Learning aboard the schoolbus

Grandma and the school kids -- what a heartwarming story.

Read Kids learn kindness from Grandma in the window

Giant

Giant -- that's the title of a classic 1956 movie with Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean leading the cast. It is set in Texas, which is massive and is the second largest state in  the US (Alaska is the largest) -- hence, the title. I was reminded of this film after reading news reports and commentaries and seeing pictures of the continuing developments taking place in this state showing the intense debate concerning abortion legislation. Some useful links are in a previous post to bring you up to speed about what's been happening there.

First, some photos posted at the Students for Life of America Facebook page (I'm copying the captions as they appear there, except for the second photo, which shows students on their way to a Planned Parenthood facility outside of which they spent some time standing and praying):

Missy talks about the Planned Parenthood Project at the Planned Parenthood rally

Our group at the Capitol

On the Students for Life of America website was an account of the Stand4Life Bus Tour in Austin, Texas the group embarked on. The post is dated July 11, so a lot has obviously happened since then, but it gives one a closer look at some things that transpired at the event. Related information and observations are in there, too -- some of them deeply disappointing but nevertheless necessary to open our eyes to the reality of what the culture of death is doing and will continue to do if left to spread and make more inroads in society. Here's an excerpt:

While things are looking grim for the other side, pro-abortion men have also stepped up to make their voices heard in the debate.  Ben Sherman, a pro-abortion boy, took to his blog to explain the #brochoice movement. He wrote that if abortion isn’t readily accessible, especially in his state of Texas, men’s sex lives are at stake. It was the ultimate form of male-chauvinism, yet NARAL and other pro-abortion women’s groups took to Twitter in support of the campaign.

Can you believe this actually happened? Here’s what Sherman wrote to other men as to why they should be #brochoice:

·         “Forcing women to adhere to the anti-choice attitudes of state legislators forces men to do the same, and will have serious consequences both on men’s lives and lifestyles.”

·         “Your sex life is at stake. Can you think of anything that kills the vibe faster than a woman fearing a back-alley abortion? Making abortion essentially inaccessible in Texas will add an anxiety to sex that will drastically undercut its joys. And don’t be surprised if casual sex outside of relationships becomes far more difficult to come by.”

Read Texas: A glimpse into the future


And for anyone who may still be holding out on the possibility that Planned Parenthood exists for a noble cause and actually cares about its clientele, here's something to think about:

 

They're not keeping silent -- for the silenced

I was link-hopping and all set to do a "Around the world in 8 headlines" kind of post, all pertaining to culture of life news -- but really more like culture of death since most of the news items I was seeing were astonishingly about cases of people with no terminal illness being euthanized, laws being changed to accommodate suicide as a form of medical treatment (!), Planned Parenthood cutting back on health care to devote more resources to abortion, and other such updates. It is a crazy world.

Who wants to read about such atrocious developments? Not me, and at least not today. Dwelling on the dwindling moral sanity in other parts of the world can wait. Right now, what I have below are short videos that I find fun to watch as they let me hear what young dudes in America have to say about the issues surrounding what's being marked every year in Washington DC around January 22. I must say it is refreshing to listen to these mostly teens and twentysomethings express their thoughts on such a vital issue.

The first and second video culled interviews and footage from the March for Life in 2011 and 2012 (and perhaps previous years), while the last one, titled A Nation Rises - March for Life, was made to make people today realize the irony in the US President's words as they relate to the wholesale killing of unborn children -- and to urge more Americans to stand up for life and freedom and to take part in the upcoming March for Life.
















Can't ever forget those words uttered by Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life:

"We don't adapt to injustice; we oppose it."

* March for Life 2013, which marks 40 years since the Roe vs. Wade decision, takes place on January 25, with loads of other activities on the days before and after it (see the link). Walk for Life West Coast -- another annual event -- happens on January 26.

* Photo from Stand True

What's going on here?

 It's been months since the last time I shared a compilation of links to crucial and interesting news and commentaries. So, here's the latest, all dated October. Fresh goings-on!


After winning the right to die, NY woman wants to live
After winning the right to refuse life-sustaining treatment, a woman in New York has decided that she wants to live. Grace Sung Eun Lee, 28, a financial manager working in Manhattan was so healthy that she was training for a marathon when she became paralysed.


Pelosi, Sebelius are not representative of Catholic women, nine Catholic women write
According to some in today’s popular culture, being a “Catholic woman” is practically an oxymoron. In a newly-released book, nine women of faith seek to dispel that myth. 

