Off_White Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 MattP said: I believe that when kids hit age 25 or 30, they generally tend to revert to their parents' world view even if they dallied in some other perspective. Oh dear, I must be some sort of seriously arrested development case, cuz I'm quite past that window of reversion. I grew up in a devout Republican household: my folks were diehard Goldwater fans, borderline John Birchers, and very active in the party. My mother managed political campaigns, and as a child I stuffed envelopes for Nixon, Ford, and Pete Wilson, who's also my sister's godfather for pete's sake. As a five-year-old, the day John Kennedy was assasinated I asked my mother if it was a good thing because he was a Democrat (she answered "No.") How did I go astray? I think I only had one seriously lefty liberal prof (Herb Schiller at UCSD), and none of the professors I had at Evergreen where I finished off my eight year college education plan were more overt than a generally humanist outlook on life. I believe my father blames it all on climbing, and the associated dirtbag outlook on life. Ahh well, I think I'm the happiest person in my family of origin, and that was the goal I set for myself long ago. Fairweather, its a cool thing having one of your children turn into an adult (I've got a 21 year old son), and I think of of the key tricks is liking who they are, not what they think. As a junior in high school, your daughter is already essentially self-programming, and your voice is now just one of many she hears and evaluates. No doubt you've raised her to be a good person, and now comes the slow transition to friend and fellow adult. Agree or disagree with each other in the future, make sure you develop the mutual respect that will keep you discussing things together in the years to come. And I don't care what MattP says, your Olympus photos are quite exquisite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Here's what Frank Zappa had to say about of hippies so hippies would be stupid to have identified with the ideals of Donovan, Joplin and Hendrix but we'd be smart to heed Zappa's words? Is he some kind of bastion of thoughts in the western world or something? I did not think so. You are going to make a grumpy old fart some day. Joplin...dead; drugs Hendrix...dead; drugs(?) Morrison...dead; drugs Visionaries; yes. But they've got the blood of dead kids on their hands IMHO. ....ready for a flamin'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Off White, Here's a story for you and Mattp: A family friend of ours is a state water quality big-wig down in Olympia. I recently saw him at a gathering and as we hadn't seen each other for some time, we had some good conversation. He has two sons, aged 18 and 19. The 19 year old is a student at Evergreen State College, and the 18 year old.... joined the US Marines on Sept 12, 2001. ...Same upbringing, different result! Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Technically speaking I believe Hendrix died by drowing in vomit (friends don't let wasted friends pass out on their backs) but as it was due to a mix of alcohol and barbituates, I wouldn't dispute drugs as a cause. I wouldn't say that the blood of children is any more on their hands than that Anheuser-Busch has the blood of drunk driving victims on its hands. I think advertising is much more effective at promoting a lifestyle than an individual role model. Don't forget, you espouse the virtues of individual choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Yup Fairweather, kids are a funny mix of nature and nurture. Its not at all unusual for siblings to be that different from each other. I hope your friend is equally proud of both of his sons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Disagree with your "role model vs advertising" premise. I suggest that James Dean, Don Johnson and their Hollywood/television succesors brought more young people to smoking than Joe Camel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Do you think that product placement is not advertisement? You could be right though, I seem to recall a chapter in The Tipping Point (interesting book about fads and trends, if you're unfamiliar) that made a pretty good argument for the power of James Dean over Joe Camel. I do think that the Swedish Bikini Team trumps death by vomit inhalation as a positive marker for alcohol consumption. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Don't be 'dissin the Sweedish Bikini Team my liberal friend... some things are just sacred. Besides, I don't need subliminal or overt advertising to tell me that girls in bikinis are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 coming in a little late here...but...I tried to get my son interested in Evergreen. I LOVE that place. But it's a little too rustic for him. He's more of the urban-Berkeley type which is ok...except UCB is BIG...over 40,000 students compared to the 3000 or so at Evergreen. ah well he still has a few years to decide. BTW I think Evergreen is a steal at 12K a year (includes room and board) (As an aside he's currently attending Evergreen H.S. ) Why not Reed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisT Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 hmmm I never even thought of it. I guess because we live in WA, I thought Evergreen was the better deal on tuition. Always looking for a bargain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Reed is anything but cheap. When I went there (circa '92) it was about 20K a year. Grants paid for almost all of my tuition though. Very hard to get into Reed though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minx Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 why is that we all seem to assume that political beliefs are formed in college? Mine are the polar oppposite of what they were back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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