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From: Maia <maia>
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 10:54:35 -0400
I've been thinking about this, and trying to come from a calm place. Where I have come to is this:
There seem to be two pretty distinct attitudes about children's books (really, media in general) and their/it's impact on kids and adults. Some of us seem to feel that no one text is powerful enough to leave such a lasting negative effect on a person that we should be overly concerned. Other of us seem to think that every effort should be made to select texts for children that are in tune with creating healthy individuals. The first group, as far as I understand, doesn't think that one book or a set of books really has that much impact on an individual's development. Some members of the first group also seem to feel that some measure of pain and insult is a natural, even necessary part of maturation.
All of this strikes me as another branch of the issue we hear argued in the news, the same debate that evolved into potential legislation during the last school shootings. To what extent does the media play a role in development of character, and to what extent is the media responsible for said role (if indeed it plays one)?
I don't think we are going to come to an agreement anytime soon -- the rest of the world (or at least the US) certainly hasn't so far. Perhaps we have to recognize that and let it go, for the moment?
I do want to point out that we all see children through the lens of our own experience. When I worry about the impact of a book on a child, I'm really not
"[forgetting that] children are not blank-minded little puppets who have ideas shoved into their heads through their eyes", I'm remembering back to the kid I was, and the impact that books had on me, and I'm seeing the experiences of the children I know now through the lens of what I can understand. No doubt those of us who feel that kids are relatively unaffected by hatefulness in books or other media are also basing that on their own experiences and understanding.
It's hard then, isn't it, for all of us to discuss something like the representation of native American populations in children's books? I know that some of the native American people on this list are angry and frustrated by what seems like indifference to their pain, and to their children's pain. Other folks feel that that pain is a part of life, not necessarily attractive, but certainly not worth the risk of censorious behavior. I'm not sure how we can reconcile those differences enough to have a meaningful discussion about the topic, but I guess we need to try.
Maia
Received on Tue 19 Oct 1999 09:54:35 AM CDT
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 10:54:35 -0400
I've been thinking about this, and trying to come from a calm place. Where I have come to is this:
There seem to be two pretty distinct attitudes about children's books (really, media in general) and their/it's impact on kids and adults. Some of us seem to feel that no one text is powerful enough to leave such a lasting negative effect on a person that we should be overly concerned. Other of us seem to think that every effort should be made to select texts for children that are in tune with creating healthy individuals. The first group, as far as I understand, doesn't think that one book or a set of books really has that much impact on an individual's development. Some members of the first group also seem to feel that some measure of pain and insult is a natural, even necessary part of maturation.
All of this strikes me as another branch of the issue we hear argued in the news, the same debate that evolved into potential legislation during the last school shootings. To what extent does the media play a role in development of character, and to what extent is the media responsible for said role (if indeed it plays one)?
I don't think we are going to come to an agreement anytime soon -- the rest of the world (or at least the US) certainly hasn't so far. Perhaps we have to recognize that and let it go, for the moment?
I do want to point out that we all see children through the lens of our own experience. When I worry about the impact of a book on a child, I'm really not
"[forgetting that] children are not blank-minded little puppets who have ideas shoved into their heads through their eyes", I'm remembering back to the kid I was, and the impact that books had on me, and I'm seeing the experiences of the children I know now through the lens of what I can understand. No doubt those of us who feel that kids are relatively unaffected by hatefulness in books or other media are also basing that on their own experiences and understanding.
It's hard then, isn't it, for all of us to discuss something like the representation of native American populations in children's books? I know that some of the native American people on this list are angry and frustrated by what seems like indifference to their pain, and to their children's pain. Other folks feel that that pain is a part of life, not necessarily attractive, but certainly not worth the risk of censorious behavior. I'm not sure how we can reconcile those differences enough to have a meaningful discussion about the topic, but I guess we need to try.
Maia
Received on Tue 19 Oct 1999 09:54:35 AM CDT
