Readers write: India鈥檚 growth, education and democracy, and fashion choices
Why glorify buying ripped jeans? Readers wrote in to discuss this topic, as well as the importance of education and India鈥檚 economic growth.
Why glorify buying ripped jeans? Readers wrote in to discuss this topic, as well as the importance of education and India鈥檚 economic growth.
India鈥檚 growth
Thank you for the Sept. 9 Monitor Weekly cover story, 鈥淭he superpower in waiting,鈥� by Howard LaFranchi. It gave me insight into how the people of India are moving ahead into the modern century.聽
However, swift progress in the United States has sometimes come at the cost of lives and culture, such as when European settlers forced Native Americans to move and sent Native American children to boarding schools. Many of those children died, and others lost their cultural connections and their native language.聽
In addition, the industrialization of the Western world 鈥� with its huge influx of machines 鈥� has been a significant contributor to global warming. Sometimes slow change is best because it ensures there is time to consider all the options and creatively think about solutions. Maybe India will create an innovative way to enhance the lives of its agricultural workers while uniting all of its 1.3 billion citizens.聽
Cynthia Kuest
DeLand, Florida
Education and democracy
In the Sept. 23 Monitor Weekly article 鈥淲hat debate over modern education tells us about a divided Turkey,鈥� Scott Peterson made an astute observation regarding the decrease in language skills among Turkish students that is applicable to any democracy.聽
Mr. Peterson wrote that 鈥渇or the Turkish language, some 66% of [Turkish] eighth graders were at intermediate or lower levels, which meant they struggled to understand idioms and satire.鈥�
Democracies need an educated base to survive. Fundamentalists and authoritarians fear an educated, free-thinking populace. Without the necessary critical thinking skills to evaluate candidates and platforms, electorates can choose leaders who don鈥檛 have a country鈥檚 best long-term interests in mind. History is replete with leaders who have hoodwinked nations.
Wes Bockley
Hancock, New Hampshire
Fashion choices
Regarding the Sept. 16 Monitor Weekly issue:聽I can鈥檛 understand giving space to stories about buying clothes that are deliberately ripped and torn, as did the Home Forum article 鈥淯nafraid to be frayed.鈥� But then, I鈥檝e never been a fashionista! Like all fashions, this trend will pass.聽And I wish that Stephen Humphries鈥� culture article 鈥淢ore gray hair? Hollywood鈥檚 subtle shift on age鈥� included Robert Redford in 鈥淭he Old Man & the Gun.鈥澛燨verall, however, I would give the issue a total score of A+.
Carolyn Hill
Portland, Oregon