The book, Breaking Through: Catholic Women Speak for Themselves, is edited by Helen Alvaré, a Witherspoon Institute Senior Fellow in Princeton.


Obama, media, feminists push taxpayer-funded mustard gas for women
I don’t know what it’s going to take to get people to comprehend that hormonal contraceptives – i.e., the birth control pill, implants, and rings – are rated by the United Nations World Health Organization as “Group 1 Carcinogens,” as toxic and in the same class as asbestos, mustard gas, and tobacco.


Pro-lifers in over 100 cities and towns across Spain join 3rd annual March for Life
Hundreds of pro-life groups and thousands of individuals in over 100 towns across Spain mobilized Sunday for the country’s third annual March for Life. Participants called on Spain’s new, more conservative government to close the “psychological risk” loophole in Spain’s abortion legislation that has led to over a million deaths, to stop the eugenic killing of disabled unborn children, and to end abortion altogether in Spain.


Obama okay with child soldiers in Africa
So in a public speech last Wednesday The Big 0 acts like the human rights big shot, then late Friday sneaks an Executive Memo waiving al sanctions against the three worst offenders - Libya, Yemen, and South Sudan. How can people who think themselves progressives swallow these lies? We're talking about the gravest human rights, where little boys are captured, drugged, brutalized and made into killers (see my 2008 post on African autobiographies . 


Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity 2012
Tuesday, October 16 is the ninth annual Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity.

For one day, people all over the world will give up their voices in solidarity with babies who have had their voices silenced by abortion.



* Illustration from tvtropes.org

Which fork is used for what?

That question expresses a dilemma many diners wrestle with at some point when faced with the dozen or so utensils in a restaurant that's not of the kitchenette kind. The contents of the plate later on may be the same -- sustenance -- but the difference lies primarily in the care with which the chow... er, the food is presented and consumed. The whole table set-up in a fine dining restaurant may spell sophistication, luxury or opulence, but what can really be said of it is that the setup is well-thought-out and carefully prepared and not haphazardly done.

That last part can also be said of the whole affair that a dad executed in "Fine Dining," a short film conceptualized and directed by Lance Katigbak, a Broadcast Communication major at the University of the Philippines. Instead of expensive dinner plates, silverware and wine goblets, there is plastic tableware. Even the food is as basic as a meal in a poor neighborhood can get. But sans fine china and elegant linen, there is the care that goes into preparing the whole setup; it is, after all, a gift to a loved one. And just as Lance stated in an interview for an article earlier this year, "poverty doesn’t have to be a hindrance to be able to do loving acts. "

One wonderful recent development is that this 18-year-old student was recognized for "Fine Dining" at the Manhattan International Film Festival in January, winning the People's Choice Award over 14 other entries from different countries (more details here). What? A movie with no sex, blood, gore and exaggerations of socio-political conditions of any sort was applauded and given recognition? There is hope in the world after all.

Anyone who is not from the Philippines and who has not had a chance to spend more than a day or two in this country will be unable to fully appreciate the details of this film. watch it just the same -- it may yet serve another purpose besides inspiration in the technical sense. Who knows? It may afford you a deeper (or initial) insight into the lives of people who make do with extremely less than what you're accustomed to and yet give of themselves amid the poverty. Even if it's merely through carefully prepared meal of instant noodles done with love and devotion.

"Don't you worry about the situation..."?

Well, of course worrying won't solve anything.

But first, some pictures...





















What happened? Why were those people out in the streets? Why were students holding placards bearing such messages? What's with the thumbs-down sign?

It was a press conference on July 15, called by the interfaith Pro-Life Coalition. About what? Find out here

That young man and woman seated at table and who represented different youth groups had quite a lot to say. Read all about it here and here

On the 25th, something good will happen. On the same day that President Benigno Simeon Aquino III delivers his State of the Nation Address, this will also take place...

The brave bunch

On Friday last week, the campus of the University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman saw some action.

Supporters of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill -- a piece of legislation that proposes taxpayer-funded, State-guaranteed procurement and distribution of the "full range" of birth control supplies and services -- held a demonstration to manifest their position. But that's not really what I'm blogging about.

Sure, rallies like this are noteworthy. But even more amazing is when a small group of students swims against the current and demonstrates a stand, which, till that day, had been regarded as the unpopular one on campus.






UP has long been known for fostering an environment of activism, encouraging the habit of speaking one's mind and standing up for one's beliefs. And on Friday I was pleasantly jolted back to this reality, that voicing out one's convictions was something I would witness on campus that day. I had no idea, though, that seeing the first signs of this freedom of speech would be so exhilarating.





