Ok, so I was helping my 4 year old at his desk. I open it up and see a spelling practice label with "Communists Stink" on it. I look over at my oldest boy and ask him if he did it.. he just had a grin from ear to ear. Apparently there are several more hidden in the house. hahahaah..
I don't think he could put it into words..he's 7. But he definitely understands the differences between freedom and government oppression.
That's Amazing My six year old grandson said, out of the blue,...."capitalists stink"....damned if I know where he got that from....but he seems to know the difference between freedom and corporate oppression : O I didn't realise they taught from Das Kapital in infants school here in Oz....is Ayn Rand popular in American primary schools??
Yes, and we also teach the difference between plutocracies and capitalism. And yes, that was a direct retort to your sarcasm
Touche' I like your sense of humour UGRev, though I didn't think I was being as blunt as to be descending into sarcasm....I thought it was satire myself....I guess I shall have to hone my sense of subtlety a little more ; ) As impressive as is our respective progeny's ability to parrot slogans, I'd be more impressed if they could demonstrate their understanding as to WHY this...or that particular "ism" stinks....and what the relationship between a particular "ism" and "freedom" is: Indeed, what the concept "freedom" means. Capitalism, communism and freedom have meant different things to different peoples at different times of human history. I would hardly be surprised...that in a household where the patriarch is to be heard remarking about how homosexuals sin against god, and will burn in hell, a young child might parrot the zeitgeist of the household's favoured ideology and make the statement "homosexuals stink". Unless indoctrinated, or the child is a prodigy....it would be unusual for a child as young as 6 or 7 to know what a homosexual or communist was, beyond being able to parrot the label. Being the son of a Baltic emigre and a person of fairly wide reading, I understand why communism stinks and indeed why fascism stinks, and that capitalism, does not necessarily equate to freedom. Our respective progeny have much reading to catch up upon before informed judgements can be made of any "ism", but even then, it will depend upon what they will choose to read...or be allowed to read....be it Das Kapital....or Ayn Rand....what IS important is the ability to critically evaluate the flaws in both works of literature.
I'll have to bust out my camera one day and he can tell you about how I made him make a sandwich and after all his hard work, I gave it to his brother. Parroting words is one thing. Reiterating them, another. Being able to explain them in your own words is one of a kind comprehension. To give you an idea of his potential.. at 1 he was speaking like a 3 year old. At 2, he was saying things like "Archaeopteryx", knew some 50 different cars makes and models, some of various years... At 4 years old, he understood the negative number system, at 7 is doing pre-algebra. So believe you me; after explaining something, he typically "gets it", and while I expect people to be of the mind-set that every parent thinks they're kid is "da best".. and every parent teaches their side of the coin.. there are days that I wonder who exactly taught him some of the things he comes out with. As intelligent as he is, I wouldn't expect him to be able to compare and contrast a complex economic or political system, but I can assure you he understands "slavery" vs "freedom". So by him saying "Communism stinks".. this was his way of saying "I prefer freedom". Thus "He gets it".
Freedom and Liberty are vital Your son sounds like a bright lad....and I think your description of his abilities does not stretch beyond justified paternal pride. Enabling one's child to think critically, and to weigh the worth of the evidence before them, is one of the more important gifts that a parent can offer their child. I agree that freedom and liberty are vital to a fulfilling and happy life...the issue is what are those things that contribute to freedom and liberty and what are those things that detract from freedom and liberty.....It is a balancing act wherein some freedoms and liberties are traded off to achieve other freedoms and liberties...and some individual freedoms and liberties are traded of for communal freedoms and liberties...and vice versa. It's the inherant conflicts...great and small that come with these trade offs that that one is obliged to critically evaluate the relative worth of the trade offs being considered. Evaluating trade offs between freedom and liberty options is not helped by looking at the issues through the doctrinaire prism of obstinacy that come with entrenched ideological positions of Conservative / liberal.....Democrat / Republican.....Communism / Capitalism....etc etc etc
Well then, thank God the Constitution does a pretty good job at helping with the balancing act. Thank God it tips it in our favor too.
