tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post8914403511820673217..comments2023-10-28T04:06:59.629-05:00Comments on Plaisted Writes: Sykes’ Free RideMike Plaistedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18184502941014520240noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-30083840038874976042007-09-16T01:14:00.000-05:002007-09-16T01:14:00.000-05:00What a thread! But through all that, best was the...What a thread! But through all that, best was the post that called Sykes this generation's "old codger."<BR/><BR/>That just might make him stop cutting and pasting together another "book."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-21596057199405020652007-08-31T22:17:00.000-05:002007-08-31T22:17:00.000-05:00Mike:However, in at least the two instances you ar...Mike:<BR/><BR/><I>However, in at least the two instances you are citing, it remains a re-active vehicle. Blogs that get noticed doing so can take down bad reporting by pointing out flaws and falsehoods in mainstream reports or assumptions, but will still struggle to get anything original out in mainstream discussion.</I><BR/><BR/>You make a good point, one I agree with. I'd go so far as to say that the blogs we're talking about are typically (in a descriptive rather than pejorative sense) "parasitic" -- they feed on the analyses, reporting and sometimes silly mistakes of deep-pocket mainstream media precisely because they don't themselves have those same resources. <BR/><BR/>We presently have only a glimpse, no more than that, of where this is all headed. At least, I'm not brave enough to offer any predictions, only the very pedestrian insight that blogospheric influence, over both partisan politics and the mainstream media, is already large and growing. <BR/><BR/>But back to your point: Even if purely "reactive," the insights of individuals such as you with the courage of your convictions are critical to this new form of discourse. (Or is it really an older form, a return to broadsheets?) I simply mean that your blog is part of a big experiment, and we just don't know where it'll all end up. <BR/><BR/>-- Bill TyrolerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-75232072978184777702007-08-31T20:19:00.000-05:002007-08-31T20:19:00.000-05:00My favorite bit about all of this is that Sykes is...My favorite bit about all of this is that Sykes is a "convienance journalist." He'll bitch and whine about everybody else and act as if he is reporting the news factually, but when someone challenges him on his stances, he claims he is an entertainer. Don't hit him too hard - he may break! Don't take him at his word - it's entertainment! Bull. It dumbs down the real issues we all face.<BR/><BR/>Shills like this don't care about Conservatives or Liberals - they only care about the almighty dollar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-64166594702824199002007-08-31T17:47:00.000-05:002007-08-31T17:47:00.000-05:00Bill:Good to hear from you. I think you are right...Bill:<BR/><BR/>Good to hear from you. I think you are right that the alternative media of blogs, etc. have some power and do get attention for things that might not in the regualr venues. However, in at least the two instances you are citing, it remains a re-active vehicle. Blogs that get noticed doing so can take down bad reporting by pointing out flaws and falsehoods in mainstream reports or assumptions, but will still struggle to get anything original out in mainstream discussion.<BR/><BR/>Also, especially in the two cases you mentioned, blogs need sponsors in the mainstream to make an impact. The re-action to the (mostly accurate) Rather report on Bush's (non-)service in the National Guard did not spring spontaneously from a pajama blogger with a knack for forensic typewriter analysis -- it came from a lawyer with connections to the Bush campaign. Also, un-noticed blogs may have the best information in history, but good info and writing dosen't mean anything unless establsihed figures pick it up and point at it. Again, in Rather's case, the moment the blog issued the challenge to the document, it was all over talk radio and Fox "News".<BR/><BR/>Same with the Duke case. The right-wing, led by Sean Hannity, were all over the black-woman-accusing-white-student story the day it came out. Anything anyone wrote to support the notion of a bad prosecution would be played up by the wing-nuts, regardless of what the conclusive DNA evidence was months later. In both cases, the blogs weren't as important as the determination by others with mainstream megaphones to use anything to break the enemy.<BR/><BR/>We all know about these blogger-gets-noticed successes, but for every one of those, I would guess there are 100 with good information that disappear in the internet ether. For example, during the Imus bru-ha-ha, I heard Charlie Sykes call Al Sharpton a "pimp" on the radio. I thought is was interesting, at least -- I think calling black men "pimps" is just as inflamatory as calling black women "hos", but it landed wiht a thud. Even the lefty blogs ignored it, except one by Roxanne Crawford (a black woman).