But when the topic turns to aggression and violence, the liberals sing a different tune. It must be suppressed. Scientists have long noted that, when young animals play, they mimic violent behavior. Kittens bite, stalk, scratch and pounce on a ball of string, reproducing the motions of attacking and killing a small animal. Young deer chase each other, practicing the charges, feints, leaps and quick turns that will one day help them elude and fight off predators.
Humans are the same.
Scientists say that all this chasing and fighting stimulates the nervous system, building up important neural connections in a young animal s brain. Mock fights also teach animals to interact with others of their species. The animal learns when to submit and when to pursue, and it will learn how to lose a fight gracefully. As beneficial as play fighting seems to be for young animals and humans, the Mia Farrow crowd wants it stopped. They would reject millions of years of evolution for the sake of their pacifist notions.