Yes, it is important to teach children that almost everything they read or see, is expressing a point of view. -- i tried to do it.. and so did ex, but still, when my daughter went to Japan, she came back and said "newpapers lie!" (it was 10 years ago she went, at the height of US japan bashing, with the claims that Japan was a closed market to US goods.)
of course what she found was 7/11's, selling Saran wrap, and Kelloggs corn flakes, and winston cigarettes, and ever ready batteries, and kodak film, and so on, and so on.. now there might have been some real substance to claims that japanes markets were harder for US companies to get into, and that Kodak film was much more expensive than Fiji film, but the markets in many places were not closed.
and she also noticed in a US car dealership, that none of the cars on display (a great big whopping 2!), or the US cars in the used car lot (again, not many), had been designed with the steering wheel on the rigtht.
it hard for kids to seperate out wheat from chaff.. and if they get sold a false bill of goods--its harder still.. even when you try to teach them.
again, i think we are a self selected group here.. i am smart, and pretty well read, but i recognize i don't have a first class degree.. and i know there is a difference-- and not all college degrees are the same.. and i also know, some here do have first class educations, some because of formal schooling, some because they were very dilligent in the school of hard knocks.
but, there are many (its scary just how many!) college graduates who know nothing! -- or have only the vaguest idea about things, and think, because they read one book, or took one 1 credit course --they know something! I hang out here, because, i know my vast sum of knowledge-- mile wide it might be, is a mere mircon think in most places.. and there are many here with knowledge that is miles deep! i am just smart enough, and educated enough to know, i know almost nothing!
and to expect that this vast majority of people can distingish between quality and trash.. it expecting more than you have a right to!
the world has changed rapidly, the vast sum of information that is needed today is so much greater than ever before, and kids are being raised by parents who don't know what to look for, what to expect, what is needed.. they are clue-less.
what is the solution? time.. a hundred and fifty years ago, poor peasants got thrown off the farms, and thrust into the city... and their great grandchildern are still playing catch up.
