Why do people insist that blood relations are so important?

Question

I asked something similar before, but I fear I phrased it confusingly.

Anyway, I know all about social and cultural reasons and all of that. I'm looking for real reasons - not brainwashing. What is the BASIS for it, if any?

After all, we do not get to choose these people. We might choose non-blood relations later on, but when we're born, we're stuck with what we have.

Okay, but blood doesn't mean too much. Even members of immediate families can vary greatly, and the same applies to cousins and the like. We can't escape being related, but so what?

I'm getting some good answers, but many are missing the point. The question is WHY, at the simplest level. When you clear out all the clutter of what we're told each and every day, what are you left with? What is the true meaning of blood relations that makes them so important?

Answer 1

I have often wondered the same thing. We don't like each person we meet through the course of our lives, why do we feel so much pressure to not only like but to LOVE our family? I have some family members who are just about as flipped out as you can get and I don't feel bad because I don't care for them. I think it's cultural and we've been conditioned to think we need to love our family. We've been so conditioned to love them that we take more abuse from them than we EVER would take from our friends! Think about it, stop yourself sometime when you're dealing with family in certain situations and think ,"Would I say these things to my friends?" or "Would I accept this treatment from a friend?" Chances are we would not...............

Answer 2

Sounds like you'd been disappointed in your blood relations... I hope not, though.
You want to know the exact reason of something based on instincts and intuition. At least most of our feelings for our blood relations are of that source. Science now confirms that a newborn baby recognizes its mother immediately, and its father just a little bit after. It is strange when you think of it. Also, the (harmless) bacteria we all have are totally compatible between a mother/father and their offspring, and they can be dangerous if coming from somebody else, so we try to keep the babies to themselves a bit until they gain and build the necessary immune system to resist 'alien' bacteria, viruses, etc. It means nature (or God, whatever you believe) had a way of showing that these relations do mean something.
I was once woken up by my mother's call in the middle of the night, because of a bad dream she'd had about me. I was going through a difficult time then, but tried not to burden her as she couldn't help anyway. We were miles apart, yet she sensed almost to a tiny detail what was happening to me. That's proof enough for me that blood is thicker than water.

Answer 3

Well, I'm sorry you were disappointed in prior answers, but in fact, all the reasons that people think blood is important are social and cultural, going back millennia to tribes and clans, where it was believed that you could count on relations more than outsiders.

Of course, history is full of examples where that was not true, particularly in some of the wars where relatives fought each other for crowns and power, but the idea dies hard.

In our increasingly mobile world, where nuclear families split and reform regularly and more distant relatives are seldom seen, the blood kin notion is weakened, but still important to some, especially in a world of strangers where we are all looking to be known and to know.

Answer 4

In my opinion, blood relations are significant because
of the enduring close quarters in which the individuals
live. It might sound pessimistic, but If an individual can
put up with an individual for a sustained period in so
close confines then other individuals who come into
contact with the individual for a short period shouldn't
be too inconvenienced. Therefore, it is important
because people can consider how the relationship
might develop if the personality which is presented is
similar to the personality of blood relatives over a long
period of time.

Answer 5

I have always thought I had a say in what family I was born into...or at least God placed me where I could best learn the lessons suited for my life path. (which is love)

Blood relations are an invaluable tool and gift this way because they hopefully offer an up close and personal sounding board and opportunity to be 'stuck with someone' long enough to actually work it out.....even save each other with enough insight and caring.

but then some people have come to learn love through distance and there are times when truth divides families...and in those times each must walk away to fully be who they are.

sometimes family members are there to show us what we are not...

Life lessons are biggies..these people are our most relevant teachers...with or without their concious participaction.

Answer 6

Because the bonds are stronger than any other relationship except marriage. You can break up a marriage but you will always be related to your blood relatives. Usually in our society right or wrong most families will stand behind you. It is the nature of love, when you live with someone your whole life you are close to them. This would also hold true for most adopted families.

Blood is thicker than water.

Answer 7

I was adopted when I was 6 weeks old. While my adopted family was my "family", there was always the feeling of being somewhat different. Kind of like a misfit. When my first son was born, a thought popped into my head that "wow, this is the only person in the world I know that is actually related to me". I have 3 sons, and it still gives me a sense of belonging to observe the similarities they have with me, in terms of eyes, hair, dispositions, speech patterns, etc.

Answer 8

I think that for some it makes them feel less alone in the world. I don't believe that blood relationships are any more important then non-blood relationships.

The only exception for me is if I had children. I believe that is a different bond entirely, one that your child may not have for you but the parent must have for the child.

Answer 9

You can't change your blood relations and have to respect that, but the truth is, you are making your own friends and sometimes they are more important in your life than your own blood related family.

Answer 10

God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son and grant his blood as as sacrifice to him.it relatively is in accordance ot Christianity .Islam has observed the comparable ingredient .So the two those religions have self belief interior the laying off of human blood to fulfill God .Why is the God so blood thirsty , is a various question.maybe God would desire to create purely beings and not their blood and blood is his general potation! He maybe set an occasion for those 2 religions to take to blood shed for propagation of their religions with the aid of Holy marketing campaign and Jihad !