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Megatokyo rocks.

Could you explain further for us the concept that these connivings and manipulations are somehow benevolent?

Benevolent in motive - i.e. love.

I appreciate the vote of confidence. While I'm no prude (we talk about sex a lot at our dinner table), I am particular about how the kids comport themselves. An extension of not having TV in the house is that the kids have no clothes with slogans or advertising on them. Absolutely NO shorts with pithy sayings on the behind. HB and I have a good laugh when we pass some pre-adolescent poptart on the street with "Princess" on her butt -- what's the matter kid, don't your parents love you? He suggested we could make a fortune selling shorts that say "Welcome to My Ass."

The thing is, we know perfectly reasonable people who lament the oversexualization of US teens and preteens yet see no connection between advertising the impending availablility of their 10 year old's behind with her eventual desire to participate in mainstream casual sex. "But everyone's wearing them; they're so cute; how can I say no?"

Sigh.

That is the brilliantestest thing I have heard in ages. Good on ya.

I was in Target last night buying some diapers and other junk, when I walked past the girl's clothing area. There on the end rack, where everyone could see it, was a hot pink shirt about the right size for a 4 year old girl. It said in glittery writing "Blah blah blah, I'm not listening to you."

Who the hell would buy a shirt like that for their kid? I would have the urge to smack a kid wearing a shirt like that.

I know exactly who would buy that shirt for their child, and what's more is that I know she shops at Target and am willing to bet cash money that she already has.

My brother's girlfriend has a 3 year old daughter who is an absolute cutie. Unfortunately, she's also spoiled rotten and suffers from a princess complex. Her mother never quite managed to grow up and fell into this "spice girl" brand of "girl power". You know the kind, believing that sex is a weapon, boys are dumb, blah blah blah. And she's dragging her little girl into it. Making matters worse is that she is now carrying my brother's child (a boy, God help him), so I can't even tell him to just dump the bitch anymore. Not that it would have made a difference. She's had his stones in a lockbox from the first time she showed him her tits.

survival of the fittest

And Hello Kitty. :)

I'm not the biggest brand name fan, but when it comes to clothes, I'd have no problem hawking Adidas.

Congrats on the no TV, just make sure it doesn't backfire, nothing is more more appealing than the forbidden and what your parents frown upon. I don't think I've met a girl yet who didn't go though a period of close to open combat with her parents, buys seem to be able to keep it to a slightly lower key of railig against the rules. That said, if they're happy with it, fantastic. For what it's worth I think unrestricted net access is far less damaging than the precision targeted marketing that targeting that aims for teenage girls on TV, that stuff could fuck anyone up, goatse.cx just makes you want to wash your eyes with bleach, not puke up everything you eat until you look like a famine victim.

That almost made me spray coffee on my powerbook.

Btw, by HB do you mean Hubris Boy? Tell that bastard to start posting here again, I miss him.

Nicely word it, love it.

Spice-girls brand of post-feminisim, the biggest sellout in modern times if you ask me.

i grew up with a tv in every room, and they were all on 24/7. especially the one in the kitchen, so we never talked during dinner. when we moved into our new house, i REFUSED to have a tv in the upstairs living room (open floorplan and you would be able to see it from the kitchen table). my husband hated the idea, but the three of us spend a lot more quality time wrestling around on the floor, reading and just hanging out without the tv distracting us.

Yes, the one and only Hubris. He's been rather busy lately. I'll mention your kind thoughts -- that and the Hello Kitty reference ought to get him moving. I think that, like me, he was laying low while the most recent Cellar turbulence/infusion of new members settles down. Hope everyone is well.

When you see 10, 11, 12 year old girls wearing less cloth than what's in a t-shirt, you have to wonder about the parents. What buffoon would let the kid out of the house looking like a 42nd street hooker? If any of my sisters (I'm the youngest of 8 - 4 boys, 4 girls) would have tried that, my old man would've tanned their asses.

Of course, some of these teens are no better. Cut-off shirts and "Daisy Dukes" are good if you want to get laid, but these kids don't need to get laid. They need to get an education. A woman with everything on display will get banged like a screen door in a tornado, but a smart woman will get Mr. Right.

But consider this: these future welfare mothers will grow up, dress the same way, with these same attitudes, and wonder why they'll die bitter and alone in a studio apartment with 3 dozen cats, piles of newspapers, and everyone refering to her as "the crazy old lady down the block".

Just the thought of it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside

no...

wait...

It's the Sambuca.

Maybe not Mr Right, but at least Mr Rightnow will treat her better and give her better sex.:)