As I entered the campus, from afar I saw patches of red on huge acacia tree trunks; coming closer I saw red ribbons and pieces of cloth tied around the trunks, some bearing the ubiquitous "No to RH Bill" stickers. What joy! "There is hope!" was my first thought upon setting eyes on the crimson representations of opposition to an oppressive proposed law that others seem to welcome with open arms, either out of ignorance, anger at perceived control freaks, misplaced idealism, or sheer disregard for the ones to suffer from such a measure.





I also spied the stickers on street lamps, waiting sheds, jeepney stops and other structures around the academic oval. Oh, joy! Never had I associated the "No" symbol (you know, the red circle with the diagonal line to indicate something forbidden) with fun or freedom more than when I was still in the habit of watching "Ghostbusters" cartoons on Friday nights in the '80s.





After driving around campus some more -- stopping several times to take snapshots -- then talking to some folks, I headed home. What an exhilarating experience! Who knew ribbons and stickers could have such an effect?

But it didn't end there. An RH march was scheduled in the afternoon, and I knew about a planned counter-activity that would express opposition against the RH bill around the same time. Nothing big, nothing spectacular. Still, I was thrilled that there were students in my alma mater who believed so intensely in their life-affirming principles that they would work so hard to make sure these principles were demonstrated in a campus that merely went with the flow as far as RH legislation was concerned.





They came from the direction of C.P. Garcia. When they appeared -- mostly garbed in red (the chosen color) -- each was holding a bunch of red balloons. A few of them had balloons attached to a piece of manila paper bearing the "No to RH" icon (the same one with the red circle and slash).





Pretty soon the group was nearing the oval, a few meters away from the AS steps, where a crowd of 100+ RH supporters along with some curious bystanders were gathered, listening to speeches.





As they turned and casually made their way toward the ongoing program, I couldn't help but admire these young souls even more. Not even curious gazes and clapping seemed to daunt them; as they approached the group gathered at the steps and I realized they were really headed straight for the people, anxiety momentarily enveloped me. But it left me right away as soon as I saw the gutsy bunch stop, UP Against RH-marked balloons still in hand, and linger as they probably wondered how to execute the release of the balloons as swiftly as possible (placards, after all, were attached to some of them).





Well, it wasn't much of a tough choice; all they had to do was pick a spot and let go. And let go they did, amid simultaneous cheering (why the anti-human-rights-of-the-unborn dudes were cheering, I couldn't say) and chanting of "Ipasa, ipasa....RH bill...." or something. Up, up and away went the balloons, with a few getting stuck in the canopy provided by lovely branches of the huge acacia tree, and one bunch attached to a "No to RH" sign being grabbed by someone who obviously thought nothing of claiming something as his even if it didn't belong to him. Oh, well.

What a display of composure and courage this bunch exemplified. And it wasn't because they were a brash, fearless lot. They weren't; they felt uneasy, and representing the silent majority the way they did was quite the challenge. For a moment there I had visions of David vs. Goliath, all because next to the people milling about the area, either actively taking part in the ongoing program or simply hanging out disinterestedly nearby, the group seemed to me like a child full of hope and idealism beside a much bigger, washed-up, jaded, overconfident grownup. And guess who triumphed?




I'm sure the deed was regarded by some as a senseless act, but when one knows it's backed up by conviction and a sincere desire to let truth and goodness prevail, it makes perfect sense.

What makes no sense is letting the news release about an event (the RH march) see cyberspace for over 24 hours when what it describes in detail (and in the past tense) are the happenings of the event that did not happen (translation: the RH march was originally scheduled for June 25 and was cancelled due to bad weather, yet a news release describing what "happened" was on a news and events website till some of us called their attention to it). Anyway, more details about that can be found here.

(If I may add, another thing that makes no sense to me is blowing up the official count of attendees in an event to, say, 800, when photos as well as eyewitness accounts show the actual count to be 200 at the most. If RH people were more truthful about such details, they would probably sway more people to their side)

Still, while inconsistencies on the other side continue, the side of Life remains dedicated to the truth. Even if truth for one day were symbolized simply by beribboned trees...






... or a bunch of red balloons.





Read a news story about the event here

Related story here

The meaning of education

It would really be unfair to assume that some individuals, organizations or sectors aim to corrupt the minds of children. Not even the notion that they value monetary gain over educating minors to grow up decent human beings ought to be assumed. This way, the issues can be evaluated more objectively and with more detachment.