<BR/><BR/>So it all depends on who you know and who's water you are carrying. The radio wing-nuts has used blogs as a vehicle to support whatever they want to promote. I would guess their blog-supported campaigns would have much less impact if they didn't have the free radio to promote them.<BR/><BR/>And, besides, Blog Power, if that's what it was, does not always lead to good results. Have you seen Dan Rather Reports on HD-Net? That dude can report, and he has been doing some serious shit on Iraq. His style and substance is badly missed on CBS, and everywhere else..Mike Plaistedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184502941014520240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-72602438532727071132007-08-31T14:37:00.000-05:002007-08-31T14:37:00.000-05:00Mike:You may or may not be right about the need fo...Mike:<BR/><BR/>You may or may not be right about the need for greater regulation of the airwaves (I wouldn't myself presume to know), but I think you underestimate the potential power of the alternative media. (Your own efforts, which exemplify high values of civic involvement and citizen advocacy, included.) <BR/><BR/>The tipping point, it seems to me, was Dan Rather. And if you find that example unpalatable, there are any number of other candidates. Early on I stopped trusting the NY Times' account of the Duke Lacrosse scandal, in favor of blog coverage, which was more timely, incisive and, as it turns out, much, much accurate. The leading commentator <A HREF="http://durhamwonderland.blogspot.com/2007/08/duffs-anniversary.html" REL="nofollow">recently had this to say</A> with reference to the Times' risibly biased and to-date uncorrected erroneous coverage: <I>Wilson’s article had one other important effect: it unintentionally if dramatically increased the influence of the blogs’ role in the case.</I> <BR/><BR/>I think that's about right. No reason that same dynamic won't increasingly be true on the local level.<BR/><BR/>-- Bill TyrolerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-87917927824132831982007-08-31T10:50:00.000-05:002007-08-31T10:50:00.000-05:00Of course Mike, anything that pokes at the left CA...Of course Mike, anything that pokes at the left CANNOT be funny.<BR/><BR/>How can you possibly be so myopic??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-16083264268883796952007-08-30T21:53:00.000-05:002007-08-30T21:53:00.000-05:00Anony 10:42 --I have suffered through The Half-Hou...Anony 10:42 --<BR/><BR/>I have suffered through The Half-Hour News Hour on Fox "News". It's a joke, and not the way they intend. <BR/><BR/>They think Rush Limbaugh as president and Ann Coulter as VP is so funny, they have used it at least twice. They seem to think just the mention of the name "Pelosi" should get belly-laughs (and it does from its no-doubt machine-enhanced studio audience). <BR/><BR/>Where satire and irony are the genius of The Daily Show, the Half-Hour relies on wing-nut-prepped ridicule. <BR/><BR/>Why aren't right-wingers funny? The prime example of this is Dennis Miller, who has suffered one of the biggest falls from comic grace in show biz history. For a couple of years there (about '99-'00), he was one of the funniest guys on the planet on his HBO live show. He had an HBO special about a year ago, long after he became a Bush shill, and he was as unfunny as you could imagine. He was cranky and sour, seemed to be in a hurry to get off the stage. It's like he knew how wrong and painfully bad he was. Now, he is reduced to being just another wing-nut on the radio, recording spots for SleepNumber beds and gold-as-investment.<BR/><BR/>It's just sad. But not as sad as someone who thinks the Half-Hour is funny.Mike Plaistedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184502941014520240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-33948988525630824012007-08-30T18:00:00.000-05:002007-08-30T18:00:00.000-05:00My main point was that their personal experiences ...My main point was that their personal experiences do not negate the experiences of many others.<BR/><BR/>Blogstein gave ONE example. I said there are many examples to be seen. It's more than a few people. Your standard of proof of a trends seems to be that it has to happen to everyone before it can be considered so.<BR/><BR/>And again, I did not say the other examples were not valid. If you can show me where I said that, I'll stand corrected.<BR/><BR/>Finally, you're right - every generation worries about its kids. The difference now is the rules are changing, things are getting more competitive, and America is losing its edge. You can point to valid examples that standards here remain high and kids are being prepared, and that's good. But there are also increasing examples of that not being the case, and that is ALL ANYONE IS TRYING TO SAY.<BR/><BR/>This is exhausting. I keep leading the horse to water, and it's dying of thirst.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-88083861986998861622007-08-30T17:38:00.000-05:002007-08-30T17:38:00.000-05:00Talk about your comprehension issues..you suggest ...Talk about your comprehension issues..you suggest that Dr. Blogsein producing a couple of examples of schools behaving outragiously, therefor it's a trend. Why aren't the examples of the above mentioned children equally valid evidence of a trend. All I'm trying to say is that just because a few people say its a trend it doesn't make it one. Every generation of parents worries that the kids of that generation are doomed to some serious character flaw. Gen X, the "me" generation, flower children. Nothing new here!