"a) they have very little capacity to plan for a future more than an hour or two away"
Which is why you'd explain it to them in a very clear fashion. I'm sorry, but if no explanation is given, of course they're not going to understand! I, along with many others, was able to understand things when they were actually *explained* to me when I was a kid.
"b) their grasp of reason is usually flawed (in no small part due to (a))."
That's odd, I certainly didn't say anything about not stopping them from doing something that could immediately threaten their lives. Just because you do that, it doesn't mean you have to force them to do everything instead of giving a logical explanation. Two very different things.
Even ones that the student would actually use? If they want to be physically fit, let them. If they don't, leave them alone. Mental education is more important than physical in so many cases.
"In Adam Sandler's "Grown Ups" the family goes to a lake house for the weekend. The kids were,of course, glued to their cell phones and video games. Adam sandler's character tries to convince them that doing outdoor stuff could be more fun and better for them than playing the games"
It's only more fun if they like going outside, and while it technically is better for them, it's still their choice. Better than trying to force it, however.
"Similarly, a brief introduction to the various modes of exercise (e.g. sports, aerobics, martial arts, etc), and what kinds of expectations to have and how to evaluate their progress ought to be part of any physical education curriculum."
If they chose to take a gym class, yes.
"School is for learning how to be an adult, not just how to man the dials at the workotron, and physical health is just as much an important part of our modern lifestyle as anything else."
That's odd because many adults don't lead a healthy lifestyle. Why? Not because they weren't taught in school, as such information is *freely available* with a simple google search. It's because people don't care. They shouldn't be forced into it. Physical 'education' is much, much more simple than other forms of 'education', and far less important for many reasons. Certainly not something that should be forced.
"Except that kids don't always grasp the consequences of their actions. If it was a 14 year old, you'd have a point, but now we have a lot of fat kids under the age of 8, and how can you blame them? They don't fully comprehend nutritional consequences at that age!"
Then they should be warned of the consequences of their actions, not forced. That will do no good.
"Are you honestly saying that kids should be able to do whatever they want? I hope you're not a parent."
No, but instead of just mindlessly forcing them to do things, a real parent would explain to them, in a logical fashion, why it is beneficial to take a certain course of action.
"Excusemewhat? It's the parent's job to educate and train their children. Encouraging activity and exercise falls within the purview of parental influence."
If the child wants to be healthy, then it is their own job to try to be healthy. Having someone force you to do everything will turn up bad results. I don't care about being strong or fit, and frankly, that's my own choice. The parents may be supporting the child, but that doesn't mean they own them (no matter what the law says), and it certainly doesn't mean that they should be forcing them to do physical things that they don't want to do. If they don't make the choice to become healthy on their own, their unhealthy lifestyle will continue, and they'll just be wasting their own time by being forced to try to become healthy.
"Learning math isn't a choice. History and writing are required. Why shouldn't fitness (and, increasingly, nutrition) be required as well?"
It's about mental education, not physical. Do you truly believe that someone will become healthy because they have to go to a gym for a few hours a week? The correct answer is no, and it's because in order for them to become healthy, they have to make the choice themselves. Forcing people who don't care about sports or being strong to humiliate themselves in a gym will only make them loath public schools even more than they would normally, as they can likely handle the other pointless classes (not math, the native language(s) of their country, or history) that they are forced to take because it isn't physical. Give them classes that apply to *them* and the job they wish to possess, otherwise it will likely make them fail an entire year of school because of a single pointless class that they were forced to take because of shortsighted people that believe that giving students more work and pointless classes will somehow make them more 'intelligent'.
"What next? Are we going to make Math and English "optional"?"
What does that have to do with being given the choice to make healthy lifestyle choices?
"PE should not be goof-off time. That's what recess is for."
No, you're right, it shouldn't be mandatory. If you're so concerned that other people may be making unhealthy choices, then why don't you work on getting a bill passed that will make it mandatory for *everyone* to run a few miles a day, or visit a gym? See how that works out. It certainly won't help them, because ultimately, they're the only ones that can change themselves.
"If there are asthmatics in the class then all the better. Someone that is supposed to have a degree in physical education should be in a very good position to help a kid deal with their condition and still be fit and active."