Consider the following:

"Sex is for enjoyment as much as we can or want," Spanish adolescents are being told by their socialist government. "Do and let others do whatever they wish."
Those words appeared in a pamphlet distributed to high school students in the region of Catalonia, according to Spanish news site Forum Libertas (Liberty Forum).
"Enjoying sex is a natural and recommendable thing," the pamphlet also states. "Learn the best ways to enjoy it with security and tranquility."
The pamphlet also endorses homosexual relationships, Forum Libertas reports. No mention is made of abstinence, nor the consequences of sexual intercourse.
...
The program, known as "Education for Citizenship and Human Rights" (EpC) is being imposed on all schools in Spain, public and private. Families who refuse to allow their children to attend have been threatened with prosecution. Although schools have some latitude in how they implement the program, Spanish government officials at all levels are clearly seeking to normalize promiscuity and unnatural sexual behavior.

Read the full article in LifeSiteNews

* * * * * * * * * *

The complainants object to schools teaching students to accept homosexuality as normal and singled out a third-grade textbook used in Córdoba, Andalusia, which states that "nature has given us sex so we can use it with another girl, with a boy or with an animal".

Read the full article in Euractiv

* * * * * * * * * *

In late October, the regional government of Extremadura in southwestern Spain launched a new sexual-education campaign designed to facilitate the "development of healthy habits, self-esteem and safety." Although the publicly funded campaign includes the publication of pamphlets and an online magazine, the highlight is a series of workshops for 14-to-17-year-olds aimed at educating participants on anatomy, body image, safe-sex practices, gender equality and, in the mildly celebratory words of an early press release (since redacted), "sexual self-exploration and erotic self-knowledge." Or, in other words, masturbation.
...
It was this last element that attracted attention across the country. "Masturbation Workshops for Adolescents," ran the headline in Que!, a free daily in Madrid. "Extremadura Promotes Masturbation," cried the centrist national paper El Mundo.
...
Admittedly, [Extramadura Youth Council president Laura] Garrido and the other organizers bear more than a little responsibility for the response. They're the ones, after all, who chose the instructors to lead the workshops: two women who, in addition to running sex-education workshops, co-own a shop in Madrid called Lola's Pleasures, which specializes in erotic devices. The instructors, who have given adult sex-education classes sponsored by municipal governments in other regions of the country, didn't help matters by bringing a selection of sex toys to the first teen workshop in late October in order "to dispel myths," Garrido says.
...
In the Netherlands, for instance, teachers at public schools lead discussions in which they ask girls ages 12 to 15 what they would do if their boyfriends refused to wear a condom. In Finland, basic sex education begins in kindergarten, and the curriculum for ninth-graders includes lessons on abortion and masturbation. In Germany, where sex education is mandatory, public school teachers have been known to discuss oral sex and different sexual positions.

Read the full article in Time

** Addendum:

I remembered this article about, er...kiddie condoms, which I saw over at Willyj's --

Called the Hotshot, the condom has been produced after government research showed 12 to14-year-olds did not use sufficient protection when having sex.
...
The company has said the UK would be "top priority" if they expanded abroad, considering that it has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe.
Nysse Norballe, a spokesman for the company, said: "At the moment we are only producing the Hotshot in Switzerland. But the UK is certainly a very attractive market since there is a very high rate of underage conception. The UK would definitely be top priority if we marketed abroad."

Read the full article in the Telegraph

The Grand Chocolate Giveaway

Saw this at Generations for Life last week. Young people can really come up with some very imaginative ways of promoting life and love!

Yesterday [Valentine’s Day], on hundreds of college campuses nationwide, students were handed a Hershey’s kiss with a free condom. This “Condom and a Kiss” campaign has been going on for several years and is a way for students who practice contraception or support it to spread their message and their products.

But yesterday Project Plus … reached out to our peers with a message that “True Love is worth more than Contraception”. We had full sized Hershey’s Chocolate Bars with that message on the front, and we handed them all out (360 bars) in less than 2 hours…

The theme of the chocolate bar give-away was “Without Contraception, You get so much more”, an analogy pertaining to the tiny Hershey’s Kisses that the “Condom and a Kiss” campaign hands out with their product, compared to full sized Hershey’s bars we had. Inside the candy wrapper we explained this briefly, saying, “It makes sense that condoms are handed out today with nothing more than a tiny chocolate kiss. This reflects how little love you can express while using one. Using contraception tells your lover, ‘I don’t want to share every part of myself with you.’”

