Symposium John McGee in Nederland
John McGee Ridder in de Orde van Oranje Nassau
Gentle Teaching in a Violent Society
Five forces influence youngsters growing up in poverty. First, a lack of trust in adults naturally makes young children suspicious of adults' motives and actions. Appearing to be shy or withdrawing from adults becomes a perfectly normal response. (Not expecting or seeking safety from adults or the solution to one's problems from adults might be another reasonable response.) The second force affecting development is the violence typical of urban life today. If those around us are potentially dangerous and life threatening, then it is normal to avoid interacting with them whenever possible. The perception of "no hope" is the third force that characterizes urban life for older children and adults in poverty. It frequently is mistaken as a lack of initiative. If one sees no viable options, it seems useless to expend effort. The fourth force affecting development is the impact of mindless bureaucracies. It becomes natural, normal-even desirable-to give the bureaucracy what it wants rather than try to respond to it in sensible or honest ways. Only by responding to the bureaucracy on its own terms can any benefits be derived. This attitude teaches children who grow up under such conditions to initiate and reveal as little as possible and only what is being asked of them as their normal response. The fifth major influence relates to the culture of authoritarianism. The giving and taking of orders becomes the normal way of life. One's power becomes one's self-definition.