The Globe just published a fantastic editorial that you should all read. People often say that you should think twice before altering your lifestyle to meet the recommendations of the latest studies, I guess this is why!
There also another Globe article which is really worth reading called Adolescence is Obsolete. Written by Tralee Pierce, a well known Globe Life journalists, it reviews the work of Dr. Robert Epstein, former editor of Psychology Today, who argued in a recent book that the concept of adolescence serves little purpose other than creating “Frankensteins of our own making”. Most of Dr. Epstein’s suggestions are pure and total nonsense (giving teens the right to vote if they can pass a test…), but he really does succeed in bringing home the point that today’s teens have fallen victim to a nasty stereotype which prevents them from being handed responsibility.
Finally, I’d like to point you to the websites of the four main national parties: Conservative, Liberal, NDP and Green. I’d just like you to take a look at the front pages. On the Liberal, NDP and Green party websites, you’ll see positive front pages detailing the party’s successes, and bottom bars of constructive criticism of the government. The pictures of the leader also appear, but they are small and on the sidebars. On the CPC page, the first thing you see is a big picture of the great Stephen Harper. Beside that, there is a scrollbar with the latest Not a Leader negative ads, and right under, three columns of text each called: MORE CONSPIRACY THEORIES FROM THE RED-GREEN COALITION, Stéphane Dion: Conspiracy Theorist, and Where Does Stéphane Dion Actually Stand on
Doesn’t that say something about the values of each party!
1 comment:
There's nothing even slightly odd about giving young people voting rights. More than a dozen countries have already lowered the voting age to 16, with no ill effects identified so far. And a state senator in California recent proposed to give 14 year olds a partial vote in state elections. Frankly, though, I don't think anyone should be allowed to vote simply because of age; voting rights should be based on competence. Voters should have to demonstrate basic reasoning skills, familiarity with relevant issues, and familiarity with candidates. (I suspect that you could easily demonstrate such competence, whereas many adults who now vote could not!) Letting some vote simply because he or she has reached age 14, 16, 18, or 21 is just as silly as letting someone vote simply because he or she is a certain race. Before you pass judgment on any aspect of my new book, I would appreciate it if you would do me the honor of reading it thoroughly. I believe you'll find it persuasive. /re (See http://TheCaseAgainstAdolescence.com)
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