A Round of "Amens" and "Preach it, Brother."

James Lileks attacks the Kultursmog that prides itself on its daring and wordliness. Here's the passage that resonated with me:

I have a daughter, and I want her to keep a certain sense of innocence as long as possible. Let the world reveal itself gradually, over time. At this point I’m not asking that the culture make my job easier. I’m just asking it not to make my job harder.

Well, I have three daughters - ages 5, 6 and 10 - and I am tired of, inter alia:

(a) The "Calvin urinating on things" icon. I understand that Calvin was a funny strip. I understand that some people think that references to basic body functions are the height of wit (hence, Adam Sandler.) I understand that the self-censorship of such images means that we are just one step closer to the return of Theocracy. But, my job is to teach my girls that bodily functions are private and not a source of sophisticaed humor.

(b) The casual references and depictions of sex on the media, in movies, on the radio. My job is to teach them that sex is serious business, that it has consequences, and that they would be well-advised to give it a miss until they are mature enough to handle it. [I am also tired of the "change the channel" argument. Sexual references are so pervasive and transition into storylines so quickly that an Olympic class sprinter couldn't change the channels fast enough.]

(c) Scatological or pornographich T-shirts, hats, clothes, tattoos, etc. I go to a restaurant with my little ladies and staring us in the eyes across the booth or down the aisle is some message that I don't need to explicate. What do these cretins think they're wearing? I've decided my official position is to pity these under-achievers. They decided to have a nice night out and when they went to the closet, this was the best thing they could find. Poor pathetic losers.

Ok, I'm better now. I just wish that there weren't so many people in society who are so dedicated to making my job as a parent so much harder.