Thoughts from
San Diego on Law, Politics, and Culture

 
The revolution that keeps on giving
By Tom Smith

This article in Atlantic Magazine made for alarming reading. (subscription req'd, but you can get the idea.) It makes me glad I am not trying to raise daughters. And my kids are in Catholic schools, which have their problems, but as far as I know, "rainbow parties" are not among them.

For what little it may be worth, here is my armchair sociological analysis of what has happened. First, the feminist revolution managed to discredit traditional ideas of feminine virtues, such as modesty, let alone chastity, as well as traditionally virtuous male behaviors of protectiveness, chivalry, restraint and so on. That created a vacuum it did not have much on offer to fill. Second, into this vacuum in the 'eighties and 'nineties came the "bitch an' ho" culture of the black ghetto, via hip hop music mostly, I guess. That culture, IMHO, is almost uniquely pathological with respect to the raising of children. No positive male role models, glorification of violence, prostitution, drugs and the most vulgar kinds of materialism. I gather the role for girls in it is to be desirable chattel for the gangster with the most money. Welcome to the marketplace of ideas.

You would have to look far in history to find a culture more destructive of kids. Without the slightest bit of exageration, you can say a baby would be better off being born into a hunter-gatherer family in the middle of New Guinea. The music is probably better, too.
posted by thomas at 1/25/2006 04:50:00 PM