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Reader Comments (21)Page 1 of 1 pagesImagine that, Reading Is Fundamental getting a boost with cultural consumerism. Shame on Borders!! They are encouraging the highly impressionable minds of our children by teaching them to navigate the book store, exposing them to so many different title on their abundant shelves and encouraging a desire to relate to a love of books. And having their image apparantly representing a male? What do female astronauts wear? What about the pedistrian street crossing signs in the very progressive Vienna that is now replacing the “male"stick man to a “female” stick person…what does that mean? Will it have long hair and a dress?! Gee, what the hell! Educators have noticed a decline in male enrollment in high schools and colleges and females are on the upswing, despite unplanned pregnancies and other obstacles. There are a plethora of scholarships exclusively for women and of course minority groups of both sexes. However, a white male has less scholarship and financial aid opportunities. ASU created a white male club encouraging young men to embrace their European heritage and boy did the media and special interest groups have a field day exposing the club. Talk about reverse discrimination and bullshit “hate groups”!
I think any kind of program that exists to spark enthusiasm in reading is a good thing! Its good for boys and girls both to read! Corporate sponsorship and comsumeristic intrests aren’t a bad thing. It makes good business sense. What the hell is wrong with business making money? Isn’t that what creates jobs?! Aren’t jobs how we survive and care for our families and needs?
What does this “progressive” movement really stand for? Socialism? Wellfare State? Are we all supposed to go back to an agriculural ecpnomy, growing our own organic foods, raising our own animals for food and labor? I am from a family that farmed for generations and I have great respect for families. I do think all aspects of industry are important for a stabile economy and the greatest benefit to our country.
And when it comes to those “evil” beings that exclusively possess the infamous “y” chromosomes, HURRAY! I love them and wouldn’t want to live in a world with out them or even have a world of androgeny an/or asexialality.
Posted by kimberlyausten on Dec 27, 2006 at 12:42 AM Sorry about the typos above. I can’t multitask like the young generation can and my son kept talking to me and then my dayughter called and I just wanted to finish typing my comments and get off of the computer! Consider me a fallable female….they do exist, despite current politically correct focus groups. jk
Posted by kimberlyausten on Dec 27, 2006 at 12:49 AM The branding is everywhere. We thought keeping television out of our home would do the trick, little did we suspect everything from our child’s diapers to his teething rings would be establishing brand loyalty from the outset.
Even the thrift stores have begun setting up a recognizable consumer space. A Goodwill store in NE is like a Goodwill store in CA. Walking through the door, there is an expectation regarding store layout, regardless of merchandise.
In some ways, I worry that by not exposing my child to familiar products and branded images, I’m setting him up to be some sort of social outcast (home schooling as well) where he will lack an ability to comprehend the popular culture (not a bad thing on the surface, though I wonder if it will hinder his ability to make friends).
For the moment, our trips to the grocer are quite peaceful as my little one has no particular desire for certain products-but one of these days, someone (a grandparent, neighbor) is going to expose him to pre-packaged food and then you know he’s going to want the squealing mascot for the grotesque bread-in-a-tube, or the cookie-pushing elves.
We live in a very rural area of the US, miles from what one might call a “city” yet we are exposed to the same, constant branding and marketing. The rural children all aspire to the same clothing, fads and nonsense that urban children do. The fast-food establishments are everywhere-even in towns of 1,000 people…and they all sell the children’s meals with toys promoting the latest film-even when the nearest cinema is 70 miles away.
Sometimes I wish I could put blinders on him until he’s forty (I’m told that people who know something about child development frown upon that sort of thing).
Posted by JSM68 on Dec 27, 2006 at 4:07 AM It’s not about the benefits of reading or whether making money is a good or bad thing. Nothing in the article indicates those positions. The article is about how it is getting increasingly difficult to imagine doing basic things in the world without being infused with corporate meanings and sponsorship. If Borders or anyone else was concerned about literacy, they could very well donate to local public libraries anonymously where it does not take money to gain access and enjoy books.
Posted by DanC on Dec 28, 2006 at 2:49 PM Perhaps Borders does donate books to the library anonymously, how would we know?
