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The Content of America's Character
a book by Don E. Eberly
(our site's book review)
He says that “. . . rarely . . . have so many diverse leaders gathered together around the basic proposition that America suffers from a deficit of character. From the fields of academia, business, education, journalism, and politics comes the sound of alarm: our children, our society, and our heritage face a deepening peril.” The book advocates less faith in the ballot box and more in the initiative of citizens taking social action. In fact, it bemoans political salvationism (trust in social engineering) as the 20th century’s most destructive scourge.
We need to quit looking to social engineering superheroes and rely on local community efforts
He also states that “What is needed to save families, make neighborhoods friendly and safe, and restore lost virtues, are dynamic new social movements centered on the restoration of character.” [emphasis ours—since the MC movement does just that]
The author, knowing that sociology has proven that children tend to do not what parents say but instead do what they do, advocates teaching children to have good values by parents doing so first, and these must be manifested in actions, more than in words. See P.E.T. Parent Effectiveness Training.
This kid will doubtless teach the couch potato habit to her kids when she grows up
He points out how vital teaching conflict resolution is, and is glad that many schools are teaching this skill. P.E.T. is one of the most notable systems for conflict resolution.
He also (like MCs; see Why Register for an MC?) supports creating entertainment TV programs for prosocial purposes, like some PBS programs. “Research indicates that exposure to even a single prosocial television program can produce enduring cognitive and behavioral changes in viewers.”