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-89878345888381245152007-08-30T17:11:00.000-05:002007-08-30T17:11:00.000-05:00Tick,Please refer me to where I said Guess's and M...Tick,<BR/><BR/>Please refer me to where I said Guess's and Mike's children's experiences are not representative of a trend... I'm looking... Can't find it.<BR/><BR/>They cited their kids' experience as evidence of no "bubblewrapping" trend. But, like Charlie said on the Blogstein show, that's like saying there's no world hunger because my kids just got back from McDonald's.<BR/><BR/>I'm detecting a reading comprehension problem in this crowd...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-8525994849284082332007-08-30T16:34:00.000-05:002007-08-30T16:34:00.000-05:00The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Associa...The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) has changed its rules, effective this July, to ensure that a student caught drinking, using tobacco or illegal drugs will be penalized. In the past, a student caught in his or her off-season could escape penalty. Now, the MIAA rules carry the penalty over to the athlete’s next sport season.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-79799564791572969392007-08-30T16:28:00.000-05:002007-08-30T16:28:00.000-05:00Anonymous:Just wondering, if Guess and Michael's e...Anonymous:<BR/><BR/>Just wondering, if Guess and Michael's examples of their childrens expreiences are not representative of a sociatal trend...why are the examples Dr. Blostein gave?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-68476333360424470552007-08-30T12:14:00.000-05:002007-08-30T12:14:00.000-05:00GUESS: OH please, my son knew the real world from...GUESS: OH please, my son knew the real world from the beginning. He knew he had to work for everything he earned, but I also did not put him in a position where he could not eat or sleep as you complain about your child. <BR/><BR/>He played HS baseball for 4 years and had to be up early to work with the pitchers during the off-season. he played on Legion teams and also worked at a Baseball Academy as an Instructor from the time he was 16. BUT, he also was given the opportunity to be a teen and go out with his friends and have dinner with the family and get to sleep at a decent hour.<BR/><BR/>This discussion is playing out on <A HREF="http://bondsbigleathercouch.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">THE COUCH</A> today and a majority of the sentiment is that the "everyone gets an award" syndrome is much more rampant (here and in Canada) then any of you cares to admit.Vinny "Bond" Marinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07033455144526676371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-5766761581430337342007-08-30T11:49:00.000-05:002007-08-30T11:49:00.000-05:00Guess,I think you misread my comment. First, it I...Guess,<BR/><BR/>I think you misread my comment. First, it IS a fact that examples of the trend are mounting. Take a look at Dr. Blogstein's recent post. There's an example that can be seen without breaking a sweat. So I would call that a fact. You may deny that that's an example, but that's your perogative.<BR/><BR/>Second, I did not say that these examples don't constitute a trend, I said they don't constitute a majority of people's experiences. That doesn't mean it's not a trend.<BR/><BR/>Finally, I did not say we are raising a generation of underachievers, I said "pretty soon we have kids graduating from college totally unprepared to deal with the harshness of life. In fact, it's already happening." I've interviewed enough young people to know this is true. Not all the kids I see are like that - some are quite bright and professional, and most are at least acceptable. But there are some that have no clue how to act professionally and handle themselves in a business environment. Again, not most people, but enough to cause concern.<BR/><BR/>I'm sure this won't be a problem for your kids, but there are at least a few for whom it's a problem right now. Just a few, you say. No big deal. Most kids are fine. But if the trend is left unchecked, that few will become the majority.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-15513809410387163332007-08-30T10:42:00.000-05:002007-08-30T10:42:00.000-05:00Funny, most of the so-called "Angry white males" t...Funny, most of the so-called "Angry white males" that I know listen to talk radio as they're driving to and from their full time JOBS and occasionally listen to more talk radio in the background while they are at their full time jobs. Geez, what are all the liberals doing that they cannot listen to their liberal talk brethren?