Teaching myself.

Lies My Teacher...

I really like how this talked about the presentation of ideas within history textbooks. So often the ignorant assumption is made that showing a serious of facts is somehow objective. But this just simply is not true. While information in a history text may be presented with an objective rhetoric as a serious of events are explained and listed, this does not mean that the system of inclusion and exclusion of information is not highly subjective. But showing the ideas people had, expressing how they were thinking whether they be positive or negative by another's standards displays a level of transparency that is usually not represented.

A second thought on The Parenting Trap

I have been thinking about the article titled The Parenting Trap about cultural traps of how parents should raise their children to help guarantee the kids success in the job world.The images associated with the article show a child having a diligent and studious life but becoming some kind of generic boring desk job while the child with sunglasses on and a magazine reclining in the grass becomes the CEO of Apple. The whole point being that these are not things so easy to guarantee and you will make mistakes and no system will guarantee any of it. All that has been going through my mind is, WHO GIVES FUCK? I apologize for the crude language. But really, why would any parent put such a huge value on what your child profession becomes? Of course you want them to become successful in life. But there are so many more worthwhile definitions of success  the ones that will far outlive how you earned a living. I am far from having a child. But when I do, I will of course encourage them to pursue their dreams and pursue an education. But I will be far more concerned with other aspects to develop. Is my child a good person? Do they have love and devotion to their fellow humans? Are they kind and caring? Did my child ever find romance with a person with a good heart as well? Not are they happy, but are they content with the life they have? These questions seem ultimately far more important in the scheme of things, rather than will my parenting direct them to the dream job. Maybe I am showing how I see the world too much. But I want to show my future child, if I ever have one, how to be loving and kind in this world, far before how to climb the social ladder.

Worried Dog

Worried Dog

I checked the mail today.

There was a dog running down the street.

The kind that always looks a bit worried.

Was he running from the cold?

It was windy and terribly miserable outside.

What is it even a he?

She let me pet her.

I think we both felt safer for a moment.

Then she ran away, spooked by the neighbor kid.

I hope she found her way home.

She looked so worried.

My book came in the mail.

I will hide away with it.

This may seem like a strange poem to talk about comfort. But I think comfort can come from the enjoyment of a ritual habit and having some new walk into that experience. I like checking the mail and a few days ago a dog came wondering up to me while I checked the mail. Although the poem may seem a bit sad I was actually quite happy for the momentary friend.

Where I Comfortable

Horsey

Parenting Trap and Skin Speak

"Then we can teach our children that if they do not feel they are brilliant, then it is only because they do not know whence they came. Their not achieving is not the way things should be, but a serious break in the history of the world."

Of all the quotable parts of this text, I found this to be the most profound and striking. Specifically the very last part that I have italicized. What a great thing to point out to any group of people who feels marginalized or not respected in the world today.

The second article The Parenting Trap was pretty funny but I have one major problem with it. Every time the reference is made about certain times of childhood as being the most carefree time of a child's life concerns me. Where does this idea originate from? In the time before we developed the concept of public education it is not as thought children ran around with wild freedom not having anything to concern themselves with. Before standard and public education also means before the rise of the middle class and the industrial revolution. Children were out to work. If public schooling offers anything it was the removal of child labor. Maybe education can be laborious, but that still doesn't show any point in history as to assume that first 15 years should be some carefree point of existence. What evidence is there to point to such a thing?

POV