[lit-ideas] Re: Miller and culture
- From: Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005 00:56:17 EST
In a message dated 2/14/2005 11:51:32 AM Central Standard Time,
stevecam@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
A question Herbert doesn't
(sufficiently) raise is how might it be possible to reverse this trend
-- is anyone listening -- does anyone care enough??
Hi,
I'm not sure anyone is willing to make the sacrifice...
For example, I have been thinking of the post Julie sent out some time ago
on the high school students who seem to have no compehension of Freedom of the
Press and who think there ought to be more government control. (sidenote to
Andreas--do you think when these young ones get in charge, then, that they
would be in favor of controlling blogging/internet content/etc?)
I have also been concerned with the studies which are showing who and what
these kids are looking at in terms of 'heroes'.
Being who I am, it is fairly easy to get information on those aspects and to
dream up a 'system' which would allow for these issues to be addressed. (I
have information from the Bill of Rights Institute which provides a curriculum
on the Bill of Rights--I have their first class [or whatever you want to call
it] and it is quite intriguing. I also received from an organization in
Colorado a curriculum on "Heroes" that can be (and is) being used in teen
programming.
The 'hero' curriculum I may hand over to one of our Jungian-type/Michael
Meade like/counselor/social work/storytellers who might be able take it and do
something with it. And, we might be able to play with that one as a YA (teen)
program. Maybe.
In some library systems, the info/curriculum from the Bill of Rights
Institute would be a real find as most library systems do understand that they
would
not exist were it not for such concepts and understanding--and we are
instruments of spreading our culture (okay--I'm voting here for the 'healthy'
part
of our culture <g> not the part which sends people marching willingly to
their death for no real apparent reason...)
But, it might be a better (and more practical in terms of creating a system
which might be of wider impact) to create a Democracy for Kids club or some
such thing...(the Republicans and other organizations have their versions)--the
'trend' in this time frame is going towards that of 'clubs' of all sorts ...
(we have turned many many of the library programs into 'clubs' and people
are loving them...) I did this in my Olden Days <wry look> and was very
very
'good' and 'successful' in it. If you set up the structure well enough and
get enough people to help in it--it really is not that difficult to do.
But, I also think of the time/energy it would take to do this...I have
avoided very carefully any sort of major committment which is going to take me
waaaay beyond where I feel I can handle at this point in time. There has been
a
lot of repair work going on (I did crash and burn...)
Am I willing to make the sacrifice? MY child and MY understanding is
there...we have an understanding and I can handle, easily, my child and his
friends. But, to reach out further--in this community of mine?
I do not know...
But, I do care. I do. Just maybe not enough...
That is another reason the whole thread on sacrifice is important. The
implications are not just in terms of war/sending people to death/etc.
But, the implications in this 'sacrifice' thread even on parenting styles
are huge (I have a story...of course <g>...) and also it makes me think of we
do in our regular lives to address the sort of question raised...so, would we
cross out of our regular lives and into something which may not provide for
ANY of those 'extras' in terms of reasons we do things...? (thanks to Robert
Paul for his thoughts on multiple reasons--I think of how I am inching into
involvement in the scouting world...but there are multiple reasons...both for
me and my child...)
I do what I can in my work world--and we are just formalizing the teen
programming end of things so some things I will be able to make some changes
on...but not as direct because I cannot be so direct-my library system avoids
these sorts of topics. And, that is work.
What about my regular non-work life? I have and am doing outside stuff for
my child...and alot of times that means touching and changing lives of those
Young Ones who are moving in/through our lives. But--to actively and
consciously go beyond it? (even to go as little as trying to find a 'Young
Democrats' sponsor and to assist in creating a club to match the Young
Republicans
groups who are in the local high schools (and they are on the community
college
campuses--but not the Democrats...though has anyone read Christine Whitman's
book about being a moderate Republican?)
I'm still tired...inside and out...Am I willing to make the sacrifice(s) it
would take to let people know...?
So, what about you?
True confessions,
Marlena in Missouri
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