“A system whereby each child told the parent how hungry he was would be ideal for the parent, and, as we have seen, such a system seems to have evolved. But the young are in a strong position to lie, because they know exactly how hungry they are, while the parent can only guess whether they are telling the truth or not. It is almost impossible for a parent to detect a small lie, although it might see through a big one.”

— Richard Dawkins, book The Selfish Gene

Source: The Selfish Gene (1976, 1989), Ch. 8. Battle of the Generations

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Richard Dawkins322

English ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author 1941

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Murray N. Rothbard book The Ethics of Liberty

Though, as we shall see below, in a libertarian society the existence of a free baby market will bring such "neglect" down to a minimum.
Children and rights, p. 100
The Ethics of Liberty (1982)

“I have never known a patient to portray his parents more negatively than he actually experienced them in childhood but always more positively--because idealization of his parents was essential for his survival.”

Alice Miller (1923–2010) Swiss psychologist

Source: Thou Shalt Not Be Aware : Society's Betrayal of the Child