Read the whole thing here

TeenSpeak 2007

Generations for Life is hosting TeenSpeak 2007 at the Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace, IL on Saturday, February 3. We were originally going to have our own GFL conference back in October, but Speak Out Illinois, a statewide conference, asked us to run their youth division - TeenSpeak. We jumped at the chance because it meant a better venue and reaching more teens. In the past TeenSpeak has drawn anywhere from 60-100 teens. We hope that if you are in the area you will attend. To register go here.

Pumped for LIFE!

Wanted to share Eric Scheidler's post from the Generations for Life blog:


These guys are pumped! As John and I reached the corner of 6th Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue before the March for Life, this crowd of guys from Cathedral Prep High School in Queens, NY shouted out, “Pro-Life?” We shouted back “Pro-Life!” and they cheered like they’d just scored the winning touchdown in the state championship.

They were psyched to be there at the March for Life, and we were excited to see a group of pro-life guys on fire. So often it’s the girls who take the lead, so we encouraged these guys to put their zeal into action by starting a pro-life club at their school. I took their picture with John (click it for a bigger version) and told them to come to our site to see it and learn all they need to know to start up a club.

An upbeat message about reality

If you'll scan the list of links on this blog, you'll see some additions. I found out about BreakDown via Generations for Life and quickly added the site to my list. It's just the thing that would be perfect for youth conferences and rallies that aim to truly empower young people!

BreakDown is the new generation of Edutainment, bringing the message of self control and hope to a generation of young people looking for the REAL thing. BreakDown is a team of young people who bring a powerful and dynamic message to their peers.

Through music, hip-hop dance, drama, inspirational speaking, video and more teens are engaged, educated as well as entertained. Our amazing dance team uses music and hip hop style dance to grab the attention of the audience and present abstinence as a cool and most importantly realistic choice for young people.

Why are we doing this?
We desire to inspire hope for the teens in our audiences! Hope that they always have choices. Hope that it is never to late to start over. Hope that the good choices they are making will eventually pay off. Hope that they can reach their goals and dreams by choosing wisely today. And hope that they are not alone in the world and that there are people who care about their lives and futures and ALSO want them to succeed!

BreakDown began in Tucson, Arizona in 2001 and expanded into Phoenix in 2003. Phoenix was the first of MANY expansions as in 2005 Expantion Teams (XTeams) began in Northwest Indiana, Chicago, Missouri, Indianapolis. Opportunities are opening up all over the world now!

Rock for Life

When to keep silent

Silence can be a good thing, just like the day of each year since 2004 when Stand True Ministries embarks on its Students' Day of Silent Solidarity (renamed Pro-Life Day of Silence), which for this year happened earlier this week. Pictures and stories are up on their website, so do drop in! Clearly the group is all set for next year's event, too!

There are times, however, when speaking up is called for. To wit:

How students can break the 'code of silence'
A number of resources let students anonymously voice their concerns about troubling issues at school.
By Stacy A. Teicher Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Telling on people isn't popular. But when it comes to preventing violence at school, kids who know something about a plot are often the first line of defense. Anonymous hot lines and e-mail systems are gaining momentum in the push to encourage students to tell an adult.

Full story at The Christian Science Monitor

Keeping mum for a day

The Annual Students' Day of Silent Solidarity -- now on its 3rd year and which is an initiative of Stand True Ministries -- is set for Oct. 24, Tuesday. You'll never know what being quiet for a whole day can accomplish when it's done for a cause, such as to pay tribute to the millions of voiceless who never saw the light of day.

From the 2005 Day of Silent Solidarity, in which students from some 1,200 campuses took part --

A white paper sign I taped to my black shirt read, "I AM SILENT TODAY IN MEMORY OF THE UNBORN BABIES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES BEFORE THEY EVER HAD A VOICE. My mother chose life, and now I'm here. Please pray for others who must make the choice.
Here are some reactions people had when they found out what I was doing:

"I don't believe in picketing abortion clinics, but that silence thing is a good idea. It's like a fast."

"Wow."

"Are you the only one doing it, or are there more?"

*understanding smile and nod*

"Aww... and now I forgot what you ordered 'cause I was reading your shirt..."
(lunch lady)

Read more from last year's post

What happened at that car wash with a cause?

The first Wash for Life was held last Sept. 16, and now the stories and photos are posted on the website! There are really cute pictures but they seem to be protected as I couldn't save and post them here. But first, some figures about the event:

2,892 youth involved
5,985 cars washed
$82,217.49 raised

And all that money goes to local pregnancy care centers!

