Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Learning and Culture...

I know I promised to finish updating the last few weeks, and that post is coming. I just wanted to do a quick post on something I overheard last night that just about broke my heart. We were wandering in Costco last night through the book section. A little boy (maybe 8-9 years old) runs past me to get at a book.

Kid: “Daddy, daddy, can we buy this?
We just finished the first one at school and it was really good”
Dad: {with a total lack of comprehension in his tone of voice}
“*Why* would I buy you a book?”

I was just floored.
And astounded.
And heartbroken for this little boy, who so obviously wants to read, whose parent doesn’t see the worth in it.
And saddened that to both Brian and I, it was an example of what’s going wrong with American culture today. They can complain all they want about the foreigners coming in to steal all the good jobs, but if they don’t encourage their own children to pursue knowledge, they reap what they sow.

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