When did I say otherwise? I just said that it should be a choice. If someone isn't physically fit, then no, they shouldn't be able to be a gym teacher. Forcing students to take 50,000 useless classes that don't apply specifically to the job that they wish to possess isn't going to make them more 'intelligent', it's likely going to make them fail at the classes that actually do matter to them, or at the very least, waste their time.
"What about the fucking PARENTS, Michelle? I'd point at the parents as the single biggest reason for childhood obesity."
Really? I'd point at the kids, since ultimately it is their doing. If they don't want to be healthy, that's their own choice, and no one should try to force them to be healthy unless they want to be. Unless the parents are forcing them to eat or giving them only unhealthy food to eat, as you said in your comment. Or, if you are trying to force people to be healthy, well, there's plenty of adults that need "help," too.
"and letting the kids stare at the TV for hours on end."
Again, this is a choice. If they want to do that, fine.
"Oh, and your parents probably didnt push activity and exercise on you"
Which they shouldn't. It should be a recommended, but optional thing. If you don't want to be healthy, that's your choice. But, if you're going to force people to try to be healthy, well, there's plenty of adults that need "help," too.
"The reason we have gym in school is to keep the population in good health"
Well, then, it fails. Miserably. Again, a few hours a week isn't going to change someone with an unhealthy lifestyle. If they don't want to be healthy, that is their own choice.
"Gym during school should not be just some time for kids to play basketball and dodge ball."
Physical education should always be a choice. A few hours a week isn't going to help someone at all. If they want to be healthy, they'll be health. If they don't, they won't be healthy. Very simple. You can't force choices such as this on people. Mandatory gym classes (and many other classes) are absolutely idiotic to begin with.
Blame entertainment for everything! Violence, obesity, and whatever else you can find! Never blame the actual people themselves, and instead conclude that people can't differentiate between what we know as reality and what we know as fiction. If people don't want to do anything but play video games, that's their choice, let them. If they do want to do more, that's their choice, let them. It's their fault, period.
"where prostitution is legal and regulated I have some sympathy for those of you living in less enlightened parts of the world."
If someone wants to offer someone else their body for money, I see no reason not to let them. That's their choice. While I don't like such people myself, I don't want to see it banned for no reason, which it has been. You can have sex with as many people as you want for free, why not for money?
For one thing, you appear to be assuming that no pirate will ever buy the game or give money to the author(s) if they like it, which is likely wrong. Second of all, what exactly are pirates taking? Potential profit? That's the only thing I can think of, as they're obviously not taking the product itself. Ah, how our capitalistic ways are becoming more and more dated.
Being paid for their art isn't insane. What's insane is that people actually think that piracy hurts anyone even though absolutely nothing is being taken (certainly not the product itself, and the "potential profit" argument just falls flat on its face).
No, I really have no viruses. As I said in another post, I merely meant that I don't have an anti-virus software that is constantly running. However, I do scan my computer every now and again and never get any real viruses. Are you denying that if you're not a complete fucking idiot you can avoid 99% of malware? From what I've witnessed, most people are too easily fooled and download and run executable files without a second thought. Nearly all viruses can be avoided by simply being careful and less gullible, the rest, well, it's still unlikely that you'll get those.
That's likely impossible, anyway. Even with anti-virus software. Even with Linux, as there is always a chance that someone will find something to exploit.
Well, I do have anti-virus software, it's just not the kind that constantly looks out for viruses. I do scans every once in a while to get rid of spyware and such, but never really find any bad malware. I was mainly talking about the lack of need for that kind of anti-virus software.
At fault of what? That would be true if I had ever gotten a virus, but I haven't. In fact, no one I know that has any decent knowledge of computers has got a virus. Not because of some anti-virus software, but because they aren't complete idiots.
Odd because I've *never* gotten a virus, and I don't use shitty browsers such as IE. The solution really *is* to not be an idiot, and you will avoid 99% of malware. Exploits are possible, yes, but they happen rarely, and certainly never happen to me. Seriously, the only reason that poorly made malware gets so many people is because 99% of the people who own computers barely know how to work a television remote.
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Education.