A couple of stories from the activity:


Saint John Bosco’s League of Extraordinary Catholics Wash For Life had a splendid turnout. The wash was held in the K-Mart parking lot. We washed cars, and sold homemade goods and lemonade. We washed 50 cars and raised $533.62. Before we began, we went to mass and handed out flyers. The workers took turns holding signs, washing, making new signs, greeting customers, taking pictures, praying, and working at the bake sale. At the bake sale, a couple came, and bought some brownies. A little while later, they returned and bought the rest of them, saying that they were delicious. Some people who didn’t want their car washed donated money any ways. Many people told us that we were working for a good cause.

- John, Saint John Bosco’s League of Extraordinary Catholics, Joliet, IL


What an awesome day! The morning started off rainy and clouded over and as I drove from the twin cities to Rochester I prayed "Lord please give us a sunny day" and He did!!! The rain stopped by 9am and by noon the clouds had all disappeared. We had a blast washing cars and talking to people. It was overwhelming and heart warming to see people support Wash for Life and New Life Family Services. We had a man donate $20 without getting his car washed. He was driving a rental but wanted to give his support anyways!!! News 6 showed up and the kids had a great time goofing off for the camera. Plus we had a chance to share that we stand for life!!! Thank you so much for all your hard work for putting together Wash for Life and we plan to be a part of this again next year!

- Naomi/Mt. Sion/Zion Lutheran Youth, Rochester, MN



More at "Pictures and stories of WFL '06"

Banner power

This is just a sample. More banners and buddy icons at Rock for Life

(Hey, this one looks good with my header...)

Washing dirt and grime for a cause

It's today! Go and get your dirty cars cleaned up!

Wash for Life

The merits of speaking up

Just in case you still doubt what vigilance and active lobbying can do to effect positive change, check this out (I must admit, though, that I didn't expect this turn of events at all...) --

Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoes pro-homosexual curriculum bill; two others pending

City: Sacramento, CA

Following public outcry over legislative attempts to push pro-homosexual curricula in the public schools, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that he has vetoed SB 1437. As passed by the California legislature, SB 1437, authored by lesbian State Sen. Sheila Kuehl, required that no instruction in schools “reflect adversely” on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons, likely prohibiting support for traditional marriage and families, or even the concept of a mom and dad, in the classroom. Today, the Governor vetoed SB 1437, stating, “I am vetoing Senate Bill 1437 because this bill attempts to offer vague protection when current law already provides clear protection against discrimination in our schools based on sexual orientation.” The Governor’s office encountered an avalanche of opposition from parents and citizens concerned about the heavy-handed effort to mandate acceptance of homosexual behavior, to the point that they are reportedly adding fourteen new phone lines to handle such calls. Full story at Pacific Justice Institute

Willpower and 'Hilton-itis'

"Life is what we make it."

I have no idea who first uttered those words, but I've heard the saying quoted many times. It sums up whatever lessons one may draw from two articles I've bookmarked. Excerpts:

From Willpower is best used with careBy Cordelia Fine

The children were also given a real-life test of their ability to delay gratification. Each was handed a dollar bill in an envelope. They could choose either to keep it or hand it back and get $2 a week later. Their decision was carefully recorded.

The researchers returned in spring. They took note of each child's grades and then looked back to see both how clever, and how self-controlled, that student had been in autumn. What, they wanted to know, was the most important factor in school grades?

The psychologists discovered it was self-control, by a long shot. A child's capacity for self-discipline was about twice as important as his or her IQ when it came to predicting academic success.

From Hilton-itis infecting college students, says profProfessor claims that the disease consists of symptoms related to an overwhelming sense of laziness and entitlement, along with excessive behavior in the form of long nights of partying and drinking.By Spero News

“We need to stop allowing young people to believe that drinking till you puke every weekend is simply normal campus behavior. It’s not.”

After teaching at five major universities and witnessing many campus tragedies, Dr. Watkins argues that parents can be enablers of this form of behavior. He states that parents don’t expect their children to get jobs on campus, don’t enforce academic excellence and protect their children from their own mistakes.
“If you give someone a wheelchair before they learn to walk, then they will never bother to learn to use their legs,” says Watkins, who is now a visiting Scholar with the Center for European Economic Research. “Parents sometimes feel that every little thing must be provided for, and that an energetic 19-year-old is going to use that extra free time to study. Nope, many are going to study 15 hours per week and spend the rest of their time memorizing the local bars, gambling, or having sex with everything that moves. The idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”