Cultural Diversity is like being a Dad part I

You will have to pardon me on this post.  Grant me time for a little rant.  Humor me.  It should serve as an introduction to a very big topic of research, but I have to keep it to a couple paragraphs today, and by far not completely thought out.  Very rough.   Furthermore I started thinking about this a couple weeks ago when I was getting sick.  Before I get sick, I always become more emotional.

The thing is, this is a big topic these days, especially in European countries who are experiencing a great influx of immigration.  The question is:  Can we live together?  Many people see more violence among groups and throw up their hands and say, "Why should we even try?" and they wouldn't mind if we end up in separated camps, even gated communities closed off from all "undesirables".  Its a tough question.  And as I said, I have only very rough ideas on this right now not worked out.  But I think these questions pertain and are related exactly to my feeling that fathers everywhere should spend more time with their kids.

How did I get from A to B on this topic?  Easy.  It is strongly recognized that cultural diversity strengthens a population.  A very homogeneous group is in danger of dying out or weakening especially in the face of changes or diseases.  The flowers on the outer edge of the garden are the strongest as they are on the front line.  While the ones in the center are quite weak.  Those that are on the front line or on the edges of the group have to develop more and stronger defenses against the "outside world".  This is very elemental Gregor Mendel genetic research.  In short, those that marry their cousins have very weak DNA and we all know that inter family marriage among the royalty of Europe created some weak, funky individuals.  Colour blindness was the least of their problems.  But if you want something scientific to back it up, read the first couple paragraphs of this. 

Then how do you create a stronger, cultural diversity?  Why contact of course.  The comparable situation of the weak flowers in the center of the garden with no defense or diversity in their DNA is the gated community in my opinion.  Screened and pro rated, the gated community will have no diversity, only like minded same social economic status individuals and families.  No contact with other groups.  There is no way that this type of community can create a strong well rounded individual who is able to see the viewpoints of others or understand others.

The same way, if you, as the father of your children have little or no contact with your children you will have little understanding of them.   Likewise your children will not benefit from your viewpoint during their growth and development.  Seeing from afar is not the same as one on one contact and time spent with them.  In other words, a father who plays an integral part in his children's upbringing with a sufficient amount of time with them will impart on them a greater diversity and singular viewpoint which the child would not get from just a motherly upbringing.  More contact equals a better understanding and a greater diversity for the child and a stronger individual to face the world.  Or here is another short but to the point article and also this one I will put in here even if I may not agree with all in this magazine.   

What I also wanted to go into was the decrease in child abuse.  But I will have to leave that for another one.  But I warn you, it will come.   And to think that all this came about just because I was getting sick.

Again, this was a very short and rough idea post. I shouldn't even post it.  Its not done.  I will make changes to it over the next days or weeks, but I really wanted to get the start of this, the rudimentary, "anfang" of this topic up on the site.  Please forgive my superficial start, but please make a comment of any sort right away.

Was listening to this while I was writing.   
http://monsterrally.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-sea-lp

Daddy 40 %, sick 100 %

Ugh.  I finally succumbed.  I had been holding off The Sickness for all of October and most of November, but it finally got me in the end.  Granted, I usually get sick, SOMETIME in November and I nearly made it all the way through, but didn't.

When I was a kid, getting sick wasn't SOOOO bad.   We lived in a two floor house with bedrooms upstairs and kitchen and living room downstairs so the sick person could be sequestered away in his room and the rest of the family went about their business.  My Father hated getting ill and maybe was a bit scared to get sick, so he made sure the unfit person STAYED in their area.  But that was OK with me, because by the time I was in grade school I had my own television in my room and staying home from learning with a semi moderate sickness was fun.  Besides, even in my sick days I still got educated.  

Those were the days of 3 TV channel monopolies and two local stations.  Day time television was either all Soaps or Game shows.  I would like to know how many Citizens were tutored in the ways of Consumerism and Promotion by the oh so wonderful Price is Right with Bob Barker.  I was one of them.  Or else there was Monty Hall`s "Lets make a Deal".   Sometimes I learned more being sick at home then being in school.  Well, you know, important stuff, like the price of washing machines in those days or even...A NEW CAR. 

Sick time in these years is not as fun.

As I said at the beginning I was able to hold it off til the end of November.  Let me tell you, there were some hardcore diseases going around this year as I have written about in my last two posts here and here.    But over Thanksgiving...  I fell asleep right after the big meal on Thursday and it wasn`t because of a full stomach.  I knew it was coming.  I`d had the sore throat the night before, by Thanksgiving that was that.  And I still had to work on Friday.  I told my wife that I was going to be home all weekend and I could take care of things for her because she was on the tail end of a sickness on top of her major sickness she had gotten in October.  But as it worked out, I was the one who slept late and then had another nap after lunch and then went to bed early.  In other words, she had to take care of me.  Rather embarrassing, Daddy.  

Sicknesses used to be even OK before we had kids as I would stay in bed and read and doze off when needed.  Now, nothing doing.  I have important duties to take care of rain or shine, in health or sickness.    

For instance: Hide and Seek, I was it.  Counting to 30 took an extra ordinary length of time.  Funny that.  And playing the Memory game, I got three pairs and both small kids got over 10. Its not the first time my three year old beat me in that game. It won`t be the last.  In the end I couldn`t even take that and I wimped out by putting in a DVD of cartoons and lying on the sofa while the girls leaned against me and watched from somewhat of an uncomfortable position.  Shameless, Daddy.  

Even during the week, if you stay home from work to try to get better, you cant count on being alone.  There may be someone else that is sick that you have to take care of.  Well, at least my wife was here and we took turns between resting and doing duty.  Its all a part of growing older and having responsibilities.  (Sheepishly) I guess.  Instead of just lying there and watching gameshows.  

I love my little girls.  I love being a father.  And I am thankful that I have a wife here and we can share... everything together, good and bad.

Still, growing up and even being sick when I was a kid, had its good side too.   In fact there were many many nice things growing up.   I better get to bed.  Its 11pm and I still have a cold.  Goodnight Johnboy.