Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Language and spring weather

It just doesn't seem right, having a cold when it's such a lovely spring weather outside, it's just not right, damn it all to hell. Not that sunlight, empty skies, squeaking birdsies and fluttering cherry blossoms in my book add up to the definition of "lovely weather", but in a broader, more statistical way of viewing the topic, I would say that "lovely weather" within the norm, would be what is currently displayed outside at this moment. And the point I was, not quite making, despite great effort, was that I have a cold.

A mind-numbing, chill-throwing, age-reducing, puppy-whining, pitiful-whimpering, good-for-nothing-making cold... so go on, feel sorry for me.

On another note. I went to Bollnäs Folk High School with my mum yesterday for an all-day seminar on genus perspective and equality. The lecturers focused mainly on equality between the sexes, but I think mostly to narrow it down, it was fairly understood that the opinions expressed also covered that of ethnicity, sexual orientation, age and wealth. In other words, the equality part was directed at ALL human beings (and for some, ALL LIVING BEINGS) but the discussions were with focus on genus and gender. It was alright. I thought they were all being a bit timid, and mum didn't get her say because the woman arranging the whole thing has some grudge with her or something, and my head was killing me. But I guess it was good to get out of the house and that these seminars are being held. One woman said something that made sense (to me and most people in the room) but that made me think of my friends overseas and how it most probably wouldn't make sense to them at all and I realized it's no wonder you guys thought I was crazy when we were discussing wether or not it's okay to spank children when you're disciplining them, because I'm from a whole other world than you are.. this woman said as long as you use a dominant way of talking to your children and using threats such as "If you don't do this right now you won't get to do this later..." etc, children will learn to undermine themselves and as they grow up, girls will likely hold onto that and boys will take over the domineering, thus creating the gender roles in society (she said it better and it makes more sense in context) and I thought, I'm used to discussing wether it's okay to "physically discipline" children and here that's not even an option, it's not even imaginable, it's illegal and not even worth mentioning, here we're talking about how we address our children and what words we choose when we talk to them.. I just thought it was interesting.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

what is crazy? disciplining your kids? I was spanked as a child. It's a pretty embarrassing thing to happen to a kid. I wouldn't do that to any child but I might throw them across the room.

haha... no not really.

Dear Ida said...

hahahahahaha That's funny Michael!

Yeah babe you know my side of the story! I've been there, and I would never take my kids through the horrible things I had to go through as much as my past lingers on my behavior with others. I would never touch a child!

Ana said...

Spanking is out off the limits. No one owns a child.

Ida Nieninque Thomasdotter said...

well, I never had this disagreement with you guys in particular! :)