<BR/><BR/>Liberals lack show prep??? That's your defense as to why liberal talk radio doesn't work??? Come on Mike! You have got to be kidding me. That is LAUGHABLE as a defense. <BR/><BR/>MSNBC has developed a strong base? Where do you get your stats Mike? Fox News crushes them by nearly double or more. <BR/><BR/>The Daily Show? You use that as "news"? It figures. I actually enjoy the Daily Show and watch when I can, it's funny and I like poking fun at my own party, we can take it unlike the ilk from your party. <BR/><BR/>Why don't you watch the "1/2 Hour News Hour" on Fox News? You've probably never heard of it actually. Set your DVR.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-35416086996894836712007-08-30T10:41:00.000-05:002007-08-30T10:41:00.000-05:00Patrick:I would like to thank you for framing your...Patrick:<BR/><BR/>I would like to thank you for framing your response in a respectful tone, I sincerely appreciate it. And yes, I am blessed with great kids.<BR/><BR/>Please remember this Patrick; one person can make a difference. If the children at you school are being coddled, don’t be the one to do it. You certainly sound like a man of strong character and I challenge you to continue to challenge your students, we need teachers who keep our kids doing better things than they knew possible. As for some kids not being “special”…come on Patrick, you know better than that. I am not part of the Barney generation. I don’t think all kids are special because they exist, but I do know that all kids take actions, small or large, that make them special. You just have to look harder with some than others. When we take time to recognize the positive ACTIONS of kids, we begin to raise kids with strong character. <BR/><BR/>Anonymous:<BR/><BR/>I think you may need to have the first rule of debate clarified. That rule is, don’t say “the fact is…” unless it is a fact. Don’t say “the fact is there are mounting examples of news stories and personal anecdotes on a daily basis.” First, this is not a fact, and second, news stories and personal anecdotes, as you so clearly stated in your response to me, do not make a trend. So, if you have some facts that suggest we are raising a generation of underachievers who are not prepared to enter the competitive world of business, I challenge you to share those “facts”.<BR/><BR/>Bond:<BR/><BR/>It’s sad that you believe that a child who is in four AP classes must have an overbearing parent who insists on an Ivy League education. It sounds like you are the sort of parent who must “coddle” their child. “Sweetie, 4- AP classes are just too much for you, take the easy way out, and go for the easy A in non AP and get into any college you want.”Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-71405969291089108762007-08-30T10:13:00.000-05:002007-08-30T10:13:00.000-05:00The "success" of wing-nut radio has less to do wit...The "success" of wing-nut radio has less to do with the acceptance of their "ideas" by more people than it does with the demographics of radio. Wing-nut radio patronizes to the angry-white-male demographic that is apparently available (in the middle of the day...hmmm) and willing to sit (or ride) still for self-righteous demogouges who are willing to play to their prejudices and tell them what they want to hear. <BR/><BR/>There is not a similar group of liberals sitting around seeking that kind of "entertainment". Those who have tried (I heard Franken a couple of times) have failed to produce the same kind of sparks the wing-nuts can by screeching their black-and-white view of the world. They have too much respect for their audience to think they'd sit still for a lot of bumper-sticker squawking. <BR/>Liberals also lack the show prep provided by the GOP and the 24/7 echo chamber that the wing-nuts have of everyone saying the same things, day and night.<BR/><BR/>People who might happen to be liberal would and have succeeded on radio -- Howard Stern, Larry King and Don Imus come to mind (OK, everyone jump on the Imus reference...there, did you enjoy that?) -- but they succeed(ed) not by spouting liberal doctrine, but rather by providing entertaining controversial (Stern), intellectual (King) and funny/cranky (Imus -- OK, let's hear it again...thank you) content. Now, there's a concept -- creative programming. The wing-nuts should get off the GOP playbook and try it sometime.<BR/><BR/>Advertising dollars follow ratings. Fox "News" does what it does and gets the same audience as wing-nut radio. MSNBC, with Olberman and Matthews, have built a fairly strong base from scratch. At least the cable battle is a fairer fight, but only because MSNBC has chosen to give Olberman a platform and he has found his voice (after yanking Phil Donohue for being too liberal at the start of the Iraq War). <BR/><BR/>But the best political show on cable is The Daily Show, and its ratings are practically equal to that of Fox's resident bully Bill O'Rielly. Now THAT'S what I call competition!Mike Plaistedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184502941014520240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-90069133454571510312007-08-30T09:42:00.000-05:002007-08-30T09:42:00.000-05:00Colo. school bans tag on its playground 2 hours, 5...<B>Colo. school bans tag on its playground</B> <BR/><BR/>2 hours, 55 minutes ago <BR/><BR/>An elementary school has banned tag on its playground after some children complained they were harassed or chased against their will.