Douglas > Recent Status Updates

W

I'm getting really disgusted with Horwitz's slamming of the countries on Hispaniola. He might be interested in truth-telling when it comes to exploration of the western hemisphere but his interest in history clearly has not led him to try to understand the international forces that have caused these countries are the way they are.

Strongly chauvinistic re: Linneaus and 18th century Sweden; it would not be unfair to estimate that at least one-third of this chapter speaks ill of him, his family, Uppsala University (not University of Uppsala, good god), or Sweden.

“The culture is not on your side.” Such an odd push pull.

I’m shocked that he advocates a parent apologising if they lose their temper or go too far. That is the first thing he’s written that is good, and counterintuitive to the traditional Christian.

Spanking and the threat of spanking is found throughout this book, not just the focal chapter.

Setting and maintaining limits is parenting. The threat of violence is not required.

The caricatures of other sources of parental advice is stupid. “Horse manure” and “wimp parenting”. Don’t be a wimp! Break your child! Who actually believed the blank slate hypothesis? Tilting against windmills, Dobson.

Interrupting a college-attending “former” strong willed child to tell her she’ll be a great mom. 🤮

Sometimes parents must be left far behind. Sometimes parents deserve to be left far behind. Parents who believe capabilities need to be beaten out of “strong-willed” children. Parents needing their children to believe as they do. Dobson talks of “sneaky” strong-willed children; that’s a survival tactic, asshole.

Now Dobson is bragging about interviewing Ted Bundy before his execution. Game recognises game.

Dobson believes that if you don’t use his techniques, you are somehow capitulating your will to the child. What a power-hungry weakling.

I don’t think I believe any of this abuser’s stories. “I’ve talked with at least 100 000 parents.” “Teenagers tossed a pup out of a car.”

This monster took a belt to a 12-pound dog. This is meant to be a funny story to open the book. It’s obvious how the rest will unfold. Gross and abusive and power-hungry.

I’ve finished just the first third and this is already brilliant.

Enraging. This is part of the history the GOP doesn't want kids to learn.

This book’s gonna make me cry

There are plenty of clever turns of phrase, and the quality of the writing is better appreciated when Quammen’s books are read than heard.

Screening for antibodies is distinct from isolating virus, just as a footprint is distinct from a shoe.

It’s expensive to be broke.

The Monopoly analogy is very very good.

[Leah scared to death after being the first seeing the horsemen of death.]
Rayford: “He hadn’t expected her to be this high maintenance.”