Lawrence de Bivort wrote: > > I think Harry points to a fundamentally important issue. > > I will indulge in a few generalizations.... > > Why have we created a culture of entitlement? Why do American parents > allow their kids to embrace the notions: > > 1) That school must be entertaining, or there is something wrong with > the teachers? >
The schools I went to were not entertaining. They also did not provide anything I would call cultural self-formation (I bet not a single of my "teachers" ever heard that phrase much less thought about it in a personally meaningful way!). Make the kids sweat! Grade 'em! Make 'em memorize meaningless facts! .... > 2) That they need anything they want? > My only "needs" were supposed to be to please *them*. > 3) That ‘hanging out’, ‘chilling,’ and ‘veging’ are acceptable at any > time? > > 4) That because they are Americans everything will be provided them > one way or another? > Who doesn't want this? The rich certainly do not flee from it. > 5) That ‘having fun’ and ‘being happy’ are the two highest values (and > rights) or children? > The highest value for me was to get good grades. > 6) That working hard is bad and undesirable? > What *is* the merit of working hard? The rich have never exercised themselves over much about this. Should we set our sights lower? > 7) That ‘fashion’ is important? > Fashion? Well, you all know I have no interest in fashion, or at lest I try not to. But I think there is a point to be made: The wrongs of slobism or whatever one wants to call it are different but not necessarily more worse than those of meanness, e.g., working hard to keep young persons from enjoying their bodies, etc. There is a third way. I have previously stated that I learned of it at age ca. 40 from an upper-middle class secularized jewish psychotherapist: "In my family it was just obvious that you did things which did good for others and also gave you enjoyment." Just remember, we'll all be dead or maybe even crippled soon enough -- if we can't enjoy life, why not just get it over yesterday in one big Georgetown? I am evidence. You can discount the evidence if you wish, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen and probably still does, in some distant galaxy even if not IYBY (i.e., in your back yard). \brad mccormick > I do believe that children have vastly more ability than their parents > give them credit for, and that they embrace challenges when they are > framed correctly, and that they are robust enough to ‘know the truth’ > about the world and the effects globalization is going to have on > their lives. Why is it that so many parents underestimate the > capabilities of their children and educationally under-serve them? > I believe that to fully appreciate children one needs "help", because poopy diapers are not, as far as I can see, generally in the direct line of what will enable us to become giants for future generations to stand on the shoulders of. Oh, sorry, did someone say they didn't want to stand so high because then they would have to stoop down and scrunch their head to the floor to watch the World Cup on the TV? .... > Cheers, or sighs, > > Lawry > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > *From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On Behalf Of *Harry Pollard > *Sent:* Wednesday, May 24, 2006 2:10 PM > *To:* 'Cordell, Arthur: ECOM'; 'Ed Weick'; 'Karen Watters Cole'; > [email protected] > *Subject:* RE: [Futurework] It's About Identity 2: America's Great Wall > > I well remember my 10-11 year old sons delivering newspapers in the > Canadian snow. Our house was built on nursery land and my kids would > harvest asparagus from the unbuilt on fields and sell it to the neighbors. > > Maybe that attitude has disappeared with the advent of computer games. > > Harry > > ********************************* > > Henry George School of Los Angeles > > Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 > > 818 352-4141 > > ********************************* > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [email protected] > http://fes.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework > -- Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21) <![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----------------------------------------------------------------- Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/ _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [email protected] http://fes.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
