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Anthony's avatar

In a case of nominative determinism, the father of basketball star Dennis Rodman, Philander Rodman, is reputed to have about 50 children.

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Neil C's avatar

I half believe the theory that he's having so many kids (and possibly using sex selective IVF) so that he can have his memories implanted in one of them when he dies, and live forever. He's annoyed at one of them being trans because they were the perfect candidate.

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Ed West's avatar

lol

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JonF311's avatar

One problem with rich men having lots of kids: the empire fortune is quickly exhausted by the heirs. In the early Middle Ages Germanic kings sought to provide patrimonies to all their sons, which subdivided and thereby weakened nascent kingdoms multiple times, and led to lots of petty wars.

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Richard Ferguson's avatar

Although, in fairness, once they got round that problem through unification, we ended up with a couple of not so petty wars.

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Barekicks's avatar

What, Being John Malkovich style?

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RN's avatar

Ed you should be proud to share a famous last name with the respectable Kanye West

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Ed West's avatar

oh yes, I forgot about him. he seems very sane

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Basil Chamberlain's avatar

Rebecca West? Famous and respectable! "Indisputably the world's number one woman writer" according to Time magazine in 1947.

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John's avatar

Nice to see that by 2015 it had all ended happily for the Sunderland Shagger

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunderland-echo/20150521/281874411993915

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Greg's avatar

Osama Bin Laden’s dad was a phenomenally successful builder in Saudi Arabia (the bulldozers there still, I think, have BIN LADEN on them where elsewhere it would say JCB). He had loads of wives, more than 100 sons and - this is the bit I like - literally countless daughters, in that no one ever bothered to count them as they were only girls!!

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Ed West's avatar

I remember reading a sympathetic biography of the Bin Laden family, the basic point of which is that, if a guy has 57 children, statistically one was bound to be a mass murderer. i remember the family tree listing all the boys by name and then just 'x number of daughters'

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Greg's avatar

That’s spooky - 57 - because we all know OBL is actually living inside a Perspex cube in AREA 57 in Nevada 🤪

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Ian Keay's avatar

We really need to come up with a better term than "love child" when love had nothing to do with it.

I'll start with the not-so-good Norphans. Any other offers?

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Thomas Jones's avatar

I thought I knew a lot about Elon but I just hadn't registered that he isn't necessarily sleeping with all the mothers of his children. According to the community note under the tweet you referenced, even "X" was the result of IVF, the source is the Isaacson biography.

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JonF311's avatar

There's something profoundly weird about a non-gay guy not wanting to sleep with women as a means to procreation.

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JonF311's avatar

Re: By this stage the culture had changed enough that his illegitimacy ruled him out.

That took longer in some parts of Europe. In 14th century Spain Enrique de Trastamora slew his legitimate half brother, Pedro el Cruel, and took the throne, founding the House of Trastamora which supplied kings to both Castile and Aragon, including, later, Ferdinand and Isabella. And in Portugal in the same era the extinction of the legitimate male line of the original royal house led to the ascent of the illegitimate Joao d'Aviz in preference to the legitimate female heir who happened to be married to the King of Castile. And mechanisms existed to "legitimize" illegitimate children. Hence in England the Beauforts who eventually ended up producing Henry Tudor.

Re: By the early modern period, such behaviour had become an embarrassment

Well, Charles II was not too embarrassed. Neither was his contemporary Louis XIV. Both had plenty of illegitimate children with assorted mistresses. Charles had not a single legitimate child (his only one died in infancy) and Louis just one.

Re: Today, levels of involuntary celibacy among males have returned to pre-modern levels, while a few men dominate the dating pool.

I seriously question this narrative. I seem to know as many frustrated women who can't find men as men who have no luck with women. Problems include addictions (including to screen time and porn), obesity, lack of stable and gainful employment, and a general deficit of social ability. And "cheating" is still considered a no-no in most of the populace, though it may be tolerated among the true elite (plus ça change plus la même chose) and the poor.

Re: ‘Elon embodies the values of a genetic-determinist right that celebrates people with “good genes” having children under any circumstances.

Does Musk have "good" genes? He's on the spectrum and he's a drug user (OK, the latter may not involve genetic issues at all).

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jesse porter's avatar

What about Mae West? Why don't you come up and see me sometime?

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Tony Buck's avatar

In view of what a woman has to go through in childbirth - even in medically advanced countries - men who father many children are lacking in compassion.

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Tony Buck's avatar

Populate other planets ?

Which don't have breathable atmospheres.

Or any water.

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A. N. Owen's avatar

Are those AI images of Musk as Genghis Khan? If so, I am impressed. How did you generate it?

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Ed West's avatar

it's from Grok (owned by one E. Musk)

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Aidan Barrett's avatar

Well, I fear that Elon's empire might end up like Charlemagne's after 847.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Verdun

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JonF311's avatar

Probably for the best if it does. The world would be better off if it were the rule not the exception that great fortunes do not last past the second generation.

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Ruairi's avatar

As you mentioned Niall I should point out I am descended from his brother. ( Fergus)Who tells the old woman at the well You are ugly I am not giving you water..The other story about Fergus is there is a fire and Nail and his set rescues a sword and an anvil a bridle from the flames. Fergus rescues two rods which a druid mocks him for.

Fergus replies the two rods will save him from the flames..two rods make a cross - or possibly it is ogham

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Ruairi's avatar

Also Niall may have been a refugee from Caesars Gaul- A Venti The tribe with the cool ships- his heirs may include Joseph Smith

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Schwarzgeist's avatar

"the most famous example is probably a certain builder from Gloucester"

good grief

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Ed West's avatar

NO RELATION I should add. It's a common name.

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David Johnston's avatar

The handsome Dominic West is surely the best know West.

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Neil C's avatar

So common that Fred West has been played by someone with the same surname but is no relation (Dominic).

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Ed West's avatar

I reviewed that for the Daily Telegraph when it came out, funnily enough.

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Neil C's avatar

I hope Samuel West then retweeted the review.

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Ed West's avatar

now he actually is a relation!

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Greg's avatar

Alleyns Old Boy! Better than Dullard College IMO.

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Christopher Booth's avatar

What about the tinned fish chap?

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Ed West's avatar

true

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Anthony's avatar

And Batman

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