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Are We Failing To Prepare Children For Leadership In the US?

Posted by samzenpus on from the growing-up-fast dept.

Vulcan195 writes "Would you let your three-year-old play with a real saw? You would if you were a parent in Switzerland. Suzanne Lucas (a U.S. mom residing in Switzerland) writes about the contrasts between the U.S. and Swiss ways of instilling wisdom. She writes: 'Every Friday, whether rain, shine, snow, or heat, my three-year-old goes into the forest for four hours with 10 other school children. In addition to playing with saws and files, they roast their own hot dogs over an open fire. If a child drops a hot dog, the teacher picks it up, brushes the dirt off, and hands it back.' She suggests that such kids grow up and lead the ones who were coddled (e.g. U.S. kids) during their early years."

5 of 754 comments (clear)

  1. And this is why Switzerland rules the world by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    When it comes to being intolerant racist dumbfucks who ban Mosques in their country because they hate the brown people even more than the most staunch white hood wearing republican.

    *jerky jerky motion* my country is better than your country.

    1. Re:And this is why Switzerland rules the world by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      Oh hey look, I clicked the link and was disgusted by a long-winded display of the Swiss brand of dogwhistle racism, and progressive bigotry.

      You don't need to log in to read replies, and who the fuck has the time to log in to slashdot? It's not 1999, and this isn't a tech story.

      Now tell me how France banned headscarves, you know, to "empower" women by telling them what they can or cannot wear.

  2. Re:In the US they call it Scouts. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    The Boy Scouts of America is a homophobic organization. That is a fact; not a parody, lampoon, or depiction. The organization brought that opinion onto itself by its actions.

  3. Re:you're all worthless and weak by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    That's because the food in Switzerland is so expensive. 20 Francs for a hamburger?! WTF is wrong with those people??

  4. Re:you're all worthless and weak by IceNinjaNine · · Score: 1, Troll
    Firstly, I don't disagree with everything you said.. but a few points:

    Because most of "us" (Europeans) grew up in a world which was dominated by the US and we did not really mind as we were thought by our fathers and grand-fathers you were benevolent (I am teaching my children something different ...)

    I'm teaching our kids that Europeans are not friends, but adversaries under the guise of being allies.

    Because most of "us" see (not necessarily watch) movies coming from the US which portrays the US as the land of the "Free" and "Brave" while we know it is not the case and just propaganda for the mindless masses.

    We call it entertainment, and nobody has forced you to purchase or watch it, aside from your own weak-willed compatriots. Seriously, this whole issue of US cultral imperialism cracks me up: look in the mirror for the guilty party.

    Because most (but not all) of "us" see the state of the US economic capabilities (and in case you are wondering ... yes, US is in worse shape than the EU, even in this euro crisis)

    You're comparing apples and oranges. The EU is not a nation, and the only ones with their crap together are the Scandinavian nations and Germany. The rest of you.. well.. heheh we'll see about how you fare with everything from economic insolvency while not controlling your own currency to dealing with too many Muslims in your so-called "tolerant" democracy.

    Currently America is FAR, FAR AWAY from the utopia your founding fathers had set it out to be ... The current generation is eating up the goodwill and faith, that previous generations have built up, in a record pace and either the American population in general is being kept in the dark or they lack the mentality or intellect to see what is going on.

    I agree that the goodwill is being eroded (that's if there is any left), but we do see what is going on. Wasn't it Churchill that said nations don't have friends, but interests?

    Your comment "Most Americans couldn't give a rat's ass" is spot on because most Americans believe they are still the biggest, best, etc, ... which clearly they are no longer (in a lot of areas).

    No, most "Americans" (I'm pretty sure the Canadians and a few others would take issue with that ignorant terminology on your part) don't give a rat's ass because what happens to our citizens carries a hell of a lot more weight than what's happening in your neck of the woods.