Posted by kimberlyausten on Dec 28, 2006 at 8:56 PM they do, kimberly. unfortunately the left is stuck in this socialist deadend
and they can only criticize anyone that does something. they would rather sit on their behinds and wait for fedgov to tell them what to do.
sad.
Posted by hawaii jack on Dec 29, 2006 at 10:56 PM Jack,
According to this article, it appears the author is stuck in the socialist dead end for sure.
Thanks for your comment.
Kimberly
Posted by kimberlyausten on Dec 29, 2006 at 11:31 PM Jack and Kimberly,
Yeah, why don’t we just let corporations educate our children? Why burden kids with ideas like ethics, social justice, and a love of learning for its own sake when they would be so happy to loyally consume their favorite brands without a critical thought?
Posted by bee33 on Dec 30, 2006 at 1:11 AM Dearest bee,
Actually the corporations do educate our children, most effectively by the publishing corporation of our children’s textbooks. I believe the textbooks in both China and Cuba are government issue in case you care to move.
For my son, a wonderful company that started only four years ago offers $20,000 scholarships to their employees children. We have already had one child take advantage of their generosity and we have two more to help put through college. For all employees’ children, they have a program where each child that passes onto the next grade receive a trophy, new back pack, and a check for $25. The parents each receive a check for $100. In addition, the company gives millions away in employee incentives. The bigger picture? The many charitable organizations, communty services, and hospitals that benefit from the company’s philanthropic donations as well as hands on volunteer work by dedicated employees and their wives, all optional but well received. I am very happy to say that this company does not outsource.
I guess capitalism isn’t so bad. Not only can our children utilize the wonderful resources of public libraries but they can actually afford to buy books from these “evil” bookstores.
Posted by kimberlyausten on Dec 30, 2006 at 2:20 AM Kim,
Your attitude seems to be “I’ve got mine” so why worry about all those who don’t. Educational opportunities should be equally available to all, not just to the children of employees of a particular corporation. The problem with corporate philanthropy is that it’s self-interested. In the case you mention it seems to be a way for the company to keep good employees. In all cases it’s a way for corporations to make themselves look good to the public so they can remain profitable.
There’s a fundamental conflict of interest here: what’s good for corporations is for consumers to remain uninformed and loyal, because if they encouraged independent thought people would become aware of the social injustice that is made possible by the influence that corporate America has over the political process. That’s why corporations should never be in the business of education.
In addition, the textbooks you so fondly mention are frequently sources of flawed and biased information. Unless reading them is supplemented by independent sources they can and do leave students with a faulty impression of history.
Posted by bee33 on Dec 30, 2006 at 2:24 PM Oh no, not at all bee…I do have mine and you can have yours too. The American is achievable. My husband went through four years of college only to graduate to work in a managerial position from a corporation that sucked the life blood out of him…He decided “providing” for a family he never got to see wasn’t worth it and took a bottom level position at his present company and worked his way up. We sacrificed financially to experience the joys of having a good life…which isn’t measured in dollars. Now, we are prospering as well.
Motivations for charitable works and donations can differ. It is possible that it can be self serving for a company for the reasons you mentioned as well as the tax advantages received. It is possible for the reasons to be for selfless reasons. This company does not make public announcements of its efforts. It is most likely that it is the combinations of the two. I personally have met the founder of the company and he is extremely generous, honest, and down to earth. He is also a Christian. Whoops! Bet you will have something to say about that!
You are correct about the biases in textbooks. Currently, there is a strong liberal bias. Outside of text books, individuals should read any thing they can get their hands on. Whether it coincides with ones impressions or not, and try to determine the truth about things. How do you think I found this website? I read Kurt Vonnegut’s book, A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY, in which Vonnegut mentioned magazine IN THESE TIMES and is a contributor. I enjoy Vonnegut very much and learned about Dresden, not in school but from his work in SLAUGHTER HOUSE FIVE. Are you suggesting that Vonnegut mentioned IN THESE TIME for financial reasons? Hoping that his fan base would sign up for the magazine? I didn’t perceive his mention of the magazine in that way .
