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Subject: 
Re: Cheap American shot (Was: NEW Mindstorms set shown (with picture!))
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Sun, 30 Jan 2000 14:41:41 GMT
Viewed: 
150 times
  
Snip

Since in Europe at 14 or 15 you already have to decide what to do, while in
the US you do it at 17 or 18, it is more appropriate to put the final age
range as 14 in Europe and 16 in the US which I think is the whole point of
this debate.

Personally I don't think that pigeonholing age ranges is appropriate in any
case except for infants where choking is the primary fear.  Older children do
mature differently and at different rates (although that is NOT tide to
culture) and putting age ranges on a box IMO is wrong because in general what
companies do is take the lowest common denomonator to decide what ages to put
on a box and this often keeps people from buying product for a child because
they do not fit into the age range for the product.  This both hinders the
childs development and IMO encourages slower development to keep the kids in
step with their peer group.

As far as deciding what you want to do.  I did not decide I wanted to do what • I
am doing until I was 21 and I could easily decide to do something completly
different when I am 41.  I think it is sad to think that a child has to decide
what they are going to do for the rest of their lives whether it is when they
are 14 or 17.  Maybe some situations warrent it but I find it upsetting that
some people have to decide what they are going to do with their lives when • they
are 14 and there is no turning back.

This is also a class issue, where lower incomes get pushed to "lower end" jobs
while higher classes get to have their sons and daughters assume management
roles no matter how stupid they are.  (Which I which we certainly see that in
the US too.)  The advantage is that some people take time to develop so
unfortunately you have really talented people pigeonholed into jobs that they
are far above.  I wonder if Mr. Bezos of Amazon.com would have been a very
talented small engine mechanic if he had grown up in Europe.

Matthew Teets



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Cheap American shot (Was: NEW Mindstorms set shown (with picture!))
 
First off all replys to this have been set to off-topic.debate (...) Mr. Jezek, I happen to think your steriotyping of the American culture is appalling. First, have you ever been to the U.S. and second have you ever lived in the U.S. If not you (...) (24 years ago, 30-Jan-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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