Put Down the Phone
In a world of useless iPhone apps, this one manages to be both useless and depressing. It's for women. And it counts down their "biological clock."
From the description on iTunes:
The Wonder Clock counts down a woman’s biological clock in real time. Not meant to be a medical diagnosis, it is an interactive, conceptual piece that seeks to start a necessary and empowering conversation about childbearing. The Wonder Clock confronts the question "how much time do I have left?" head on, giving women everywhere an open door to discuss this taboo topic.
Since when is this a "taboo" topic? It's talked about incessantly. And what's "necessary" or "empowering" about it?
Instead of staring listlessly at a countdown on an iPhone touchscreen, there's a more effective way to "confront" the question. Get married. Have babies. Or not. Your choice. But either way: Put down the damn phone.
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Feb '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
I am all for reproduction -- I have six children and would happily welcome more -- and I agree that people can be selfish and not generous when it comes to childbearing.
I will caution, though, that judging people who have no children can be dangerous. So many people today suffer from the inability to have children that there is no way of know whether or not it is by choice. Even some people who might say that they don't want children are covering up a secret pain.
My sister was married for 11 years before she was able to conceive. My other sister has one living child and would love to have more.
Not all childless couples are childless by choice.
Dec '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
Aaron Miller:
I know childless couples who want kids but live in big two-story houses with fine vehicles, gourmet appetites and lots of entertainment. Simply put, they desire comfort more than children. But everyone politely nods at their decision to "wait" because, to modern generations, having kids is not considered a social obligation. Like buying a car or house, it is entirely voluntary and focused on pleasure.
As a non-parent yourself, you demonstrate enormous chutzpah pointing fingers at people like me.
My husband and I made the decision not to have children for many of the "selfish" reasons you mention above. We are fiscally solvent business owners and consumers who provide good jobs and actively support the local and state economies. In other words, we spend money!
We do not drain taxpayers for "pre-school" fees and $40,000 + annual college tuitions. 60% of my property taxes are designated for local public schools. The remaining 40% are designated for public services that 49% of residents use but don't pay for.
Not a good idea to Tread On Me.
May '10
Re: Put Down the Phone
I never called childless couples deadbeats. But couples who choose to be childless fundamentally misunderstand marriage. Marriage is not a private arrangement and does not exist for two people alone.
And I seldom argue from authority. Your beef is with history, not with me.
Mama Toad:
Not all childless couples are childless by choice.
No, but most I have known are. For many of recent generations, marriage is misunderstood as a seal of affection. That is the notion perpetuated by TV and films.
Until the past century or so, it was generally accepted worldwide that having children was a nearly universal duty. It's not coincidental that the word "consummation" has disappeared from marital discussions. Nor was it coincidence that people other than the betrothed had a say in whether or not they could be married. Marriage is the first and most fundamental act of society. It is more than a personal relationship.
Dec '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
Get back to me after you've left the philosophical armchair and have actually "tied the knot" yourself.
May '10
Re: Put Down the Phone
Right, because 99% of human history isn't even worth considering. The whole issue boils down to my personal experience.
Dec '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
I'll mimic the bad manners and refuse to address you directly when I declare that 99% of human history does boil down to personal experience.
Feb '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
We do not drain taxpayers for "pre-school" fees and $40,000 + annual college tuitions. 60% of my property taxes are designated for local public schools. The remaining 40% are designated for public services that 49% of residents use but don't pay for.
Not a good idea to Tread On Me. · 2 hours ago
EThompson -- Is preschool part of public school in your school district? And does your school district provide college tuitions for students from taxpayer money? I am confused as to your meaning.
Feb '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
EThompson
Get back to me after you've left the philosophical armchair and have actually "tied the knot" yourself. · 1 hour ago
I've tied the knot and I agree with Aaron. For a young inexperienced guy filled with chutzpah, he's pretty smart.
Dec '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
Mama Toad
We do not drain taxpayers for "pre-school" fees and $40,000 + annual college tuitions. 60% of my property taxes are designated for local public schools. The remaining 40% are designated for public services that 49% of residents use but don't pay for.
