A bad example can be a good example

Z-O-M-B-I-E-S, YouTube, and the worst statue in the United States lead some interesting discussions this month. All what I consider bad examples (no, I’m not dissing ZOMBIES,) that lead to good learning opportunities.

We used to drive by a monument to a confederate general most notable accomplishment for capturing and subsequently killing over two hundred soldiers who were no threat any more. Whatever was the intended reasons for the monument (guessing it was solid racism based on the private party who paid for it to be displayed by the side of the interstate,) it was also one of the worst on the planet. Monumentally bad.

A parody of a statue. Something that said “here’s an effort, I didn’t care enough to make it look like not a parody, we’ll keep it up for everyone to laugh at and we’ll put in some flags that were never flown here.” Honestly was more of a knock than a monument.

We’d drive by, the subject of how the confederacy had pretty much disappeared from memory when it was randomly brought back in the 1960s for race baiting. Intimidation would be discussed (you want to say heritage not hate, look at the people in the 60’s who did the push to put in confederate monuments, say that again.)

We always used that as an example as a monument to failure to get along on almost every level. In the 2000s a person who didn’t care enough to put up a statue of someone that wasn’t parody worthy, didn’t care enough to take care of the property, just cared enough to slap it on I65 and manage to get TDOT to mow visibility to it at taxpayer expense for 20something years so that people entering Nashville from the south got to be presented with it.

The statue is finally gone, the flags are still there. The discussion has also turned to there were plenty of reasons that war was fought beyond slavery, but as it was explicitly spelled out in several declarations and the financial impacts of removing forced labor, you can effectively shortcut to that.

Also that literally nobody alive today can claim anything to do with that era other than have ancestors who fought.

My least favorite bad example On YouTube

Recently we’ve been discussing some pretty terrible YouTube videos. I’m not naming this girl, but she’s fairly popular with the younglings and her whole schtick is reaction videos and finding something to complain about. She calls women Karens pretty much constantly, and her deal is acting like anyone whatsoever is stupid when they don’t know something, and she doesn’t appear to know it either.

She’s got 32 million subscribers so I guess it works for her. I watched her for a total of eight minutes one day and she got so much stuff she was sure of incorrect it hurt. I thought for a second this person was self-aware, but if so she’s a better actor than I’m giving her credit for.

We use her as a learning lesson. I ask my kiddo what about the person she’s calling a Karen is actually worth calling that person a name for? As this YouTuber laughs at someone’s misfortune is this lifting you up in the least? Is it lifting her up? Do you think you lift yourself up by pushing others down? Yeah, enjoy but understand.

I’ve watched a bit of this vapidity and I find it absolutely fascinating how many teaching lessons per minute the brainless kid effulge crap is. I’m also amazed at what my kids can pick out. I’m reminded of me and Kim watching the Kardashians and yeah, it’s that level of entertainment for kids.

The most recent video I came in on the person was trying to find the absolute worst place and present it with complaints that it was the absolute worst place. Well, yeah, it was. She went looking for it. She found it. She then complains about it.

But there’re teaching lessons galore in what entertains, what’s right, and what’s getting repeated.

Z-O-M-B-I-E-S

This one’s interesting… we’ve had a lot to talk about this and Addison’s “I’m finally me.” I really am not trying to crush my kiddo’s likes, I swear, and I’m not – these are some interesting discussions about how the popular girl who everyone wants to be keeps trying to define who she is based on what her genetics are.

I get it, it’s a coming of age thing that lasted three movies. I’m not trying to delve too deeply into this, but it was “I can show my white hair and date a zombie” rebel movie, followed by “I don’t feel like I fit in maybe I’m a werewolf” and ending at the moment with “OK, so I’m an alien and now I know my genetic purpose was to be a map and I know who I am now and will give everything up, my life, my loves, my future to bring my genetic brethren to some place different because this is who I evidently am.”

I get the not feeling like you fit in, trust me. This series asks a great question of what does it matter where your grandparents came from in who you’re going to be going forward? Also yes, it’s a serious sexual awaking/changing metaphor I got it.

My joke has been that if the aliens had been from Ridley Scott’s Alien franchise, Addison would have decided she was a chest burster and been singing “I’m finally me.”

Meanwhile we discuss that just because daddy noticed something doesn’t mean that enjoyment has to be removed.

It’s OK to like bad things

While the YouTuber I generally come down a little hard on, I’ve made it clear the enjoyment of ZOMBIES doesn’t bother me. I just want some takeaways to be that you don’t have to be something because your genetics or family history make it so, you don’t have to be something because the group you’re with demand it, and you don’t find yourself by glomming onto someone or something to rigidly define yourself in that role, you’re not limited and defined by the people who came before you.

Also if you’re going to memorize every single song over three movies, sing on pitch.