It's hard to stop stupidity when it pays off so handsomely. But political stupidity's glad-handing harms people who weren't dumb enough to invest in it themselves.
It would be interesting to explore the psychology of why people latch onto these things from their childhood. I get the nostalgia piece but why buy it? Take a picture!
I found my old grade-school reading primer on the Web some years back, but I didn't buy it. I'd prefer to just flip through it, once, and see what I remember of it.
I *think* this might be it. It doesn't have the cover which I found once on the Internet. The cover, at least mine, was a carousel and the colour scheme was red and blue. Anyway, this looks like my fave reading trio...Mike, Mary and Jeff...not to be confused with Dick, Jane & Spot from a decade or two earlier (they couldn't be in the '60s primers, they grew up and lost their jobs when they were caught smoking dope :) )
Wow, the cutoff must have been close, or maybe learning to read in Florida rather than Toronto had something to do with it. I'm only like two or three years younger than you I think! When I looked at the Mike Mary & Jeff link I remembered the story of Mike getting a bike for Christmas (or maybe it was his birthday) but I don't remember a dog named Bolo which was mentioned.
It’s all pretty stupid- you called it. The only explanation I can think of is that people like to feel special and “in the know.” And once the obvious becomes obvious to them, they have to double down because losing face is unbearable. It’s unfortunate that some people had to lose their shirts over this crap. I hope they grew older and wiser.
Speaking of toys, I’ve seen Barbie dolls from the 1960s like the ones I used to play with, advertised for thousands of dollars. It’s just insane.
It would be interesting to explore the psychology of why people latch onto these things from their childhood. I get the nostalgia piece but why buy it? Take a picture!
I found my old grade-school reading primer on the Web some years back, but I didn't buy it. I'd prefer to just flip through it, once, and see what I remember of it.
As a former teacher, I find old textbooks fascinating. Do you remember the title of this primer?
I *think* this might be it. It doesn't have the cover which I found once on the Internet. The cover, at least mine, was a carousel and the colour scheme was red and blue. Anyway, this looks like my fave reading trio...Mike, Mary and Jeff...not to be confused with Dick, Jane & Spot from a decade or two earlier (they couldn't be in the '60s primers, they grew up and lost their jobs when they were caught smoking dope :) )
You must be a few years younger than me. I learned from the original Dick and Jane. I remember Spot, and their orange kitten, Fluff. Good times.
Wow, the cutoff must have been close, or maybe learning to read in Florida rather than Toronto had something to do with it. I'm only like two or three years younger than you I think! When I looked at the Mike Mary & Jeff link I remembered the story of Mike getting a bike for Christmas (or maybe it was his birthday) but I don't remember a dog named Bolo which was mentioned.
Come to think of it, my first grade teacher was borderline elderly. She might have just liked the old textbooks!
It’s all pretty stupid- you called it. The only explanation I can think of is that people like to feel special and “in the know.” And once the obvious becomes obvious to them, they have to double down because losing face is unbearable. It’s unfortunate that some people had to lose their shirts over this crap. I hope they grew older and wiser.
Great takedown.