Ah, the 80s. How memorable they are!

[heidi]

matociquala has put together an amazing collection of 80s music videos here, which led to me looking for

Watch on YouTube

and caused me to create the following poll:

[Poll #1101876]

Oh, and speaking of the 80s, Slate Magazine asks the question, "Should children read Philip Pullman's trilogy—or the incest classic Flowers in the Attic?"

I guess people can't read both? There's a limited number of words one's brain can read in a month or a year or a decade? Huh.

The article is definitely not perfect, and there's some apples-and-avocados comparisons, but I found this paragraph of particular interest given recent actions by 6A:

At the same time, when I think back to my own preteen reading, I'll admit that the whole point was to read books that I wasn't ready for, without my parents' approval. Is this kind of illicit read damaging to kids, or is it an inevitable excursion into pseudo-maturity that beats a lot of the other likely avenues? Better a disturbing, too-adult book than an indelibly horrifying movie or Internet game or video (or, it goes without saying, an encounter with real scary people)?

Comments

[montisello.livejournal.com]

I have a hard time believing that reading a book is somehow morally wrong, no matter what book you're reading. True, with younger kids its better to be guided through certain books, be able to talk about and put it in context in that particular child's life, but I just cannot see books as evil.

First time someone tells me not to read something, I wonder what they want to hide. Even if a book is talking about or espousing ideas that are not in line with your own, it should still be YOUR choice to read or not. And even then I look sideways at people who say they avoid certain books -- its like closing a window on a view you may never see again.

Sorry, went off on a little rant there. I just really really really dislike people who want to control books and ideas.

How bout Duran Duran? Tho I remember being titillated by the video "Wild Boys" with Simon LeBon all wet and tied to the water wheel thing. I should go looking for that.