From: jimc@cobabe.b11.ingr.com (Jim Cobabe)
Subject: Re: kids and morals
Reply-To: jimc@cobabe.b11.ingr.com
Organization: Intergraph 
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 18:14:38 GMT

In article <4372.29E152DE@umagic.FIDONET.ORG>, Christian.Walters@p0.f14.n373.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Christian Walters) writes:
|> >I think you make it more complex than necessary.  If parents take a
|> >consistent and reasonable approach to this issue in their own homes,
|> >their children learn moral values gradually and relatively painlessly.
|>  
|> Well, yeah, but I was talking about steps society should take to keep
|> kids from growing up to be repressed perverts :)  I think the parents
|> should, of course, be the ones to deal with it, but as we've already
|> hashed over, sometimes they fumble their jobs, leaving kids unprepared
|> for the Outside.

I heard what you were talking about.  I am suggesting that there is only
one good solution that I am aware of.  And I really don't believe that some
kind of Orwellian scenario -- where "Big Brother" takes over when parents
"fumble their jobs" -- will serve.

We really see things differently here.  You seem to be seeking some kind
of social program that will intervene when we somehow judge that 
parents are not doing their jobs.  I would like to believe that we must
allow parents to do the best that they can, because no alternative has
ever proven satisfactory.

|> >I guess the problem shows up when parents have not prepared their
|> >children to deal adequately with the challenges of becoming responsible
|> >adults.
|>  
|> Hey! There's an echo in here! We agree on something, Jim. This is deadly
|> serious - both of our reputations are in danger. I won't tell anyone if
|> you won't :)

Well, I will grudgingly admit that it is okay to agree occasionally. :-)
Let's just try to keep it to a minimum.

|> >And an effective approach does not allow a vacuum to exist, so there
|> >is no subject that is "taboo at home".
|>  
|> Alas, this does not always happen. Some kids aren't allowed to talk
|> about sex or listen to certain types of music or watch certain TV shows.
|>  
|> >In my home, we just "know" when
|> >things are appropriate for us, and when they are not.
|>  
|> That's the way I was brought up, too. But that begs the question of
|> where your parents got strong morals, to be instilled in you. Maybe it
|> was just easier when no one even said "damn." A pox on Clark Gable and
|> his progressive radicalism, anyway :)

The _source_ of moral values is not really the primary concern here.  What
matters more is that _something_ is taught at the appropriate time.  Where
people apparently run into problems is if the critical period for teacing is
missed. 

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