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[riontel]

I have not been blessed with progeny so far, but when in due course my line is propagated I am certain that I would not wish my issue to come home full of the same nonsenses, prejudices and half-baked ideas that clog up my own mind. The idea that children should be trained to respect their God, their country and their political 'heritage' seems to me to be repulsive. If you want a system where religious values, patriotism and a respect for law and order are pushed into the young then go and live in Iran or Saudi Arabia.

"Paperweight", Education is a Wonderful Thing, by Stephen Fry

Comments

[rkatsyv.livejournal.com]

Why is "political heritage" lumped in with "God" and "country"?
Это все равно что спросить: "Хотите ли вы чтобы ваши дети мыли руки перед едой, чистили зубы по утрам и убивали неверных?"

[riontel.livejournal.com]

Because he is writing an article about using influence of parents, or, rather, parental organizations, on general elections.

[hahi.livejournal.com]

Эээ... между чёрным и белым обычно бывают различные оттенки серого?

[riontel.livejournal.com]

Вполне возможно.

[rkatsyv.livejournal.com]

OK, let me rephrase then: why are "God" and "country" lumped in with "political heritage"? ;)

[riontel.livejournal.com]

Because God and country, along with moral and family values, are the terms politicians like to operate when shopping for votes. And depending on your "political heritage" is what you are supposed to think about both God and country.

[man-der-ley.livejournal.com]

I doesn't seem to me that for the author of the article, "political 'heritage'" is the same as "political views". So Rimma's word "depending" in 'depending on your "political heritage"' looks somewhat strange to me.

Rather, "political 'heritage'" means the ideas, documents and events that shaped American polytical system: The Declaration of Independence, Constitutional Convention, the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, Revolutionary War, etc. And this is indeed what is taught to American children in school, together with the respect to "their God" and "their country".

[riontel.livejournal.com]

First of all, the quote has absolutely nothing to do with America. Secondly, ideas, documents or events that shaped American or, more accurately, British political system have absolutely nothing to do with anything. Heritage is exactly that, trying to teach your children to follow the same values you believe in, instead of teaching them to think for themselves.

[man-der-ley.livejournal.com]

Oh, sorry, somehow I didn't notice that "the author of the article" (and it's probably not the article either) is Stephen Fry, so, yes, I should have been using British examples instead of American ones.
But he is talking about political heritage, isn’t he? To me, it means the political values that are generally respected in a particular society, together with the events and philosophies that shaped them. Something that one inherits merely by being born in that society, because it is the "official party line", it is the political worldview that most of the members of the society subscribe to. It's not the "values you [i.e. the parent] believe in", but the values most of the others believe in.
So, once you are born, your political heritage is a given, that’s why your ‘depending depending on your "political heritage"’ seemed somewhat strange.

[man-der-ley.livejournal.com]

that’s why your ‘depending depending on your "political heritage"’ seemed somewhat strange.