Making Do with Monopoly?

Now that the rest of America is living hand-to-mouth like my family, I’ve noticed a huge change in the mindset endorsed in advertising. Before our nation’s official recession, it was all about what we “deserved,” regardless of whether we “earned” it. Like a way-too-big house, a gas-guzzling V8 or that Fantasy Island dream vacation.

Now you see an insurance company cajoling you into believing that playing a board game around your dining room table or watching a snowy TV screen in the garage is the new Disney World adventure. A paper towel’s absorbency is exalted when a couple, in their messy attempt to save their Starbucks’ bucks, make their own cappuccino, playfully spraying the milky foam all over their countertop. And I can’t remember the last time I saw a Hummer commercial—it’s all about hybrids.

Yeah, yeah. It just warms the cockles of my heart (if I had one…) but what I wanna know is—has America had a mass epiphany about family values, or are we just trying to talk ourselves into being happy about accepting less? It’s like asking for a Louis Vitton handbag and getting a Lands End backpack. The knapsack will work just fine, but it’s not what you had in mind. Oh well. Welcome to my world.

Personally, I think some of this 180-advertising is Corporate America’s way of keeping the masses under control. Fearful that consumers will rise up and scream out “Hey—what happened to all our money?” we are being placated into believing that it’s okay to be broke. Granted, a lot of individuals’ fall from grace has something to do with their personal greed. But some of problem is bigger than even that.

According to the National Debt Clock, at this moment, our Outstanding Public Debt is $11,808,207,536,564.75. Let me check my pockets, I think I’ve got the 75-cents.

Earlier in the week, another homeschooling Mom posted a link to a blog about education needing to be “turned on its head.” The writer suggested some unschooling/child-directed learning techniques, most starting with phrases like “We need to…” or “We can…” or “We should…”

Now, that sounds all very well and good. Unfortunately, the “We” to whom the blogger referred was the Parent. And I gotta tell you; I don’t think alotta parents really like their kids enough to make that type of commitment.

These past few weeks, I’ve been suffering through local news coverage of kids going back to school. Local reporters loom outside of the schools as parents’ vehicles roll up, then they ask the occupants how it feels on the first day of school.

Granted, you’d expect the kids to be moaning. And in all fairness, a few girls did said they were excited to be heading back, but didn’t say why. Given the way those teens were dressed, that anticipation appeared social, not academic.

But most of the parents were absolutely giddy about shipping off their kids for 8-10 hours/day. Then the newscasters would laugh and play up that whole “I’m soooo glad they’re going back,” angle. Moms did not mince words, making it very clear that these young relatives had long over-stayed their welcome.

So how can “We” turn education on its head when most parents don’t even wanna spend Summer Vacation with their kids? I thought a vacation is suppose to be fun. Shit –if you threw anything academic into the mix, parents would probably petition to lengthen the school year.

Don’t adults consider how children are affected when hearing their parents shamelessly admit that their own kids are driving them crazy and they cannot wait for them to go back to school? You wouldn’t say something that rude to your mother-in-law’s face, would you?