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I've always found it strange how Americans like to validate their ideals using their kids as vehicles. Instead of teaching kids how to be successful in a less t
by hackinthebochs 7mo ago
I've always found it strange how Americans like to validate their ideals using their kids as vehicles. Instead of teaching kids how to be successful in a less than ideal world, we teach them our ideal view of the world. Like teaching kids violence is never the answer, instead of sometimes a situation does call for violence. We raise kids for a world that doesn't exist. It's up to the kid/adult to unlearn those obviously bogus ideals after they make contact with the world. It's just odd how we're so practiced at setting up our children for less success in the real world.
- hrimfaxi 7mo agoHow did you arrive at this being uniquely American? I would say it's Western society more generally.
- hackinthebochs 7mo agoI mainly said America because I only feel qualified to speak on America. But I do think there is something uniquely American about seeing the march of "progress" as an ultimate ideal and stagnation in any form as a defeat. Economic and social progress is basically a founding ideal of American society and is a major driver of our success over the centuries. It permeates our culture in so many ways, e.g. the idea that your kids should have it better than you. So shaping the next generation by way of shaping the views of your kids, despite the potential mismatch between the ideal and the reality is seen as just a part of the march of progress.