This is what kids should be learning!
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| tuxchick Oct 26, 2011 12:47 PM EDT |
Quoting:When he gave his talk, Baerg wanted attendees to feel the excitement kids experience when they are exposed to the source code of a program, both by creating code and seeing what other people have created. Kids need to be learning how to control technology, and not just be good little unquestioning consumers. Kudos to Rikki, Ken Starks, FreeGeek, Qimo, Compris, and all the FOSS geeks who reach out to the younguns. |
| Grishnakh Oct 26, 2011 12:53 PM EDT |
I disagree. It's entirely culture-dependent. In some cultures, being curious and wanting to tinker with things are encouraged. In American culture, however, these things are completely looked down on, and our greatest aspiration is to be good little unquestioning consumers. |
| DrGeoffrey Oct 26, 2011 5:22 PM EDT |
Quoting:In American culture, however, these things are completely looked down on, and our greatest aspiration is to be good little unquestioning consumers. Have you considered what has happened to the income of the bottom 99% of income earners in the U.S. over the last 30 years? While we are still better off than most of the world, being a good little corporate slave is not as rewarding as it used to be. |
| Grishnakh Oct 26, 2011 5:24 PM EDT |
@DrGeoffrey: No, but it's an integral part of our culture now, unlike 30 years ago. We worship big corporations, and aspire to be their servants. |
| lcafiero Oct 26, 2011 7:22 PM EDT |
So, Grishnakh, are you saying we shouldn't try to get kids involved in FOSS because they're going to be corporate drones anyway? And you know this for a fact because . . . how, exactly? [Truth in advertising: I'm part of the SCALE staff organizing the kids' conference, and I'm the one who posted the article to LXer.com] |
| Grishnakh Oct 26, 2011 9:28 PM EDT |
Actually, I'd encourage you to simply leave the country and move someplace where the local culture agrees more with your values. Canada's looking really attractive these days. It's certainly not perfect, but they don't seem to worship corporations the way Americans do, and their economy isn't headed down the toilet like ours either. |
| lcafiero Oct 27, 2011 12:41 PM EDT |
Actually, I'd encourage you to call your nearest proctologist and have him or her help you find your head, Grishnakh, since that seems to be the vantage point from which you're observing American culture. Given, a choice I'd prefer to change -- or at least attempt to change, for the better -- the culture where I live, thanks. This is one of the reasons I advocate for FOSS and aim to help people find a better way. You may find doing nothing and complaining a better alternative, and that's your choice. |
| Grishnakh Oct 27, 2011 3:27 PM EDT |
@Icafiero: I just look at how the majority of Americans vote. I don't see them voting for any agenda other than one which promotes corporatism. |
| JaseP Oct 27, 2011 4:13 PM EDT |
It's not even that. For most Americans, we only get our understanding of the issues from big media. Look at the Wall Street protests. They were going on a full month before the were widely reported on, in the media. You can't form a cognizable opinion in a vacuum of information. And do you think Big Media would help inform the populace about issues that run against their interests??? |
| BernardSwiss Oct 27, 2011 6:10 PM EDT |
And I wouldn't guarantee that Canada won't follow the USA down the "right" wing rabbit-hole. We currently have a "Conservative" federal government (elected by a "majority" of about 40%) that seems committed to modelling itself after the US "right" wing as far as it can get away with -- and often by as covert means and rationals as possible, too) Even in cases where bastions of Republican conservatism like Texas and Florida are saying that those policies don't seem to work as advertized, after all. PS: please note my careful use of quotation marks :-/ PPS: JaseP has a very good point, and it's worth mentioning that Jefferson considered a vigorous free press more essential to the public good than free elections... |
| jdixon Oct 27, 2011 8:21 PM EDT |
> I just look at how the majority of Americans vote. I don't see them voting for any agenda other than one which promotes corporatism. The majority of Americans don't even know what corporatism is. They don't vote either for or against it. The majority of American politicians, on the other hand... > ...and it's worth mentioning that Jefferson considered a vigorous free press more essential to the public good than free elections... Yeah. It's a shame we don't have one. |
| BernardSwiss Oct 27, 2011 8:57 PM EDT |
Ain't that the truth! |
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