Hi Michael,
I tried to stay my usual, mild-mannered self. It sounds as if I wasn't as successful as I thought.
An interesting thing just happened. I was watching "Babette's Feast",a recommendation of Alexa, a subtle, delicate Danish(?) art film, and my 14 year old, who adores all action, violence movies and Stephen King books, sat down with me....and stayed. Somewhat abashedly, halfway through, he said, "Gosh, I need to do homework, but I really want to see this."
I mention this only as an example of how we underestimate our children's capacity for sensitivity and understanding. Now, in all honesty, he thought for some reason Babette was trying to get everyone drunk, which in a way she was, I guess. But I think he intuitively was grasping much more than he can articulate at his age.
Again, however, I think the disparity between the world we know and the one in which many of these kids live is so great that actions which would have had some meaning even 20 years ago, are now meaningless. I don;t think they see possibilities or options in their lives nor are they able to comprehend a reality outside of the one they've spent their lives in as accessible to them. You're asking children to grasp moral concepts that are as foreign as Greek to them. The changes will have to start with an external prompt, much stronger than societal disapproval. I am strongly opposed to the existing welfare system and believe we must take a painful stand on limiting benefits. I worked in Social Services for ten years and was astonished at the sense of entitlement these people developed. Coupled with a belief that it's their God-given right to be fed, housed, and procreate regardless of their ability to support their progeny, their arrogance was astonishing. I could never again work in this system. Economics is the one language understood by all. The rewards should be for positive behavior, not mindless and irresponsible rutting and birthing.
Before I shut up, I have to say that I think you were extremely unfair to Christine. I have written to her for about eight months now, and feel confident when I tell you that she is an extremely moral person, who agonizes deeply over her choices and views. I don;t believe that she is at all a proponent of the "If it feels good, do it" school; on the contrary if people considered the ramifications of their actions as honestly and unselfishly as CGB, we'd be a lot better off.
Well, damn, I've let loose...think I'll slink away and do some stock research..
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