situameet
Message from: Edward S. B
About: enfant
Mon, 27 Oct 97 09:07:08 EST
Americans think of their
children as "little adults", in many ways. They sleep
in their own room from an early age, they are disciplined with
reason as opposed to force as soon as their parents think they
can understand, and they are expected to manage money, make friends,
and develop much in their own way. Sometimes this is tragic, as
in the case of the 8-year-old girl who tried to fly solo across
the U.S. (and crashed).
The predominant philosophy in America is that slapping a child
is to condition him/her, much like Pavlov conditioned his dogs
by using reinforcement to encourage certain behaviors. This goes
against the ideals of rational choice and freedom that many American
people hold, even for children.
----