Okay, I confess. I don’t have anything earthshaking to say
here, but feel compelled to write for three reasons:
- I had to use the title above. *
- My
plane was cancelled and I was re-routed, giving me three extra hours in
the airport. If I have to pass the time, I might as well invite you to
join me.
- Sometimes you just have to start writing and see if anything interesting turns up.
So here in Helsinki Airport awaiting the long flights home.
Last night, got off the boat and was whisked away to have dinner with Finnish tap
dancers taught by a Greek man and a French woman living in Spain with her
husband from Cameroon and their mixed-race Down’s syndrome daughter—all meeting
in a Turkish restaurant and most of us talking in English. Diversity committee,
take note! Dinner was superb, conversation fascinating and stimulating. I had
an image of secret messages being tapped by feet under the table, but either
they were too subtle for my diminishing ears or it didn’t happen. The Greek
teacher and a Finnish man sitting side-by-side both had on plaid shirts and
after a conversation with my daughter about the Hipster movement in plaid, I
took a photo to show how it is spreading internationally.
Back at my friend’s house, I helped her translate the
Finnish Orff Guidelines into English. Which seems strange since I speak exactly
three words of Finnish, but actually I was able to help her. She gave me the
music and translation to some haunting minor Finnnish folk songs (one of which
they had sung to me while I lay in the middle of the circle). I’m excited about
making some piano reharmonizations of them and learning one or two to try with
the kids. We shared stories of our struggles with folks in power who don’t get
who we are and what we have to offer (it’s universal!) and I retreated to my
room to watch the end of Roman Holiday (see last entry).
The morning continued with more stories of parents who are
abdicating their authority to their kids and letting the machines run their
lives and though it’s just beginning in Finland, the scenarios are, again,
universal. As authors Jerry Mander and Neal Postman pointed out decades ago,
these technologies are not culturally, psychologically or emotional neutral.
They have clear consequences and the patterns are traceable and consistent
regardless of the mother culture. They amp up greed and desire, lower
responsibility and connection in relationship, subvert family life and a
healthy authority, promote short attention spans and restlessness. In the
1980’s, a school parent and I instituted the first TV Awareness week, later
changed it to Media Awareness and continued these discussions each year for the
next 10 to 15 years. But we haven’t had one at school for over a decade and how
things have changed since then! Maybe time to bring it back. The only antidote
to the negative effects is awareness, an awareness that can help us enjoy the
positive things while also knowing when to unplug.
The alert reader might be thinking, “Hello, Doug!!?? You’re
complaining about this and making us sit through this boring blog because the
airport has Free Wi-fi, you have a laptop and you have a blog? Why don’t you
just shut-up and watch the people walking by or gaze at the line of pine trees
out the window or try to pronounce all the Finnish words you see?”
Okay, I get it. I’ll stop.
Right after I check my e-mail.
* PS Looked up last year’s blogs and already used that
title! Darn!
I agree! I am a teacher and I have noticed the consequences of all those machines. They worry me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this, Doug!
Reija