anything, and you would not want to attract dangerous meat-eating animals to your camp or allow your enemies a chance of a good feed off your deceased loved one. So in those circumstances you would have been obliged to eat your little sister, as part of a solemn, dutiful ritual. Nowadays, you don’t need to do that, unless times get very, very tough.

http://www.telegraph...r_117.xml&page=2

[Darwin]

Brilliant! Thanks for the link, Chris. I've just ordered the book! Should prove invaluable with my five year old and my three year old 

[cranioscopical]

Too late for mine, Darwin, they're long gone. Prior to this, however, the answer would probably have been that we were out of ketchup 

[Ralf Maximus]

Holy shiat, I read the answer above and thought the kid was saying that.

Amazing educational system you have there in the UK.

[app103]

It's funny that he asked an archaeologist for the answer to that one.

I would have asked a master chef. After all, the question was "Why can't we just cook her?"...it didn't mention anything about eating.

Even if that was the question, I still wouldn't have chosen to ask an archaeologist...I would have asked a dietitian.

[Darwin]

Heh, heh, I would have asked an ethicist (assuming that that is even a job title  )!

I probably would have broken down in laugther, remembering the joke from about grade 5 (10 or 11 years old):

Little Johnny Rotten: Mum! I hate Fred's guts!
Mum: Shut up and eat your dinner.

[Ralf Maximus]

I would have asked a master chef.

-app103 (November 29, 2007, 04:54 AM)

"And tonight's secret ingredient on Iron Chef is--"

[cranioscopical]

I would have asked a master chef. After all, the question was "Why can't we just cook her?"...it didn't mention anything about eating.
Even if that was the question, I still wouldn't have chosen to ask an archaeologist...I would have asked a dietitian.

-app103 (November 29, 2007, 04:54 AM)

Joking aside, there doesn't seem to be any particular culinary or dietary reason not to cook a human. 
Also, my own sister always seemd a little hard-boiled.

I did share your initial surprise at asking an archaeologist but the more I thought about the answer the more sense it seemed to make.