Women and children first

I guess most of you have seen the movie Titanic. Was watching it on TV today and the orders given when the lifeboats are launched made me think: Why women and children first?

I searched on the internet and found out from Wikipedia that it originated from the incident of one HMS Birkenhead sinking in 1852 (check link 1 & link 2 out for more details if you want). And although there doesn't seem to be any formal law which makes following this order mandatory, it seems this is what even the society in general has come to expect. Infact, society goes one step ahead and adds elderly in the list too and young adult men come last. Even while reporting the number of death in an accident or natural disaster, the media always report 'this many people died including x no. of women and y no. of children.'

So, back to square one and the question still remains, why women and children first? Why not a different order? Or even, why any order at all?

I'll take time to debate here since DM has been a bit low on activity.

I think women and children first comes from the conventional notions of weaker sex. Children are the weakest and need help. Women are the weaker sex. Men are expected to be brave, chivalrous and self sacrificing. It would be shameful for a man to survive while he let women and/or children drown. Hence the system of women and children first.

Its really hard to decide on the saving order.

Favoring either gender would be sexist.
Favoring the rich to "buy safety" is unethical towards the poor
Nature's way would be we fight it out blood and guts and only the strongest survive. Fewer people survive here and people balk at the thought of violence. Also we tend to value the creative people, the intellectuals who may not be strong in a physical sense.
Trying to develop a  logical priority list would be very arbitrary and time consuming.

However, we can view woman and children first through a pragmatic viewpoint as well. Suppose humans are in peril, who should we save? Obviously only men or only women makes no sense.

Children would make most sense as they can grow up and mate to carry the human race.

However, children often cannot survive on their own and need help. Women are suited to caring for children, so preference may lean towards women. However, one could argue that men could protect and can nurture as well. But if we look at human sustainability the mating potential of men would be very limited. Women in this case are a more sensible choice, especially women in child bearing years.

Hence women and children should be saved in times of crisis. The problem with this theory is that Titanic or similar situations are not human sustainability crisis. But since any other priority list is flawed, we assume that women and children ought to be saved.

I'm curious if anyone has a better way to prioritize? I'm sure there are other social/emotional aspects to view it as well, but those theories will also tread the grey line of men vs. women. I'm sure my theory has plenty of holes as well.

Yes often we say ladies first.
Perhaps this is more in western societies but in several Asian countries women are discriminated against and treated as second class. In Japan and Korea especially.I know some middle-east n African societies too have similar problems.
But it is slowly changing.
The ideal in India has been respect for woman but there are pockets of those who do not comply.

Summer if we say "Ladies first" why do we say it? If we say respect women, why do we say so? Tradition? Reason? Habit? Perception?

I think most of us will see phenomenon where there is preference one way or another. But the question is why is this there? What is the reason? How did we come to this?

Yes Sarina reasons. I agree you mentioned chivalry and in some cases it could also be to woo a fair lady.

I think, the notion of "Ladies first" has very little to do with chivalry (the very word  is actually the other side of the Chauvinism coin), and more in regards to the view of the women being the "weaker sex". Personally, i find it infuriating to my mind wnen i hear it announced on the news channels something like:

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Hi5 and just "hi", both .😃

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Originally posted by: Midnight_Shade

Thanks, girl. =) But I'm only back intermittently. Just thought I'd treat myself with some I-F time after getting the huge load of MCAT off my back. PHEW!!!!

But what's this? Is this place dead or what?

Hello there buddies

Ha ha here we perform miracles and bring the dead back to life😆
There are many silent readers, you are under constant watch.

Ah speaking of ladies first, hope Haley wins AI.
Slightly raw but love her style.