I grew up in rural Nebraska and independent thought was very much part of the curriculum. I spent one year in Colorado where education in that school seemed to be more by rote, and then spent my last two years of high school in a small town in New Mexico. Independent thought was greatly encouraged. Maybe the differences did not have so much to do with state and more with the school districts themselves. I have always been an avid reader since I was able to read and the quality of education did not deter my love to search and question. I continue to read the text books my children have, not the math ones as it is not my passion. I am able to know what my children are learning and engage in discussions with them. My children are independent minded and our family has a 1:1 ratio..3 liberals, 3 conservatives. I much prefer it that way, each person finding his or her own foundation despite the sometimes confliicting perspectives.
I grew
Posted by kimberlyausten on Dec 30, 2006 at 3:48 PM Dear Babe,
Because I am an American have have the rights and priviledge of freedom of speech which includes publications. I am a conservative, not a neoconservative. I read what I read for enlightenment and understanding. I engage in dialogue for the purpose of explanation, think tanking, and mutual discussion, not persuasion. I am open about personal background so that someone, not familiar with me would have a better understanding of why I say what I do.
Posted by kimberlyausten on Jan 1, 2007 at 1:50 AM I think what the author was implying and this was a theme that she entirely missed is that Parents for generations have been looking to give the Job of parenting to someone else. The Schools failed miserably, so now people are offloading their children to Cooperate America, a trend that some find disturbing. The problem with this article is that the author got caught in that damn bookstore to begin with, and got stuck on a point counter point under a magnified glass. The best way to attack the argument is to broaden it, which is what most have you have done. Maybe if you would take time to expand on the theme you could see the trends that truly alarm the author. The Idea that cooperation’s are better suited to tell a parent what is good for their child then the parent, is fairly acceptable wither you admit it or not these days. Entire 24 Cable Television networks marketed to infants, and the idea that from the moment they are born they are plopped infront of long term marketing schemes, instead of learning to think critically or think in general. The idea the parenting is being “outsorced” if you will, so parents have more time to consume themselves, instead of rasing their children.( Maybe parents are just busy working 2 or 3 jobs, because they havnt had a meaningful raise in years, or if they did, it was about the same time their rent went up.) On a fairly unrelated note, I think the fact that the writer was sitting in a Borders Cafe’ to begin with, presumably supporting the corporation the author proceeds to attack, is a fun example of exactly why the “left” today is wholly ineffective.
Posted by Vanella on Jan 2, 2007 at 4:48 PM Vanella,
I totally agree with you regarding the roles parents need to take in rearing their children. Many are working full time jobs that are more than 40 hours a week or workig part time at two or more jobs just to make ends meet. In my case, a dear friend was a widower and had the responsiblility of 3 children. His children were latch key children until he got home just a few hours later. He poured all of his efforts into his children and their education until her retired at 8 pm to go to bed and get up at 4 pm to get ready for work. Since I was a stay at home mom, I was able to avail myself so that his kids could come to my house after school and not be alone. His oldest daughter graduated from high school and went to college and will be taking the MCATs to go to medical school. His son is will graduate this spring from high school and will be going to college this fall.
Neighbors helping out neighbors is a great thing but some neighborhoods are full of people that work full time and not able to help out as I did. Some peole enjoy extended families that are able to assist. In Mike’s case, he did the best that he could and my efforts were appreciated but it didn’t delete his desire to spend quality time with his kids when he got home and included his helping them with homework, quality time.
BTW, his oldest daughter was actually born from a relationship his wife had with a minority berfore she met him. Because his daughter was a minority, she received financial assistance and grants that are geared toward those with minority status as well as a $1000 scholarship his company awarded her for her excellent grades. She does work part time as well as attending college full time.
As far as Mr. Cook being in Borders, he has to buy books somewhere unless he would choose to only utilize the public library. His being at the store reflects personal experience and living in the real world. It adds credibility to his articles.
Posted by kimberlyausten on Jan 2, 2007 at 6:12 PM Kimberly,
I would like to thank you for what you did for your friend, I know neither you nor him, but taking on burdens of your friend to help improve his and his childrens life is beyond respectable. Its good to know that community isnt dead.
