What they left dangling were the serene Namibian parents. It just seems less painful there and within our own past as well. Maybe the "slavishly respect your

What they left dangling were the serene Namibian parents. It just seems less painful there and within our own past as well. Maybe the "slavishly respect your childrens' thoughts and wants" was a big mistake. You know, phrases like, "Children should be seen and not heard" and "Children should speak when spoken to" used to be commonplace. Maybe there's hope for modern rich societies. I've read that in the French culture decisions that are made as much or more for the benefit of the parents. The family goes on vacations that the parents are interested in, enjoying art museums, sophisticated cities, etc, instead of what the kids want: a theme park in the suburbs. Maybe this derives from an attitude that children are born barbarians, that their natural tastes and desires are stupid, and they need to have civilization pounded into them in order. Whereas we in the Anglo-Saxon derived culture put more value on the natural impulses of children. I think the situation can be improved.