childhood- the future of it Flashcards
Postman
Childhood is ‘disappearing at a dazzling speed’
Childhood emerged as a separate status along with mass literacy. Printer word created an information hierarchy with division between adults who can read, and children who can’t (adults kept ‘adult knowledge’ a secret from kids)
Now, TV blurs those lines because it’s accessible to everyone, meaning children have access to this knowledge.
(Links to the disappearance of adulthood)
Opie and Opie - criticism
Postman over-exaggerates the influence of TV and ignores all other factors of childhood
Furedi - criticism
Parents are paranoid about their kids safety, so they don’t let them take risks.
This prolongs their status as kids.
Jenks
Childhood is not disappearing, it’s changing
Modern society: the main focus for children was to prepare them for adulthood
Post-modern society: (characterised by rapid social change leads to insecurity), parent’s relationships are less table (ending in divorce), but their relationships with their kids are still very stable. SO, parents become fearful of dangers, and makes them seem more vulnerable and in need of protection.
