Tiger Mother, Dolphin Mother

There seems to be a controversy about the child raising ethic of China versus other ethics, and has been summed up as Tiger Mother, a mother who is strict but loving and is tough on her kids so that they will be successful. There is controversy. Someone else wrote about nurturing Dolphin-type mothers who would be the role model of choice for well-rounded children.... and so on.

I thought about it.
I do not know much about child-raising in China. The One-Child Per Family policy is said to have led to a good deal of spoiling the one child, hardly a situation where the mother makes the child wait out in the snow until the child relents and agrees to practice the violin.
Fact: no one knows enough about all the child-raising techniques in China... even the Chinese. It is a big country.

It is a matter of which script or screenplay do you want to buy into, nothing else.
Fact: we buy into anything that smacks of large increases in Gross Domestic Product, no matter what. Since China is growing, China must raise their kids better and have better snacks and the beer must not be too shabby, either!
Remember how many kids were starting to learn Japanese back in the 80's? Not so many anymore. Japanese GDP slowed down. Who in the US public forum cares how the children of Nippon are raised? No one.

Fact: the link between China's growth and strict child-rearing is a matter of choice: its truth is in the eye of the beholder.

Fact: Some US states are going to renege on their promised pension benefits to retired public employees. Tiger or Dolphin, our children will watch us break our promises and bonds... how do you think that'll work out?

I think our dear, sweet kids will grow up twisted like the sharpers and grifters and know-nothings that are destroying our society. Clueless in Gaza, we get our thrills not by exploration of space, not by the arts, not by meeting the obvious problems of the future by innovative ideas and social communication, but by arguments and threats punctuated with gunshots painted on a black velvet background of Reality TV.

 

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