RoR: Forum

Wow! Before you rush to judgment on Amy Chua take a look at her interview on Book TV today on her book, "World on Fire.". I have been critical on the subject of her child rearing tactics and continue to be but this lady is very, very intelligent and well grounded in world affairs. Her book is concerned with ethnic dominance of world economies. She is a free-marketer, property rights advocate, etc.

One reviewer:

I am actually impressed with how even-handed and balanced this book is, with respect to liberal/conservative ideology. She comes off as slightly conservative(in other words, in favor of market 'liberalization') and definitely pro-market. She is NOT some leftist red commie. And the fact that Thomas Sowell - the high priest of conservative economics himself - gave this book an excellent review should be a tip-off to people on the right, who would dismiss this as some leftist rant.

I think you will be able to access the interview on Book TV (C-SPAN2) soon, if not today.

I'd like to see her in politics.

Sam

(Edited by Sam Erica on 1/22, 4:22pm)

(Edited by Sam Erica on 1/22, 4:55pm)

Post 161

Saturday, January 22, 2011 - 9:01pm

Concerning her son, Hong wrote (tongue-in-cheek),

I am going to give that lazy, stupid little imbecile a good whip now... (yes, I am a Dragon Mother after all!).

And Steve replied,

In addition to Dragon Mothers, there are also Dragon Teachers.

Yes, there are, Steve, but in ways you never imagined!

When I was in high school (1954-58), the teachers would physically assault the students, and by "physically assault," I mean with fists and feet. One teacher, a very brilliant mathematician, would do so if the student wasn't paying attention. One day I saw him attack a particular student without any provocation whatsoever. The teacher, who was a big, burly guy, walked up to the student and suddenly began hitting him with closed fists, knocking the student from his chair onto the floor. The student managed to cover his head with his arms and hands to protect himself until the teacher stopped beating him, at which point, the student dropped his guard. As he was now unprotected, the teacher kicked him viciously in the side of the head causing a jet of blood to spurt from the students ear in a bright, red arc.

I witnessed the whole thing firsthand. Nothing was ever done to the teacher, and no charges were ever brought against him. I saw the same teacher engage in this kind of brutal attack on more than one occasion. Other teachers would also hit students for the mildest misbehavior. You want corporal punishment? You had it there in spades! You want coercive education? -- learn or else we will PUNISH you! You had it there in the starkest possible terms. So when Hong makes a joke about whipping her "imbecilic" son, it calls up a none-too-pleasant memory of my high school years. Do you think this mathematics teacher inspired his students to study mathematics? I'll let you decide that for yourselves.

(Edited by William Dwyer on 1/22, 9:08pm)

Post 162

Sunday, January 23, 2011 - 2:28am

Bill,

I think you meant to be reply to Luke, not me.

Post 163

Sunday, January 23, 2011 - 5:37am

Bill, why did parents tolerate this kind of treatment of their children by those teachers?

Post 164

Monday, January 24, 2011 - 1:51pm

Yes, Steve, I meant to reply to Luke. Thanks.

Luke, the parents viewed the teachers -- Christian Brothers in this case -- as God's representatives on earth. Since God sanctions corporal punishment and since the teachers were holy men who belong to a religious order, they had the moral authority to exact the severest kind of punishment. Their child must have deserved it. Religious authority was never questioned.

You've got to understand too that parents subjected their children to physical beatings as well. So, they were quite willing to delegate that authority to the teachers.

Incredible, I know, but that's the kind of stuff that used to go on in Catholic schools. Nowadays, it's just the other way around, at least in the public schools -- the students are attacking the teachers! :-/

Post 165

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 3:53am

Thanks, Bill.

Can anyone share how the Soviets and other secular totalitarians have handled the discipline of children?

Post 166

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 6:11am

Not sure about the Soviets, but I know the Khmer Rouge brainwashed children into killing their parents.

Post 167

Friday, January 28, 2011 - 8:21am