JasonCable.com

I don’t know nothin’ ’bout birthin’ babies! (Gone with the Wind, Butterfly McQueen)

People are afraid of things with which they have no experience or have had a bad experience.  As a broad statement, you may or may not agree with me.  A few weeks ago I wrote this post about a woman who was scared of wearing things that would expose her skin because her religion and upbringing forbade it.  As a United States citizen and supposed “free thinker,” why wasn’t she able to make the decision for herself?  Why wasn’t she able to ask the question, “Why does my religion forbid such styles of dress?”  It is very possible that to her doing something she had never experienced, seen, or even talked about was simply frightening.  Better yet, she was probably taught that such things were evil and that they would disappoint one’s parents.  Let’s go a step further and say that she did not see it necessary to dress in more modern attire due to her twenty-some years of external influences on this earth.

This week’s episode of ABC’s Wife Swap brought up some similar issues and made me rethink that previous post.  The one family moved to rural Ohio to get their children away from the sex, drugs, and violence of urban life.  First off, they moved to hide reality from their kids.  They also did not have TV or media access.  The kids live a totally sheltered life.  Here’s an excerpt from their family “manual.”

We moved to the country to get the boys away from the city. Our children are being raised away from violent language, sexual influences, drinking, smoking, drugs, rap music all the things we left behind in the city. Instead we are raising our children on a diet of wholesome activities and farm work; keeping their minds pure and their bodies healthy and keeping out the influences of modern society. That is why we home-school.

Is it not great that parents want to protect their children from vices and dangers by not teaching them about such things?  These kids will grow up not knowing anything other than their country lifestyle.  If the above wasn’t bad enough, the four sons are forbidden to date (even the 19 year old):

The boys are not allowed to date until they are ready to get married. They need to concentrate on building the right foundations for a healthy and moral life NOT thinking about girls. There is plenty of time to worry about that when they have found their bride-to-be and are ready to settle down.

These boys will probably end up in brother-on-brother porn after that shit.  Joking aside, these parents are NOT letting their children make their own decisions.  The swapped wife did let the two older boys go on a their first date with girls which they didn’t want to go on.  Aren’t 16 and 19 year olds supposed to be horny and “girl crazy”?  They don’t want to go on dates because they’ve been taught that girls are bad and makin’ babies is evil.  The father initially linked dating with sexual activity.  While in the gay male community that is not far from the truth, in the straight world it is certainly not the case.  Why not let the 19 year old experiment, but only after having explained the consequences of poor decisions?  

These kids may appear to be making their own decisions but they are so molded and/or brainwashed by their parents that they will only make the decisions their parents would make.  The father also seemed to fear dating.  My god, what if these kids knew there were such things as gay people?  Maybe they would find out 30 or 40 years sooner that they’re gay.  I’m not joking here.  I think the pressure and normalcy of the straight lifestyle and institution of marriage skew their thoughts and stifle their true sexual emotions.  They don’t know any better!  They have such little contact with the outside world that they may not know that it’s okay to have “burning urges” for little Billy down the street.  How many people in this country STILL don’t know that there is such a thing as “gay”?

Well, I still don’t know how to birth a baby and I certainly have asked a bunch of questions here.  One thing I do know, innocent ignorance only leads to personal, social, and professional problems down the line.  Kids are most influenced by their parents.  There aren’t many psychologists that would disagree with that statement.  How hard can it be to control your kids while allowing them to have some thoughts of their own?  Rebellion is good, as long as it is somewhat controlled.  Balance is the key and as Supernanny and Wife Swap show us, it’s a bitch to get right.

Tags:   ABC · free thinker · lifestyle · reality tv · rural ohio · society · tv · upbringing · wholesome activities · wife swapNo Comments