Why would any sane parent teach his kids to talk back? Because, this father found, it actually increased family harmony.
“And let’s face it: Our culture has lost the ability to usefully disagree. Most Americans seem to avoid argument. But this has produced passive aggression and groupthink in the office, red and blue states, and families unable to discuss things as simple as what to watch on television. Rhetoric doesn’t turn kids into back-sassers; it makes them think about other points of view.” [Via Kottke]
I love this article. I sometimes feel that we no longer have passionate debate. We have screaming, we have Bill O’Reilly silencing his guests, and we have the children throwing tantrums without listening to their parents. While, we will always have children throwing tantrums, and Bill O’Reilly for that matter, this is a concept I can get behind.
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