Teach your children,, to read..

[JJ_BPK]

Let your kids get a head start on their future.

They might be able to change the outcome if they understand this started as FICTIONALIZED SiFi stories written 70+ yrs ago.


:mad:

[Box]

Your graphic shows a few coincidentally similar dystopian works of fiction.


The present day United States of American Idol is nothing like those story lines
True we may have a few similarities....
-A society that no longer reads books
-A society that no longer enjoys nature (they eagerly advocate for nature as if it is a person but they definitely don’t enjoy it)
-A society that no longer spends time by themselves (physically alone in their parents basements, but surrounded by hundreds of virtual social network friends)
-A society that no longer thinks independently (because morning joe and mr snuffalupagus tells them what to think)
-A society that no longer has meaningful conversations (preferring group chats and tik-toks)
-We watch big screen TV and walk around with our wireless earbuds jammed into our skulls
-A decades long war on terrorism that has led the creation of a “surveillance” state
-Giant bureaucracies that “black list” folks by name even if it is just a spelling error
-Government sanctioned hedonism
-Government sanctioned recreational drugs
-Government mandated and controlled health care (but we can still keep our doctor if we want)
-Biometrics to track the populace
-A government that wants to control your meat intake via synthetic means

…I just don’t see the connection

[EricV]

Geez... that stuff scares me!!

Us "Faint of heart"sorts are gonna stick to what feels good in these trying times of quarantine!!



https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/kim-kardashian-now-exercising-bikini-173713633.html*

“My hair is a mess, and I think I’ve put on makeup twice, so it felt really good those days. I felt like a whole different person when I finally got up and got it together,” she added.

[Golf1echo]

Here is what the EU would have their subjects read. As mentioned note the date... What do they say about coincidences...
https://summit.news/2020/05/15/bizarre-eu-funded-comic-book-predicted-pandemic-with-globalists-as-saviours/

[Badger52]

Here is what the EU would have their subjects read.First paragraph's hyperlink (https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/4cc2ea93-d003-417e-9294-1103a6ee877d) works to download the thing in PDF.

Interestingly, the "Back to Reality" explanations at the very end of the document contain a warning about messaging:
One way forward is probably through better explanation to the public and frontline professionals that ‘the experts do not know it all’ and that in fact they often ‘do not know.’ Although this may complicate the life of political decision-makers, candid statements on what is certain and what is not clearly known might increase confidence in times of crisis, and avoid the ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ phenomenon.

[Badger52]

Good list; I'd add Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"

Dystopia you want?
"If you ever wonder where we're at on the dystopia scale, consider that it's normal to believe the government is spying on you, and crazy to believe that they're not."
- Snowden

[JimP]

great point. Of late, I am having the kids write five paragraph essays on a particular Federalist paper. I realized that this last semester was a joke. I also realized that my kids wrote better in 3d and 4th grade up in Bettendorf, Iowa, than they do here in STEM honors in San Antonio.

Now, I have to bribe the little bastards: ten bucks if they get it done in the week. If not, jack-squat. Little girl jumps on it, and little man fears me taking his game boy so he reluctantly does it.

Started with Federalist 10. Then went to 51. Next up is 47.

Getting them to understand what "type" of government we have and how the branches work.

I work with grown-assed men and women with multiple degrees that think we are a democracy. I can't tell you how many times during this Covid 19 crap I have either looked at, or written to, someone with stars on their shirt: "What part of the government keeping a list of the old and infirm seems like a good idea to you?"

These people just do NOT "get it." Frankly, I'm a whole lot saddened at how quick they are to restrict liberties.

[Golf1echo]

The above post was somewhat of a wind up for the title of the thread, to juxtapose real reading to cartoon messaging. The irony is it came from European connections some of whom message entirely with emojis, talk about dumbing down.

In contrast there are wonderful books out there for all ages of children. The best ones we found came from places like museums, forest service, small book stores many selected for awards. Books that stimulate and teach especially for the younger children. Then observations connecting those subjects to reality bringing direct correlation to the child. I think that makes the information and the world real for them, we got a valedictorian out of it.

As far as the political indoctrination of an independent thinker there is a spectrum of time component, I doubt few here have the same perspective they did when they were 18. The important part is being capable of seeing realities on their own... I’m reminded constantly of a quote from of all people George Carlin “ In every cynic is a disappointed idealist”...that’s the time component. Reading is truly a gift.

I concur on what Jim is saying about writing, at least for me that was a weakness which haunts me still today.

Edit: I just sent off several books ( Lateral Thinking, Conceptual Block Busting, What Color is Your Parachute, and have been sending the classics for years ( important to know why they are the classics [ history and meaning]).

[Badger52]

I also realized that my kids wrote better in 3d and 4th grade up in Bettendorf, Iowa, than they do here in STEM honors in San Antonio.
And along with what G1E also said, I ponder (too often, sadly) when reading something written by those a couple generations behind, "does anyone teach simple Expository Writing anymore, how to write a coherent paragraph?"

A pet peeve that goes along with it - and something that I hard-broke grand-daughters of early - is the tendency to end spoken declarative sentences with the inflection of a question mark. I will not tolerate it. They knew they could always bring me stuff they'd written to look over because they are - after all - Grandpa's geniuses. But sometimes I would make them read it aloud, then ask them, "You know, I don't see all those question marks on your paper that I'm hearing."

As they got older I told them, in no uncertain terms, that while some things may change with generations, if you want to be taken seriously then speak in declarative sentences without the "Valley Girl at the Mall" metre to your voice. They've turned out great but, damn, even with all parents on board, a good finished product is work. It's too important to leave to the indoc centers.