Larry Summers defends childhood
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, they brought out the heavy artillery to take on Amy Chua, the self-described “tiger mother” -- Larry Summers, self-described "hard ass." (No pun intended.)
The Wall Street Journal:
It took economist Larry Summers ... to point out that part of the point of childhood is childhood itself. Childhood takes up a quarter of one’s life, Mr. Summers observed, and it would be nice if children enjoyed it.
The writer of the piece, James Bernard Murphy, itemizes four unique blessings of childhood:
First is the gift of moral innocence: Young children are liberated from the burdens of the knowledge of the full extent of human evil—a knowledge that casts a pall over adult life. Childhood innocence permits children to trust others fully. How wonderful to live (even briefly) with such confidence in human goodness. Childhood innocence teaches us what the world ought to be.Second is the gift of openness to the future. We adults are hamstrung by our own plans and expectations. Children alone are free to welcome the most improbable new adventures.
Third, children are liberated from the grim economy of time. Children become so absorbed in fantasy play and projects that they lose all sense of time. For them, time is not scarce and thus cannot be wasted.
Finally, we parents are so focused on adult superiority that we forget that most of us produced our best art, asked our deepest philosophical questions, and most readily mastered new gadgets when we were mere children.
Questions for discussion:
How many of us asked the deepest philosophical questions of our lives when we were children, and shelved them once we were adults and didn't have them time for them?
And, giving the first gift a bit of a twist, how many of us have anesthetized ourselves against the pain of seeing injustice of the world, injustice that even as children when we were well aware of?
When was the last time you were complemented for being child-like?
fn. More Larry Summers vs. Tiger Mom
I love the sign I once saw on someone's desk: "Cleverly Disguised as a Responsible Adult."
Posted by EH Culver![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 10, 2011 10:12 AM
As I recall, the glorification of childhood is a relatively new thing in Western culture. The cheerful picture only took root in the Victorian era. If you have more work or fewer resources than you can handle yourself, or if you live in a context of violence or trauma, you're not going to be able to shield your children in a happy innocent bubble. These "blessings" are not necessarily universals like the author makes them out to be.
Speaking from our context where childhood can be more of a happy time, though... I don't know. I guess I don't see how romanticizing childhood is any better than strictly controlling it a la Tiger Mom. If we value openness, creativity, spontaneity, optimism (or discipline and ambition, for that matter) then we ought to be seeking to live in a way that upholds these values, and teaching our children to do the same. In rose-colored pictures of childhood like the one above, it looks more to me like adults watching children and thinking, "Oh gee, wish I were still able to be creative, but my clock's run out-- time to go back to the cubicle!" And that, in my opinion, doesn't compute.
Posted by Margaret Ellsworth![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 10, 2011 1:09 PM
As in, "It's never too late to have a happy childhood" eh, Margaret? ;-)
JC Fisher
Posted by tgflux![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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February 10, 2011 2:11 PM