Well that was interesting…
As I’ve said a number of times on this blog: You never know what’s going to get people’s dander up. Apparently disciplining other people’s children is one of those things…
I found the reaction to this post pretty interesting. Let’s leave aside, for a moment, that I was being both hyperbolic and (at least a little) sarcastic in the post.* What was intriguing was the ferocity with which people think their children have a right to lower the quality of life for everyone within earshot and that no one else has a right to reprimand a misbehaving monster when the attendant parent fails to do so.
It reminded me of a piece on Slate a while back … I can’t find a link, but the thrust of it was that children ignore the admonitions of their friends’ parents because they have been taught that the only people who have a right to criticize their behavior are their own parents. The author was discussing her own qualms about correcting a child who was misbehaving quite egregiously — what right does she have to impart her (and general society’s) values on someone else’s kid?
To which I kind of wanted to shout “All the right in the world!” Look: I get that sometimes kids are a handful. But if you don’t correct their terrible behavior quickly and firmly it’ll just go on. We’ve become far too permissive as a society about this sort of thing. Once again, I’m reminded of this video:
The fact that you’ve learned to tune out your brat’s incredible capacity for noisy whining doesn’t give you the right to subject the rest of us to his earsplitting caterwauling because you think ignoring it will make it stop (and, let’s be honest, you just don’t care anymore). So, again, I don’t actually endorse what this guy did. But anyone who says he hasn’t wanted to do what he did at some point in their life is a liar.
*For the record: I do not endorse slapping random children in the face, even when they really, really deserve it.
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5 Comments - add your own
Jake — September 3, 2009 at 1:50 pm
wow, you’re still a dick today. sorry you and your girlfriend almost had their drinks spilled that one time at applebees.
Norwegian Shooter — September 3, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Fresh chum, mmmmm! I’ll take another bite:
EPIC FAIL on conveying hyperbole and even a hint of sarcasm in yesterday’s post. Here’s a tip, it has to be so bloody obvious on the web that it is rarely worth the effort.
No, what people are fierce about is that you think “a right to reprimand” includes assault!
The record states you do not endorse slapping random children. What about non-random children?
The 4 worst words to be written by a blogger: “I can’t find a link.” Keep it up!
Bob — September 3, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Sonny have some stones, bro. Just butch up and admit you were being completely genuine.
You’re just back-pedaling. You hate kids. Embrace it. Here’s a link for you – its one of your other blogs where you basically condone beating kids with a wooden spoon.
http://americasfuture.org/conventionalfolly/2009/08/20/just-tell-your-kids-no/
“…break out the wooden spoon. I’m not saying you should deliver a full on beating — people who physically abuse children are the scum of the earth — but a little swat on the butt now and then never hurt anyone.”
See? You just have a problem with kids. I imagine if I were to keep going back through your stuff there are more anti-kid musings. Just admit you’re a creepy child-hating freak and move on. You’re too young to be a crotchity old man. And I mean seriously – who’s more whiny- those kids, or you talking about those kids =).
Honestly I can’t help but to feel sorry for whatever happened to you as a kid. You should talk to someone about it…
Sonny Bunch — September 3, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Bob: I totally stand by the idea that a little corporal punishment now and then is no big deal and can indeed be a useful corrective. I think if the mother in that Wal-Mart was willing to deal a little of it out then maybe her kid wouldn’t have gotten slapped in the face by a stranger. (Again, he shouldn’t have done it, but that doesn’t mean the boy’s mother shouldn’t have done something to quiet the child.)
And I don’t hate kids. I hate ill-behaved kids. There’s a big difference.
Allison — September 3, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Babies cry, they do it all the time, that does not make them a “misbehaving monster.” And I’m sorry, if a crying baby bothers you in Walmart I think you will find the store is big enough to put some space between you and the baby. Nice backpedal but you’re still an idiot.