Spreadin’ Da Love

~ Laura

Kevin Drum explains that the French get 10 weeks of vacation time, thanks to their unions. He wonders why there hasn’t been a political movement in the U.S. aimed at increasing the amount of vacation time.

Sam Crane has started a blog. Sam’s in the Pol. Sci. dept at Williams College and writes on international politics and Ancient Chinese Thought. He also joins the ranks of other bloggers who have children with disabilities. I look forward to seeing what he cooks up.

Another new blog is Literary Brothel, which features a whole lotta nice writing.

Dave S. sent me an excellent link to an old post at Being Daddy. Brian is a formerly hip parent who has embraced being an unhip parent. A recovering hipster. A quote:

And so one should order Pee-wee’s Playhouse not because it is cool, but because it is clever, heartwarming and well-made. To reject Veggie Tales because one isn’t Christian makes perfect sense. But to not watch it because it’s not cool misses the fact that it’s just as entertaining and funny as Pee-wee.

In other words, a parent should decide what is appropriate for one’s child according to its inherent value and quality, not according to external standards like ‘cool.’ That does little more that turn one’s parenting decisions over to the mob.
* * *

Parenting is the greatest of democracies; anyone can participate. But this stands in direct opposition to some of the very tenents of hipsterism: exclusivity, elitism, superiority. And this seems to be what drives hipsters like Williams crazy: the fact that anyone can parent well. The dumb and the smart, the ugly and the attractive. Educated and un-. Democrat, Republican. Liberal, conservative. The hip and the unhip. Male or female, straight and (yes, you conservatives out there who proudly didn’t think I was talking to you too) gay. The cool and the pathetic. The lot of them can be good parents – amazing parents. There is no formula for great parenting, no indespensible superficial ingredient. Because love does not discriminate.

He corns out at the end there, but still good stuff.

Published by Laura

2 thoughts on “Spreadin’ Da Love”

  1. That Being Daddy post is right. I always think about the part in this book when the older sister explains how some songs are cool and some songs are not cool as a particularly sad moment.

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