<BR/><BR/>"It causes a lot of conflict on the playground," said Cindy Fesgen, assistant principal of the Discovery Canyon Campus school.<BR/><BR/>Running games are still allowed as long as students don't chase each other, she said.<BR/><BR/>Fesgen said two parents complained to her about the ban but most parents and children didn't object.<BR/><BR/>In 2005, two elementary schools in the nearby Falcon School District did away with tag and similar games in favor of alternatives with less physical contact. School officials said the move encouraged more students to play games and helped reduce playground squabbles.AtriaBookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08097807124893909217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-22667330338092849122007-08-30T09:26:00.000-05:002007-08-30T09:26:00.000-05:00"Out in the real marketplace of ideas, the right w..."Out in the real marketplace of ideas, the right wing fails"???<BR/><BR/>If the right wing ideas are failed as you say, then why do advertisers pay top dollar to be on shows like Belling, Sykes, or Rush? Why do advertisers opt to pay more to be on Fox News instead of MSNBC? If their ideas are failed, shouldn't their audience reflect that and become smaller and smaller? If the left's ideas are superior, then why didn't advertisers flock to Air America since, as you believe, a majority of Americans believe what you do?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-58556134199579034702007-08-30T07:31:00.000-05:002007-08-30T07:31:00.000-05:00Roland:Once again, we have the denial of the uniqu...Roland:<BR/><BR/>Once again, we have the denial of the unique power and limited availability of spots on the radio dial combined with a whining plea to let wing-nuts continue to pollute the public airwaves with a single, GOP-driven point of view. <BR/><BR/>I want to shut them up? Right. The right-wing, just like everyone else, will always have ready access to newspapers, books, magazine, web-sties, blogs, podcasts and every other wonderful new and old technology the Moonies and other wealthy benefactors can and will buy for them. These are all the vehicles we of different perspectives are supposed to be satisfied with and grateful for as we try to get a word in edge-wise to the national and local discussion. I wouldn't want to shut them out of those free-and-open forums. Their twisted naratives, excuses and "logic" is just too damn entertaining to pass up completely.<BR/><BR/>But the airwaves are different in power and character and you know it. That's why you cling to your radio squatter's rights like an entitlement. Out in the real marketplace of ideas, the right wing fails. It desperately needs the unfair advantage that radio provides.<BR/><BR/>I look forward to the invitation from WISN to substitute for their current post-midnight programming, "Coast to Coast", which I believe is the successor to moon-bat Art Bell, where hilarilously serious "experts" discuss the aliens living just beneath the earth's crust (I'm not kidding -- I actually heard that one recently). <BR/><BR/>I always dreamed of being on the radio, albeit as a DJ, back in the day when music radio wasn't programed to death, actually spent some time in front of the microphone in college and at a listener-sponsored station in Cincinnati. Hey, I even got ripped-off by Career Academy of Famous Broadcasters back in the '70s. <BR/><BR/>So I'm ready, I was born ready. Waiting for that call...Mike Plaistedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184502941014520240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-35476740620523555582007-08-30T02:37:00.000-05:002007-08-30T02:37:00.000-05:00MikeP has no concern for the future of WTMJ620 or ...MikeP has no concern for the future of WTMJ620 or WISN 1130. His only concern is to shut up opposing viewpoints. All his arguments are based on the premise that we live in an Orwellian state and that conservative talk radio is the only voice out there.<BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, back in reality...part of being in a free society means you can turn off the radio, or just change stations if you don't like it. My gawd, there's the whole FM dial, there's satellite radio, there's books on tape/CD/Mp3, there's all kinds of alternatives to listen to whilst piloting your Prius...and more technologies are just around the corner. YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT YOU WATCH/LISTEN TO!<BR/><BR/>You claim Sykes is supported by monies other than advertisers. Assuming that's true, why is that a bad thing? How is it different than the foundations and other groups who support PBS? Merely endorsing a view that you do not does not make them evil. You seem to argue that liberals lack the money to support a lefty counter to Charlie Sykes. Well there are no shortage of lefty orgs out there, heck, look at all the money Billary and Obama are raising. Go cry to them and see if they'll tell you why they didn't support Al Franken or the rest of the Airhead Americans enough to keep 'em alive.<BR/><BR/>But Mike, just to show you I harbor no ill-will, if you'd like, I'll contact WISN and ask them to give you a trial run to prove that Lefty talk can work. Since your audience will likely mirror that of Coast-to-Coast with George Noory, I'll ask them to put you on from Midnight to 5am. Fair enough?