I've been striving for years to develop what I think of as a
   kind of "future common sense" about things. Perhaps naive...
   perhaps idealistic, I dunno. I believe strongly in the plurality
   of societies; I wouldn't want everybody to think, act or believe
   what I do. I like the diversity. Even the people I can't stand
   deserve an equal right to think, act and believe as they wish
   but with some basic guidelines that are Universal. It's nothing
   new, not really. It's kind of what the United Nations is
   supposed to do... partly what academics are supposed to do...
   what law is supposed to do... what government is supposed to
   do... It's what I think of as a basic civility. A basic set of
   human rights. A basic respect. Some of what I think of as basic
   for a future common sense might seem a little radical. A more
   respectful parenting expectations. More respectful education -
   *if* schools are even necessary at all to be honest - more
   respectful society. I don't like power being held over people.
   The rights of kids/teens have concerned me since I was a kid -
   from the first time I realized the BS of advertising at the age
   of 8 and I saw this BIG TRUCK and realized it was a tiny toy
   truck being held close to the camera... with loud music and I
   felt myself wanting it SO BADLY while also thinking, "Why?
   They're lying to you". They're lying to me. I'm an 8 yr old kid
   and the adult world is lying. I saw it. I got mad. I still get
   mad. From about the 4th grade onwards, I remember seeing my
   teachers and thinking, "I could do what they do. They just have
   the Teacher's Textbook. They're not much smarter than me." And
   they weren't. I understood they were playing their role as I had
   to play mine: sitting in the chair - and I was ok with the
   roleplaying up to a point but then the power would get to their
   heads and I remember thinking how ridiculous it was. I still
   think it's ridiculous. I don't like how some parents dominate
   over their kids. I don't like how some older siblings dominate
   over younger siblings. I absolutely hate how bullies are allowed
   to be created in the first place... and then even the
   bully/victim dichotomy can make things worse, turning victims
   into bullies themselves, bullying the bullies. That never seems
   right. The bullies are kids too. If anything, they deserve EXTRA
   help and kindness and friendship and support so that they can
   improve at the same time one is helping out the victims to keep
   them stable and with some semblence of "ok"ness with themselves.
   Meangirls are allowed to rule school society. That's never
   changed. It needs to change. Some idea of "social darwinism"
   gets brought up. It's a load of ridiculousness. "Survival of the
   fittest"? No, these are human beings. Oh well... i could talk
   all day about this I suppose. I'm passionate about it and I help
   in the ways that I can where I can. Anyway, thank you for
   listening. The injustice of it all never left me and I doubt it
   ever will.