...but I still think it [a general love of children] is at least part of the answer. Agreed and I think I said so. I suspect that the answer, if there is one, will not be due to any single factor. Rather it will likely be the result of many interacting social and biological responses. ...I do think this points out that genetic evolution is as happy to mess with 'good' traits as with 'bad'. Absolutely. "Good" and "bad" are human inventions. Evolution doesn't actually care one way or the other nor can it. Things that work for a species tend to stick around. Those that don't, don't. This becomes more apparent when one thinks, as I do, that a human being is simply a mechanism by which a gene perpetuates itself. Personality, intelligence, self-awareness are all mere side effects. I, for one, am rather grateful for these side effects. ...I suspect those people/societies have more serious problems to deal with. True enough. But long held customs or beliefs often originate from very real needs. From our distant viewpoint a custom may appear barbaric but this does not mean it wasn't necessary at the time. Generally these customs were the response to those serious problems. Survival requirements can be distressingly direct and pragmatic. So tell me dke... when you first started to develope Shazam did you ever anticipate it would lead to such a discussion as this? Grin... - Jack