i was in debate in high school, then later was a judge in all of my children's debates at various meets between high schools...they will debate both sides of the topic for that meet...twice pro in the morning ...then switch after lunch and take the anti side in the afternoon...that's how you learn something...to see both sides regardless of which side you support...and win on both sides...but that is also prep to become a lawyer...which i never was...

All advertising, at least to some extent, is "brainwashing." Its object is to get you to buy a product. It is a legitimate sales technique in that no coercion is involved. As to students influenced by teachers - that is our fault. By that I mean people who should have known better, ceded the education of our children to the progressives starting a hundred years ago, and allowed them to inculcate the children with the glories of socialism. We weren't paying attention, and for that reason, we have got a bunch of leftie militants who want to undo the individualism of capitalism in exchange for a big brother government, or a nanny state. They've had all this time to get this far. Don't expect to make it go away anytime soon.

Yes...it was brain washing...I think there was more to it than a profit motive to sell hair coloring...maybe an attack on Brunettes perhaps?...or just tapping into being able to change one's appearance, which created a dissatisfaction with one's self.
A bit far fetched maybe.

I've always preferred Brunettes with blue eyes but don't know why.

Debate is an excellent preparation for life. A friend went to Phillips Exeter long ago. He said that because it was a boys' school back then, with no girls within about 3000 miles (seems like that if you have no car), the only activity worthwhile was debate team. For debate you have to really learn your history. Not just for a test, but to defend a position.

My friend never went to college until much later in his life. (Exeter grads are supposed to attend Harvard.) Regardless, he always left people with the impression that he did have a college history degree because of how well he spoke. When he finally went to college, in his 40s or 50s, it was as a faculty member.

Oh, at Exeter he also studied ancient Greek, and published the first translations of some obscure Greek poets.

http://www.holodomorct.org/history.html

As for socialism getting a pass, I find myself thinking of the Chairman Mao ornament photographed on the first Obamanation White House Christmas tree.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/...

I think elementary Montessori education is balanced. Of course, I don't know what individual Montessorians do, but in elementary economic geography, we are taught to show the distribution of taxes, how many people it takes to create different things- a piece of toast, books, etc. This way the children get to see our interdependent economy. Giving to charity is a personal choice. Doing personal service is encouraged, but again it is personal.We make the children aware of the opportunity for charity. I think that's a good balance.

I dont see that statism is blamed for all those deaths, however. The people just sort of died and are forgotten. Socialism seems to get a pass on all its evil. Very disconcerting to say the least.

I'm thinking of the millions who died before Communism collapsed in Russia.
I'm also thinking about that saying about history ignored repeating itself.

true...why i insisted that my children joined Debate Society in high school...forcing them to examine both sides of the argument as a normal practice for the rest of their life...

Thanks . Yes, I am open to hearing other alternatives but I am in your camp.
It's like a director of a department asking for less money in a budget request. I suppose that has happened without a mandate from superiors. It is likely very rare.

Very good analysis.

I find it very interesting that even Ayn Rand in AS projected that the culture had to actually crash before there was going to be any interest in individualism. That bodes very badly for the USA.

I guess it has to get bad enough that the socialism pundits cant blame the failures on anyone else. Look at Venezuela- how bad does it have to get before they just abandon socialism. Its incredible its gone this far.

Unfortunately, I believe the system has to implode to be stopped.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I agree that public Ed is a gateway to socialism.
The federal govt controls the education purse strings. Mandating this and that , virtual control over curriculum , making obsolete and " yes men" of the school boards.
How do we put a stop to this self-perpetuating system?

The educational system is inherently socialist. Teachers are hired to teach and whether they do it poorly or well, they get paid the same. They don't have to worry about attracting customers, the government forces children to go to school and the governmental funding of education makes it incredibly burdensome for anyone in lower economic groups to go anywhere else. The teachers are employees of the state.

So, naturally this is the mode of economics that they are familiar with, it's the world they live in. They teach this to their students.

And the students get sixteen years living in a world where their needs are provided because they "deserve them". They might take out student loans but they are theoretical future things -- which should be provided for free anyway. Certainly their teachers think so. And so, socialism makes perfect sense to them. It's the way they've lived their entire life to that point.

Some of them go out into the world and begin to see a different reality. Others of them go to work for the government or even become teachers.