"a) they have very little capacity to plan for a future more than an hour or two away"
Which is why you'd explain it to them in a very clear fashion. I'm sorry, but if no explanation is given, of course they're not going to understand! I, along with many others, was able to understand things when they were actually *explained* to me when I was a kid.
"b) their grasp of reason is usually flawed (in no small part due to (a))."
Same as above.
That's odd, I certainly didn't say anything about not stopping them from doing something that could immediately threaten their lives. Just because you do that, it doesn't mean you have to force them to do everything instead of giving a logical explanation. Two very different things.
Even ones that the student would actually use? If they want to be physically fit, let them. If they don't, leave them alone. Mental education is more important than physical in so many cases.
"In Adam Sandler's "Grown Ups" the family goes to a lake house for the weekend. The kids were ,of course, glued to their cell phones and video games. Adam sandler's character tries to convince them that doing outdoor stuff could be more fun and better for them than playing the games"
It's only more fun if they like going outside, and while it technically is better for them, it's still their choice. Better than trying to force it, however.
Thanks?
"Similarly, a brief introduction to the various modes of exercise (e.g. sports, aerobics, martial arts, etc), and what kinds of expectations to have and how to evaluate their progress ought to be part of any physical education curriculum."
If they chose to take a gym class, yes.
"School is for learning how to be an adult, not just how to man the dials at the workotron, and physical health is just as much an important part of our modern lifestyle as anything else."
That's odd because many adults don't lead a healthy lifestyle. Why? Not because they weren't taught in school, as such information is *freely available* with a simple google search. It's because people don't care. They shouldn't be forced into it. Physical 'education' is much, much more simple than other forms of 'education', and far less important for many reasons. Certainly not something that should be forced.
"Except that kids don't always grasp the consequences of their actions. If it was a 14 year old, you'd have a point, but now we have a lot of fat kids under the age of 8, and how can you blame them? They don't fully comprehend nutritional consequences at that age!"
Then they should be warned of the consequences of their actions, not forced. That will do no good.
"Are you honestly saying that kids should be able to do whatever they want? I hope you're not a parent."
No, but instead of just mindlessly forcing them to do things, a real parent would explain to them, in a logical fashion, why it is beneficial to take a certain course of action.
"Excusemewhat? It's the parent's job to educate and train their children. Encouraging activity and exercise falls within the purview of parental influence."
If the child wants to be healthy, then it is their own job to try to be healthy. Having someone force you to do everything will turn up bad results. I don't care about being strong or fit, and frankly, that's my own choice. The parents may be supporting the child, but that doesn't mean they own them (no matter what the law says), and it certainly doesn't mean that they should be forcing them to do physical things that they don't want to do. If they don't make the choice to become healthy on their own, their unhealthy lifestyle will continue, and they'll just be wasting their own time by being forced to try to become healthy.
"Learning math isn't a choice. History and writing are required. Why shouldn't fitness (and, increasingly, nutrition) be required as well?"
It's about mental education, not physical. Do you truly believe that someone will become healthy because they have to go to a gym for a few hours a week? The correct answer is no, and it's because in order for them to become healthy, they have to make the choice themselves. Forcing people who don't care about sports or being strong to humiliate themselves in a gym will only make them loath public schools even more than they would normally, as they can likely handle the other pointless classes (not math, the native language(s) of their country, or history) that they are forced to take because it isn't physical. Give them classes that apply to *them* and the job they wish to possess, otherwise it will likely make them fail an entire year of school because of a single pointless class that they were forced to take because of shortsighted people that believe that giving students more work and pointless classes will somehow make them more 'intelligent'.
"What next? Are we going to make Math and English "optional"?"
What does that have to do with being given the choice to make healthy lifestyle choices?
"PE should not be goof-off time. That's what recess is for."
No, you're right, it shouldn't be mandatory. If you're so concerned that other people may be making unhealthy choices, then why don't you work on getting a bill passed that will make it mandatory for *everyone* to run a few miles a day, or visit a gym? See how that works out. It certainly won't help them, because ultimately, they're the only ones that can change themselves.
"If there are asthmatics in the class then all the better. Someone that
is supposed to have a degree in physical education should be in a very
good position to help a kid deal with their condition and still be fit
and active."
