Up Front by Emma Hart

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Up Front: Oh, Grow Up

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  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    easy

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Raymond A Francis, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    Have to agree with that
    One of the best times I have spent with my oldest son was as an Assistant Winemaker when he knew all and I knew nothing which allowed me to ask why

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    I'm now routinely being mistaken for a 20-something

    youthful complexion

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Emotionally we compare our insides with other people's outsides, a wise person once told me

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi,

    Maybe adulthood is in the same category as other "meaning of life" questions: you're an adult when you've decided for yourself what that means and how you want to answer it.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    you're an adult when you've decided for yourself what that means and how you want to answer it.

    How many goes do I get?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Damian Christie,

    But dammit I still wear sneakers!

    I bought another t-shirt from the Huffer outlet on Sunday. I feel anachronistically old when I do that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I often don't feel like an adult. Even though I live a life with a lot of pressure, and stress - as many of us do - I really wish I didn't. My dearest wish is for someone else to take care of it all - train the dog, look after the husband, pay the bills - and leave me to closet myself away, except when I feel like company. I also often feel pretty immature emotionally, even though I know that can't be the case most of the time. Fortunate, I guess, that I get to work with 3 and 4 yr olds all day then, I guess.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    Those lists of things people should be able to do to be proper… whatever. Men. Women. New Zealanders. Grown-ups. They’re normative and stereotype-reinforcing and they’re always going to make someone feel excluded and inferior.

    Whats that called again ?'in grouping' or something. Huddle together to feel safe and warm. We are a neurotic species ...sometimes. Our collective moments of clarity are rare.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Moz, in reply to Emma Hart,

    the font of all knowledge.

    Comic Sans?

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

  • Moz, in reply to Damian Christie,

    admit I’m a grown up … All the while paying a mortgage, raising a child, managing people and all those other grown-up things

    I guess that makes me a child of 40-something :) I haven’t managed anyone or employed anyone since I turned 20, have never owned a house or had a child and the only sneakers I wear are old man style comfortable white shoe “sneakers”.

    Living in Sydney makes a difference, because here a shoddy one bedroom apartment that only costs 10x the median wage will be half an hour by train from the CDB (median income being $40k/$70k for the household). Owning an actual house is out of the question (700k+). We’d rather pay rent than spend 20+ hours a week commuting (partner has done it, I prefer to learn from other people’s experience).

    For me, adulthood was deciding that I have to go to the doctor myself. Which I think ties into Lucy’s “the buck stops with me” rather than any of the external symbols.

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    Ben:

    having begun my second undergraduate degree at the age of 41.

    Moz: Comic Sans?

    That would make knowledgeable Ben Bookman Old Style or Book Antiqua

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to James Butler,

    It can be pretty interesting comparing the behaviours of people who have mental illnesses or other emotional disorders and know they need to deal with this stuff, and "normal" functioning adults who don't, and don't. It'

    Or have very close family members - or friends- who have the mental illnesses/emotional disorders...

    Another factor is actually being way outside the range for 'normal human,' yourself...speaking from experience, you generally get to the stage of "Hey! I accept the rest of you as you are- you either accept me as I am, or go bottle yourself - I dont give a damn."

    Does take a thick hide & considerable (family& friend-enhanced)SELF- confidence...

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to James Butler,

    Behavioural Therapy should be taught in high school"

    I have often wondered why Communication Styles, Behavioural Therapy or Rational Thinking is not taught - that to experience any emotion starts with thought.

    This learning should start with the pre teens.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    On the "Oh Grow up" side of things - goings on in the house yesterday were telling:

    http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/audio/1303/parliament_today_270313.mp3

    Bleah - John Key - infantile - David Carter - dense.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to DexterX,

    I have often wondered why Communication Styles, Behavioural Therapy or Rational Thinking is not taught – that to experience any emotion starts with thought.

    I think kids can do critical thinking courses in high school now. I don't know about the psychological ideas you're suggesting, though - they're quite specific, so don't really fit into the idea of a general syllabus. Electives maybe?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart, in reply to BenWilson,

    I think kids can do critical thinking courses in high school now.

    Philosophy is taught in some primary schools now, as well as secondaries. The problem is that, for some reason utterly beyond me, you can't get NCEA credits in philosophy. So the only kids who can afford to take it are those who have room after getting their necessary qualification-credits. (Except, y'know, the way my son's school is set up, he took PHIL and got all his ENGL literacy credits through it.)

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Emma Hart,

    The problem is that, for some reason utterly beyond me, you can’t get NCEA credits in philosophy.

    It's been part of the IB syllabus since forever, though? I remember a teacher in Portuguese international school telling me about how she taught philosophy back in 1993.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Emma Hart,

    I think kids can do critical thinking courses in high school now.

    Philosophy is taught in some primary schools now, as well as secondaries.

    Leo, who hasn't been to school since form one (or whatever they call it these days), had been asking me the kind of questions which implied a need for the kind of intellectual framework I'm not well-equipped to provide.

    Fortunately, I know a philosopher!

    Dr Matthew Dentith has been Leo's philosophy and critical thinking tutor for a few months now, and it's been brilliant. They will quite often take their cue from an element of a video game and explore the ideas it invokes. They're usually in there for four hours, the last of which Matthew tells me is "chum time".

    This has been such a great thing for us. I am in no hurry for Matthew to get a proper job, although his mileage may vary on that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    had been asking me the kind of questions which implied a need for the kind of intellectual framework I’m not well-equipped to provide.

    The irony of that is that you are a natural critical thinker, as I see it. Which shows that it's something picked up across many fields already (in your case journalism), which is probably why it's debatable whether it should be taught as a core subject.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to BenWilson,

    The irony of that is that you are a natural critical thinker, as I see it.

    Thank you. But still probably not a natural teacher of it. My logic is too fuzzy for that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Not in general. You might be able to teach it for journalism perfectly well though.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Russell Brown,

    My logic is too fuzzy for that.

    Yeah well, logic is kinda fuzzy, funny that!

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to andin,

    e-piffunny?

    logic is kinda fuzzy...

    aah!
    ergo:
    Grey Matter...
    Ha!

    @ }:– )


    Other pre-fast-breaking e-piffancies:

    Go Easter for less dis-Orientation...

    happiness is a warm fuzzy...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Emma Hart,

    you can't get NCEA credits in philosophy

    that's ridiculous

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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