Re: Very OT (and probably politically incorrect) - trivial programming language

["Monique Y. Mudama" <spam@bounceswoosh.org>]

On 2004-05-31, Steve Lamb penned:
>
> Paul Johnson wrote:
>> I don't think Mr. Lyons meant anything by it, Steve.  Back off a
>> bit...
>
>     Hell no.  Meant doesn't matter.  I, for one, am sick of this
>     child-centric thinking that pervades every portion of our lives.
>     This is one thing that I do NOT back down on because it is to the
>     point of being extremely discrimintory.  The fact he didn't intend
>     it to be patronizing and rude doesn't chage the fact it WAS.  He
>     had best think on it for a while and an apology would not be
>     entirey uncalled for.

Well, I'm not taking it as discriminatory, patronizing, or rude.  Maybe
I'm just in a forgiving mood today, but I read the original statement as
"Having kids is a great experience; the personality you present is
grade-A; and yes, I know it's none of my business."  I'm sure that
having kids is wonderful for most people; it seems to be a real life
changer.  I can't argue with the opinion that I have a great personality
*wink*.  And he said right in the same paragraph that he knows it's none
of his business.

So, as the intended audience of the post, I'm not requesting an apology.

I am, however, also sick of the child-centric thinking.  I've had people
tell me that only selfish freaks wouldn't want to have kids.  Well, duh
-- I recognize that I'm selfish, and that's one of many good reasons not
to have kids =)  I have actually wondered, at times, if people's
powerful negative feelings about *my* (current) life choice don't boil
down to a sense of jealousy; the feeling that I should have to go
through something just because everyone else "has" to.  But no, I didn't
get that sense from the original post.

I wouldn't dream of telling someone not to have a kid (though I've had
to surpress the desire to do so on a number of occasions).  I don't know
why anyone would want to tell me to have one.

-- 
monique