I allso agree with your living in the real world comment, I know a lot of people who shop at Walmart because, well the prices really are that low, a the couple hundred dollars they save there, they really need. Survival is something that people(myself included at times) are generally too quick to criticize.
Posted by Vanella on Jan 2, 2007 at 8:25 PM bee33, anyone but the state would be a great improvement in educating rather brainwashing our children. corporations are fine but it doesn’t have to be limited to them. any other private groups are fine too.
thanks, kimberly, for your refreshing honesty and a sane conservative viewpoint.
children need to learn logic and philosophy at an early age along with the three r’s. and a fourth r, rear end therapy for brats. a good old fashioned bareass spanking.
Posted by hawaii jack on Jan 3, 2007 at 1:44 AM Vanella,
Thank you for your comments. To be honest, our families were meant to became fast friends as two of each of our children were in the same grades. Our family was greatly blessed with the relationships and further blessed as we became familiar with his and his wife’s extended famiy. They welcomed us will open arms and after only knowing each other a few short years, we all became “family”. We have known each other for twelves years now.
BTW, his wife passed away from AIDS as her former boyfriend was an IV drug user. Noone in the family got the virus except for her son. I did have to keep track of his medication, especially when he’d spend the night, and even remind him to bring his medication when he came over to visit as a teen. There was a time when he became so sick, I thought we might lose him but due to the advances in medicine, he has remained consistently healthy for over 6 years.
Posted by kimberlyausten on Jan 3, 2007 at 5:14 AM As a librarian in a town with a Borders and a Barnes & Noble I can tell you that they do not donate books to us. Most of our donations come from our user population (some of which may be employees of these institutions). The most I can say is that B&N gives us a corporate discount, as they do with the schools and other institutions, I’m sure.
Other than that, I can tell you that in our library system, as in those elsewhere, we perform similar functions as a bookstore. Because children and teens are (and this is a generalization) becoming less and less interested in reading, we have tried to mold our services and programming to fir their needs. If this means having a game night or a movie night or creating characters (mush like the Borders Explorer mentioned in the article) to encourage children to use the library, then that’s what we’ll do. What’s wrong with that? I’ll tell you. We are given money from the city budget every year. That amount is determined by the number of people we have walk through our door every day. They are more concerned with quantity and less with the quality of our services and programming. So, instead of being able to put on a few REALLY GOOD programs every year (we’re not a big-budget operation) we have to put on two or three programs a month, stretching our time and resources and probably not giving the quality of service that we should.
So, say what you will about branding in bookstores, I’m not so sure that libraries are much better with money stretched so thin nowadays.
Posted by eareeve on Jan 3, 2007 at 3:31 PM Dear Eareeve,
Thank you very much for the wonderful programs that you and other lilbrarians put on for our children. We utilized the library extensively and had to pay a few fines for over due books that we’d read again and again. We went to the special programs geared for toddlers and elementary school aged children and the atmosphere was very loving and the “leader” seemed extremely dedicated to what was presented, namely, the love of reading. Librarians chose that field as a career I suspect due to their love of the written word whereas employees may love books but it may be a part time position. I always thought of librarians as teachers and found them to be knowledgeable about the subject matter of each book I selected with great recommendations, especially when my children reached junior high and had to select books for silent sustained reading. I do experience the workers at B and N, where I normally shop, to be very familiar with authors and titles without having to look things up. But it is librarians that I found to be most familiar with the content within a book instead.
I regret that my children did not take advantage of your programs in their late elementary, early teen years. I couldn’t get them interested. They continue to love reading but pass books back and forth between their friends and make special requests of me.
Posted by kimberlyausten on Jan 3, 2007 at 10:05 PM One early and infamous example of advertising directly to children was by Dutch Boy Paints in the 1920s and 1930s to sell lead paint. The company (National Lead Co.) gave away booklets and coloring books to young children extolling the wonders of lead-based paint. For some examples, see: http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/research/project/enviro/hazard/lead/lead-adve ertising/default.htm
Posted by rickrabin on Mar 26, 2007 at 6:07 PM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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