While he makes valid, interesting points about the true meaning of citizenship and the value of democracy, Heinlein shows an alarming disconnect from real problems problems in the U.S., class, race and crime. I do not know whether Heinlein meant for Dubois to serve as an avatar for his own political leanings. However, Dubois' explanation of the need for firm discipline to control "juvenile delinquents" in reality relays a significant ignorance about American society.
In Heinlein's book, the collapse of Western democracy arrived after violent crime was so prolific citizens literally couldn't leave their homes, and only because the kids weren't subject to enough discipline. "Well golly gee, why didn't those kids' parents take more time to teach 'em discipline? Now that we have corporal punishment and public floggings to look forward to, none of us kids act like that." That's right bland, utterly one-dimensional character, beatings are required by law in Heinlein's utopia. That is why this book strays from reality into fantasy.
Especially living in DC, we have to realize that, socially and economically, we do not live on "a level playing field." When you have to work two or more jobs to support your family, you do not have the same time or energy as do middle-class workers. When you go to poor schools in the inner-city, the culture among educators is unfortunately that some types of kids are unteachable and are better abandoned to their fate. Not so in the thousands of suburban schools, public and private. Young men do not commit crimes because they are thinking about the consequences; they do not intend to get caught at all. They commit crimes out of immediate necessity, the "instinct to survive," Heinlein's basis for all morality. Kids don't join gangs because they find violence fun, they do it because a gang offers the only semblance to a real family they can find. The cycle of violence in urban America won't chance if we instill corporal punishment as a means of rehabilitation. All that will result in is a generation of black, Latino and rural poor resenting even more a government which punishes them for being poor.
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"The cycle of violence in urban America won't chance if we instill corporal punishment as a means of rehabilitation. All that will result in is a generation of black, Latino and rural poor resenting even more a government which punishes them for being poor."
ReplyDeleteHmm...there are many explanations for violence and crime and you are pointing in right direction when you talk about corporal punishment. However,corporal punishment is a form of deterrence not rehabilitation. The goal of corporal punishment is to set example for others, whereas with rehabilitation focus is on the individual.
That being said, are you trying to say the governments need to switch their rehabilitation techniques for not punishing minority groups for the crimes they have committed out of poverty?
If so, wouldn't an "invisible person" say the government is the one that needs rehabilitation and reform since it pushed individuals into poverty and crime? Wouldn't minority groups claim that they are already being punished by being pushed into margins of a society? What use is rehabilitation after that?
And as for Heinlein and the question of reality vs. fantasy...
Let's put the notion of " controlling "juvenile delinquents" " in a context other than "giving discipline," and let's call that context "standardized testing." And let's call "juvenile delinquents" Young adolescents...What would you say Heinlein is doing?