Wow. I mean really...wow. That's where that irritating attitude comes from. I grew up distinctly American Middle Class. While my family's ranking in that class moved about with the whims of the real estate market that my father gained his capital from, we never wanted for food or clothes, and hardly ever for toys ranging from a four-wheeled ATV to a swing set. But there was a difference, too; unlike Garrett Tallinger I played in the woods and worked for my allowance. I still remember being 11 yrs old when the first Nintendo system was released. I told my dad I wanted one (the Deluxe System was $240.00). He offered me $5 an hour for yard work at his multiple rental properties. The 48 hours of work (over about a month) taught me a lot about how money translated into work translated into value (Marxist Theory 051). The feel of that game controller in my hands was absolute heaven in our chilly basement, though. I wonder if Garrett and his brothers will learn quite so quickly the necessity of earning your rewards instead of expecting them.
How does this relate to literacy, then? While the Tallinger boys may be gaining valuable white collar reflexive skills, I believe they might be in for a shock when the time comes to accept full reponsibility for their own productivity, be it in a classroom, job, or social arena. Part of being viewed as literate is having the respect of your audience and, in writing especially, the reader doesn't often give freebies. Without having had to take sole credit and blame for engaging in activities, I believe the Tallinger boys might learn to expect respect as a default attitude, not something earned.
