Explosion [And Mass Shooting] In Oslo | 293 comments (276 topical, 17 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: 1930s here we come (none / 0)

I do not know what to answer here...When kids gather around church it is mostly because their parents are pushing them...Are this kids there with their own free will or again parents have a role in it? Or is it just convenient to party for free ( and being " corrupted" later pay with your political orientation)?
I am just sensitive when poor kids are pushed around because I lived trough "socialism" where we as kids had to adore dictator more than our mum. On the other hand I have even less sympathy for "young conservatives" especially because when you are young as they say : if you are not leftist then you do not have heart...( and when you are old and you are leftist you do not have brain, haha...that's what they say, not me...) As you all know I am kind of religious person but I never pushed my children to be religious...and I am not pushing my grandchild even if I take her to church sometimes to play with kids. I am political "animal" but also I wouldn't push my child to share same political views with me. All tho we can argue about politic...

by vbo on Sat Jul 23rd, 2011 at 08:46:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: 1930s here we come (4.00 / 2)

It may not be that parents force children to attend church groups, necessarily. Often the strongest community group in an area is centered around the church. Where I was growing up, the only 'scout' band in my naighbourhood was run from the local parish church. I wasn't at all gregarious but my sister did join the scouts like many of her schoolmates. What tends to happen is that the less religiously oriented people end up leaving the group. Other strong communities are organised around unions, especially the Communist Union CCOO, and political parties. People in the organization form strong commnity bonds and organize events for groups of adults and their children, and later youth camps are a natural development. The only camp I even attended was organised by the regional government, but every community group likes to organize events both for group cohesion and as a fundraiser.

Indoctrination-oriented activities are much rarer, but they happen, though they are usually associated with more cult-like organizations. Mainstream organizations from the Catholic Church to the Communist trade unions don't actually feel the need to behave in a cult-like manner precisely because they are mainstream (whose existence is accepted by society at large, even by those who don't share its values or goals).

I do not know what to answer here...

Life is complicated...

Economics is politics by other means

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Jul 24th, 2011 at 07:00:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: 1930s here we come (none / 1)

This may be less what we might understand by "summer camp" (an Americanism immediately used by the media) and more a rally or meeting. If it had been a rock festival teenagers were camping out at, would we be calling it a "summer camp"? But I don't know how long it was meant to last - perhaps those who have access to Norwegian sources can enlighten us.

As for ideological camps in the summer, I went through a whole series, under family influence - organised by religious fundamentalists. The tendency of people who have lived in formerly Communist countries to prefer religion to politics seems to me mistaken. If you haven't tried it the other way round, don't knock it.

But of course, indoctrination whether religious or political is unacceptable.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sun Jul 24th, 2011 at 08:40:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: 1930s here we come (4.00 / 7)

I seem to remember that the camp was supposed to be something like a one week gathering of members of the youth wing of the socialist party. They would be learning about political organising and activism. The youth are reported to be between 14 and 20-something. I don't see why one would be worried about it being some kind of "indoctrination". These are politically active youth. 14 would be on the young end of political activism, but not overtly strange to me. I had friends while in school who joined the youth wings of various parties in Sweden at 15-16, for example. And at the time they seemed to have a genuine interest in politics. Why would we be concerned that young people show an interest in politics and would attend political meetings? Teenagers are hardly some kind of innocent kids incapable of holding opinions of their own. Some of the attendees would already be of voting age, and also capable of standing for election. Others only a few years away.

by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Sun Jul 24th, 2011 at 09:58:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Explosion [And Mass Shooting] In Oslo | 293 comments (276 topical, 17 editorial, 0 hidden)

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