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-53758927051537274282007-08-29T22:22:00.000-05:002007-08-29T22:22:00.000-05:00I'm having a hard time believing ANY of these argu...I'm having a hard time believing ANY of these arguments are related to the inner-city kids I work with. Who in their right mind has the audacity to tell them that they are coddled when there are awakened from their sleep by gunshots? Who is going to tell them they are coddled when playing out in the street is like taking your life in your own hands? Doing homework in the bathroom because there is no room on the table or the music and the TV are too loud. These kids have to work harder than ANYONE else just to make a dent in the world. They learned Charlie's stupid "rules" in the womb. By the time many of the kids I see, get to school they know there place in society and the likes of Sykes likes it that way. Rather poetic yet disgraceful if you ask me. Every generation has its old codgers that react to the behaviors of the youth in their day. Unfortunately, it seems to me the average age of the complainers is getting younger and younger. At this pace in about 20 years perhaps we’ll see students in their own school newspapers complaining about themselves and just how lazy they’ve become. Then the next step of course would be for kids in daycare to be complaining about each other and how they simply aren’t potty trained as earlier as they used to be or walking as quickly as they should be. After all, isn’t that how trends start?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-29777956471269893932007-08-29T21:27:00.000-05:002007-08-29T21:27:00.000-05:00Mike:I treat all students with respect. But I do b...Mike:<BR/><BR/>I treat all students with respect. But I do believe that we do a great dis-service to them when we milk them with false praise. I believe students are to be encouraged to achieve, even bribed, or whatever. But the worst thing we can continue with is creating an environment which praises them when they have done nothing praise-worthy. <BR/><BR/>Mike, most people in life have to deal with the harsh realization that they are not Michael Jordan or Arthur Miller. They do have to be prepared for a world that in many ways sees them as ordinary, common, forgettable. But what I teach them is this does not excuse them of the moral demand that they make their lives spectacular even if they don't appear to have some valued talent or even if they are born gay and a part of the world hates them just for that. Think of John Proctor from The Crucible for a moment; his moral imperfection does not release him from his duty to do the right thing. When he does, he is redeemed. In the same way its best that we teach children that they have no reason to be proud until they do something. When we praise them for nothing or engage in empty tolerance rituals we lessen the value of these things and students know it. No student has ever learned tolerance by watching a lecture or reading a GLBTGQ poster. Only authentic experience or maybe good parenting produces tolerance. This is because students know that lectures and posters and silence days are, by nature, artificial.<BR/><BR/>Finally, when students get a compliment or praise in my class they know it is genuine and earned.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-33811484538261755552007-08-29T20:17:00.000-05:002007-08-29T20:17:00.000-05:00Sorry about the posting of the thread, not sure wh...Sorry about the posting of the thread, not sure what happened there.<BR/><BR/>You miss my point and I am tired trying to explain it to you. It is not isolated, parents are getting away with it around the country and if we are not careful, before we know it, it will be way too late.Vinny "Bond" Marinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07033455144526676371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755638.post-82188345431005168302007-08-29T19:34:00.000-05:002007-08-29T19:34:00.000-05:00Patrick:Here is your main point, I guess: "too muc...Patrick:<BR/><BR/>Here is your main point, I guess: "too much effort is made to look after esteem, tolerance, and the idea that every kid is special". You exaggerate the "efforts" made, but what is the alternative? <BR/><BR/>Should we break down kids instead of trying to build them up? <BR/><BR/>Should we not tolerate differences -- does that include racial, gender, sexual preference, handicaps? -- it that too hard for you? <BR/><BR/>Kids being "special" is the same as self-esteem, so, how unspecial are the kids in your school? Would you be comfortable with naming names of who is special and who is not in the Brave New World of No More Mr. Nice Patrick?<BR/><BR/>Well, here is my advice: Fly. Be Free. Go ahead and treat your students anyway you like, anyway you think they deserve. They are not special, anyway, and don't deserve to have esteem they haven't earned, by your standards. And, hey, you don't have to tolerate anything from them or how they are any more.<BR/><BR/>There. Feel better?Mike Plaistedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184502941014520240noreply@blogger.com