When did I say otherwise? I just said that it should be a choice. If someone isn't physically fit, then no, they shouldn't be able to be a gym teacher. Forcing students to take 50,000 useless classes that don't apply specifically to the job that they wish to possess isn't going to make them more 'intelligent', it's likely going to make them fail at the classes that actually do matter to them, or at the very least, waste their time.
"What about the fucking PARENTS, Michelle? I'd point at the parents as the single biggest reason for childhood obesity."
Really? I'd point at the kids, since ultimately it is their doing. If they don't want to be healthy, that's their own choice, and no one should try to force them to be healthy unless they want to be. Unless the parents are forcing them to eat or giving them only unhealthy food to eat, as you said in your comment. Or, if you are trying to force people to be healthy, well, there's plenty of adults that need "help," too.
"and letting the kids stare at the TV for hours on end."
Again, this is a choice. If they want to do that, fine.
"Oh, and your parents probably didnt push activity and exercise on you"
Which they shouldn't. It should be a recommended, but optional thing. If you don't want to be healthy, that's your choice. But, if you're going to force people to try to be healthy, well, there's plenty of adults that need "help," too.
"The reason we have gym in school is to keep the population in good health"
Well, then, it fails. Miserably. Again, a few hours a week isn't going to change someone with an unhealthy lifestyle. If they don't want to be healthy, that is their own choice.
"Gym during school should not be just some time for kids to play basketball and dodge ball."
Physical education should always be a choice. A few hours a week isn't going to help someone at all. If they want to be healthy, they'll be health. If they don't, they won't be healthy. Very simple. You can't force choices such as this on people. Mandatory gym classes (and many other classes) are absolutely idiotic to begin with.
Blame entertainment for everything! Violence, obesity, and whatever else you can find! Never blame the actual people themselves, and instead conclude that people can't differentiate between what we know as reality and what we know as fiction. If people don't want to do anything but play video games, that's their choice, let them. If they do want to do more, that's their choice, let them. It's their fault, period.
"where prostitution is legal and regulated I have some sympathy for those of you living in less enlightened parts of the world."
If someone wants to offer someone else their body for money, I see no reason not to let them. That's their choice. While I don't like such people myself, I don't want to see it banned for no reason, which it has been. You can have sex with as many people as you want for free, why not for money?
"that'll really hurt sales"
For one thing, you appear to be assuming that no pirate will ever buy the game or give money to the author(s) if they like it, which is likely wrong. Second of all, what exactly are pirates taking? Potential profit? That's the only thing I can think of, as they're obviously not taking the product itself. Ah, how our capitalistic ways are becoming more and more dated.
Being paid for their art isn't insane. What's insane is that people actually think that piracy hurts anyone even though absolutely nothing is being taken (certainly not the product itself, and the "potential profit" argument just falls flat on its face).
No, I really have no viruses. As I said in another post, I merely meant that I don't have an anti-virus software that is constantly running. However, I do scan my computer every now and again and never get any real viruses. Are you denying that if you're not a complete fucking idiot you can avoid 99% of malware? From what I've witnessed, most people are too easily fooled and download and run executable files without a second thought. Nearly all viruses can be avoided by simply being careful and less gullible, the rest, well, it's still unlikely that you'll get those.
That's likely impossible, anyway. Even with anti-virus software. Even with Linux, as there is always a chance that someone will find something to exploit.
Well, I do have anti-virus software, it's just not the kind that constantly looks out for viruses. I do scans every once in a while to get rid of spyware and such, but never really find any bad malware. I was mainly talking about the lack of need for that kind of anti-virus software.
"then you are as at fault as anyone"
At fault of what? That would be true if I had ever gotten a virus, but I haven't. In fact, no one I know that has any decent knowledge of computers has got a virus. Not because of some anti-virus software, but because they aren't complete idiots.
"you are bad at computer security, full stop."
Odd because I've *never* gotten a virus, and I don't use shitty browsers such as IE. The solution really *is* to not be an idiot, and you will avoid 99% of malware. Exploits are possible, yes, but they happen rarely, and certainly never happen to me. Seriously, the only reason that poorly made malware gets so many people is because 99% of the people who own computers barely know how to work a television remote.
"oh and why the only people you manage to trick into this are on the bottom side of the intelligence bell curve."
So... 99% of the people that own computers?