[lbo-talk] RE: Learning to be Stupid

[Jose Rodriguez & Sally Everson]

I couldn't agree with you more Joanna -
One thing the multinationals surely know is that kids are where it is at:
they are the future consumers As a mother of two young kids I fight a daily
battle to educate and socialize my kids in tandem with my own (and their
father's) social values.
Not being Americans (well, they are a certain type of American kids I
suppose) or in the US gives them some distance from the worst of American
corporate-inspired youth culture -- but all that pop stuff (Latino style of
course) is rampant here for teens too, though of course with its
countercultural  stuff as well.  In my kids school Disney  is taken as high
culture -- and so anything they make is considered educational -- no matter
how violent and nasty its message. Criticism of use of Disney materials (not
just videos since the library is also dominated by Disney books in Spanish -
dictionaries, storybooks, etc.) is not taken very well (esp. coming from me,
an Anglo-American - which the upper m-c takes as "white trash").
But I think for me there would be a similar battle in the States though over
different kinds of materials/curriculum.
That post, by Doug I believe, on Bible as Curriculum, is the kind of stuff
that can really shift the social climate in an already tense/dangerous?
time. Teens and young kids seem to the ones who will suffer most from the
Baby Bush regime.  I would love to know of progressive/socialist youth camps
to send my kids to.

As for US colleges and Universities being designed to teach students
stupidity -- I found this true in my experience as an undergrad at Rutgers.
As a working class girl who struggled to get myself into college in order to
be educated - I was extremely disappointed to discover what college was all
about - playing the game. (I think I rejected that notion -- which explains
why I'm still in school 10 years later). But what is even more disturbing is
that college grads really believe they *are* educated and capable of social
and political analysis -- and based on my family's perceptions (only one of
whom graduated high school) -- it seems those who don't go to college tend
to believe this too.  Thus most believe t.v. newscasters, politicians,
corporate execs, etc. at bottom really are intelligent, thoughtful and
informed people ...

Sally Everson

----- Original Message -----
From: joanna bujes <jbujes at covad.net>
To: <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2003 2:06 PM
Subject: [lbo-talk] RE: Learning to be Stupid


> Joan wrote:
>
> "There are no more Chatauqua societies as there once were in towns across
> America to make learning part of the fabric of American life.  News
> broadcasts have been reduced to fluff, while spelling bees, history
> bees, once social events for the entire town, have gone the way of the
> buggy whip.  Towns with a preponderance of retired people vote down tax
> referendums that would fund their schools."
>
> When I came to the states, in 63...and for about ten years after...schools
(at least in Calif) were very different from what they are now. I remember
that both in Middle School and High School, the school kept going until 6:00
every day. After regular classes, there was choir, bridge club, photography
club, chess club, tennis, volleyball, and on, and on, and on. Just a normal
public school. It was also the case then that parents had a lot more time to
volunteer in local schools. Because I have a very flexible schedule, I have
been volunteering in the public schools for the last six years.
Unfortunately, not too many adults have that luxury. So there's this to add
to the mix, adults are too overworked to participate in schools or even know
what goes on there.
>
> I agree with everything you say...and I wonder whether one way for the
social-justice-left movement to accomplish something would not be to enter
the schools en masse (as volunteers or teachers) and influence what the kids
are learning and thinking. This would be one form of revolution from below.
>
> I also think it's time for a consumer's strike.
>
> Joanna
>
>
>
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