Not a good idea to Tread On Me. · 2 hours ago
EThompson -- Is preschool part of public school in your school district? And does your school district provide college tuitions for students from taxpayer money? I am confused as to your meaning. · 8 minutes ago
Non- parochial pre-school (or when I was growing up "nursery school" ) was paid for by the local district. Yes, it was part of the public school system.
And federal taxpayers nationwide carry the financial burden of student loans and scholarships until they're paid off (if ever).
Feb '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
EThompson
Mama Toad
We do not drain taxpayers for "pre-school" fees and $40,000 + annual college tuitions. 60% of my property taxes are designated for local public schools. The remaining 40% are designated for public services that 49% of residents use but don't pay for.
Not a good idea to Tread On Me. · 2 hours ago
Non- parochial pre-school (or when I was growing up "nursery school" ) was paid for by the local district. Yes, it was part of the public school system.
And federal taxpayers nationwide carry the financial burden of student loans and scholarships until they're paid off (if ever). · 1 minute ago
I agree with you about the student loans. Scholarships, on the other hand, don't get paid off, typically, since they are paid tuition, right?
Pre-school is not part of most school districts in New York. Since kindergarten is not mandated by the state, that is also something that many school districts don't offer. In New York, the mandatory age of school is six, or first grade.
Dec '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
Mama Toad
EThompson
Non- parochial pre-school (or when I was growing up "nursery school" ) was paid for by the local district. Yes, it was part of the public school system.
And federal taxpayers nationwide carry the financial burden of student loans and scholarships until they're paid off (if ever). · 1 minute ago
I agree with you about the student loans. Scholarships, on the other hand, don't get paid off, typically, since they arepaid tuition, right?
Pre-school is not part of most school districts in New York.
Scholarships are awarded, meaning someone other than the parent is paying. (Again, those dang American taxpayers, many of whom are childless, are left footin' the bill.)
If pre-school isn't part of my property tax bill, does that mean I'm paying strictly for 1-12? Now I'm really incensed!
Feb '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
Well, the scholarship I won for college was paid for by IBM's Watson Foundation. Most scholarships are not paid for by taxpayers, but rather foundations or endowed funds, sometimes from the college or university itself, sometimes from corporations or civic organizations.
I don't disagree with you that you pay for public school with property taxes, but I'd be very very surprised if you pay for any scholarships with your taxes.
Edited on August 4, 2012 at 2:53amDec '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
I'll end my commentary by saying that your Watson Foundation scholarship is the gold standard; sponsored by private enterprise and not by the general public.
Jul '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
@Aaron Miller #23: I just checked my wedding vows to be sure I did not forget something. If marriage is mainly for the public good or is all about raising children is it not strange that these items are not even mentioned in traditional marriage vows? Marriage is the public declaration of solemn vows exchanged between private parties and sworn before a higher authority such as God or the government.
May '10
Re: Put Down the Phone
You raise an interesting point, Galt. I don't know how old that now-traditional vow is. I do know that for thousands of years marriages were arranged, involved an exchange of property from parents, and provided political stability by uniting entire families. Also, the only common legal grounds for divorce was infertility. And old literature contains countless references to the wedding night.
Perhaps the reason the modern vow does not mention children is because no one anticipated that couples would one day skip children so regularly. The modern vow doesn't mention that only a man and a woman can be married either, but do you think pre-20th century Europeans were open to that, too?
Edit: Best I can find online, marriage vows in the West have been some variation of "love and cherish" or "I take you as my wife" since at least the Middle Ages. Bear in mind that marriages have always involved witnesses and altered the wedded's relationship to the community.
To be clear, I'm not arguing that marriage is exclusively public. I'm just arguing that it's not exclusively private.
Edited on August 4, 2012 at 6:49pmJul '11
Re: Put Down the Phone
This is useful as kind of a warning klaxon for any guy dating a woman with this on her cell phone.