To Hell on a Greased Rail?

In giving thought to cultural literacy, which I will cover more thoroughly in the next few weeks, I pondered a cross section of children, wondering what their source of cultural education might be. Parents? The news- and if so, FOX or CNN- CNBC- PNR- local, MTV, People magazine or other periodicals, teachers, church …

I wondered at the difference in five children who are taught to view the world through the lens of their cultural influence. I bet your wondering where I come up with all of this crap? I was staying with my friend Julie and her husband, and while I was packing to go, they were settling in to watch a show on the History Channel. I can’t remember the name, but it was about Gangs. I think I capitalized the word Gangs because the content of the show created an ominous feeling- the word itself now carries more weight than lowercase.

“Why are you watching this?” I asked Chad during the first commercial break.

“I think it’s fascinating,” Chad responded simply, and I found myself calling into question everything I knew of Chad.

I laughed they were about to watch the show, but then sat on the edge of Chad’s chair and the next thing I knew, through my own horror, I’d been lost in Houston Gang violence for more than an hour. I do recall vividly realizing my mouth was agape and having to close it.

“Why am I watching this?” I wondered aloud, looking at the time.

“Because it’s fascinating,” Chad responded simply- once again- and I knew he was right. “I am stunned at the lack of respect for life- I am shocked people like this exist- let alone so many of them.”

That was when I realized what Chad meant the first time he said "fascinating." He didn’t mean watching-someone-spin-plates-on-sticks type fascinating- but rather, dumbfounding. And it is DUMBFOUNDING.

They interviewed former Gang members, active Gang members, jailed former Gang members and active jailed Gang members. The pervasive thought pattern amazed me.

This was Gang Culture- it was all they had seen, all they had learned and all they had been taught from the youngest of years. While other children in different neighborhoods were learning to put on their shoes, these people were learning to duck and cover from a hailstorm of gunfire. What they learned was "normal" life separated them from what WE consider normal.

It is all about a lens- a reality, so to speak. We view life, build lives, based on what we have lived and experienced. So, the fact most of the men interviewed fired their first handgun at 6, murdered their first by 12 and were part of the "system" by 10 is not surprising. There was no introduction of any type of formal education let alone alternate lifestyle. No opportunity (though I might challenge that notion later) for them to live a productive life.

OK, it’s time to challenge the above notion. There is a perpetuation of ignorance that causes this generational criminal mentality. I am thinking of the movie "American History X" with Edward Norton. The character he plays is "Aryan Nation"-esque, goes to prison for murder, comes out "reformed" and has to battle the influence he was on his little brother prior to being imprisoned. This is what I am talking about- the "opportunity" to NOT follow the prescriptive path to criminal conduct. Seeing the world around you and deciding NOT to go down that road.

In watching the Gang show (not GAME show) on the History Channel, I was heartened by some of the "former" Gang members who departed the "life," but they seemed no more educated than the others, and while they claimed not to be "active" Gang members, they stated clearly their "former" Gangs were their family (in some cases, the only family they’d ever known) and that they’d die in defense of the other members.

So, I started poking around and came upon a quote from "The Republic" by Plato, written about 380 B.C.E., and in it a quote by Socrates that went like this- "Shall we carelessly allow children to hear any casual tales which may be devised by casual persons, and to receive into their minds for the most part the opposite of those we shall wish for them to have when they grown up?"

My first shock came at the date of this quote. If adults that long ago were concerned with the messages reaching children- when did it change? Why don’t we care anymore? In keeping with the Gang reference above- why would a parent not think exposing a child to this lifestyle would predetermine the life they will lead as they grow older. If you show them the quickest way to acquiring ""things" is to steal them, that is what they will do. If you demonstrate settling an argument with violence and murder, that is what they will learn.

Why don’t parents recognize “Two and a Half Men,” while very funny for fully functioning adults, is not the best show for 12-year-old boys? Why are parents allowing their children to watch “Sex and the City?” and “The Sopranos”?

I had a parent tell me they thought it was important their children understood the world around them and thought “Sex and the City” was an excellent portrayal of single life, post college. Are you freaking kidding me? I’d like to meet one, JUST ONE, writer of a weekly column who can afford to live in Manhattan let alone afford a closet full of Manolo Blahnik pumps at about $400 per pair. In sanctioning a child watching a show or listening to an inappropriate song, you as the caregiver are tacitly approving not only the content but the conduct of the characters. So, when your 15-year-old daughter starts conducting herself as Samantha Jones- you have NO ONE to blame for the unplanned pregnancy but YOURSELF. "No, I meant it was OK for you to behave that way AFTER college- NOT now ..."

Think about the channels that influenced you growing up and think of those you would like influencing your child. Are they different? Are they the same? Did you learn something along the way that caused you to change the channels they were being influenced by?

Who do you think should INFLUENCE young people? Each generation complains the next is going to hell on a greased rail- well, who’s responsible? Parents. Educators. The community at large.

Clever people are thinking people. Let’s create more Clever and keep future generations from becoming crippled and arrested.

OK, I am officially out of town until Friday, but I'll try to post. BTW, Oh, Canada ... I am not disappointed. The Olympics, like the NHL All-Star game, is a collaborative competition between the greatest hockey players in the world. How can you not appreciate the beauty in that?