Subject: Re: Call for children's stories Date: Thu, 02 Apr 1998 12:43:23 -0500 From: "Win Wenger, Ph.D." To: Wendy McElroy Wendy - exactly what I think we need in this project. Has this been published? May I forward this, story included, to the other members of the Project? Right now I'm trying to get a lot of various inputs to build context, before we go to closure on just what we really do want to do, and to provide a lot of background room from which to let the creative process spring once we do. How many such stories do you have? Are they all in the economic sector or have you also tackled other worthy subjects? I agree with you that most people in this country grow up without the foggiest notion of either money, wealth OR economics. It's certainly not going to change from the way our schools all teach what usually is announced on the first line of the text as "The Dismal Subject" - if it can change from a series of stories, than that is certainly a worthy focus for our project. Thank you for writing. I'm looking forward eagerly to our further exchanges. --win At 04:30 AM 4/2/98 -0500, Wendy McElroy wrote: >Dear Dr. Wenger: > >As a member of the LibProfs list, I received the following post. I did a >series of children's stories some while back, which may be appropriate for >your project. I've attached the first one in ASCII format. Should it pique >your interest, I'll happily send along a few others. The length is short in >order to accomodate the publishing format...i.e. it was serialized...and I >could easily fold several of the stories together to make one longer version. > >Cordially, >Wendy McElroy > >> An associate of mine, Dr. Win Wenger, is putting together a project >>to collect children's stories to help them learn some of the things >>they aren't taught in the govt-run public schools. It occurs to me >>that they may not be taught very well the ethics and politics of >>individual liberty (and how that differs from license (the "liberty" >>of some over that of others)). I've seen only a few attempts, here >>and there, to write on these subjects for children (e.g., _The >>Adventures of Jonathan Gullible_, _The Girl Who Owned a City_, >>possibly the Little House on the Prairie series). If this idea >>appeals to you, or if you've already given it considerable thought >>and have been waiting for an opportunity, please contact Dr. Wenger >>at "win@thebestweb.com" . Below is a post by Wenger giving more >>detail about the project, followed by a sample short story. >> > > > > > CAPITALIST KIDS > > Lynne Garcia and Ken Osaka sat in an ice cream parlour, > watching their ice cream sundaes melt, untouched. Neither of > them had an appetite. They were too nervous, waiting for final > word on whether their public access TV show 'Capitalist Kids' was > going to make it to the big time and be picked up by the local > television station KNET. The weekly show had been a phenomenal > success on public access. Every Saturday morning, thousands of > kids tuned in faithfully to find out how to make money and, then, > how to use it. > > For the hundredth time, Lynne looked nervously out the > window at a sprawling building across the street, where Ronnie > Sider -- the show's producer and their classmate in the first > year of high school -- was meeting with station executives. > Lynne wanted to make it in 'real' TV more than she'd ever wanted > anything. > > With a sigh that showed he was resigned to waiting, Ken > pushed his sundae away to clear space on the table and pulled a > loose leaf binder out of his backpack. "Let's go over the sched- > ule for next week's show," he suggested, grinning over at Lynne. > > "I don't feel like it," she snapped back. > > Ken's grin stayed put. "I'm trying to make a point here, > Lynne, and maybe lighten the mood a bit while I'm at it. We > can't control whatever is happening over there. It'll work out or > it won't. The important thing is to keep on doing what's brought > us this far...which means working hard to make 'Capitalist Kids' > better every week. So..." > > Lynne grimaced and Ken went on. "Look, I want it too, but > it's not that important. I mean, if this deal doesn't work out, > another one will come along...but only if we keep pushing our- > selves. So...let's go over the plans for next week, OK?" > > "Ok," she said, still staring out the window. "I'm putting > together a segment about newspapers that will run opinion pieces > by kids and teenagers, especially if they're on 'kids issues', > like schools or violence in cartoons. The Los Angeles News, for > example, pays $300 for 1500 words. And, then, you can always > sell the same piece to more than one market..." > > Ken fidgeted in his seat and Lynne rushed to reassure him. > "Its alright, as long as you let the newspapers know..." > > Ken shook his head from side to side. "That's not what > bothers me. It's...you know...have you heard back from the Los > Angeles News, back from that lady who interviewed us two weeks > > > > > > > ago." > > Now it was Lynne's turn to fidget. "The reporter said the > piece should be in the 'Living L.A.' section of today's paper." > > "Do you think we should have told Ronnie about it?" Ken > asked for the fourth time that morning. > > "No." Lynne's tone was firm. "It would have only made him > more nervous. Besides which," she looked over her shoulder to > the front of the ice cream parlour, where newspapers should have > been stacked. "The paper hasn't come in yet. We don't even know > if we're in it." > > "Or whether the reporter liked us," he added. Ken began to > go over the copy he was writing for his segment of the show -- > Computers and Investions. Lynne resumed her vigil, watching the > building across the street. > > * * * > > Inside the building, Ronnie Sider sat in a conference room > with three of the station's executives, answering their ques- > tions. This was the last step in a process Ronnie'd set in > motion three months ago, when he'd approached the station manager > with the idea of running 'Capitalist Kids'. At first, the man > thought it was a joke and laughed. When he found out how serious > Ronnie was, he stated bluntly that the station could not 'get > political'. > > "Last Saturday morning," Ronnie had replied, "you showed a > superhero fighting greedy businessmen, a dinosaur saving the rain > forest and Smurfs preventing smog. All of those are political." > > As the manager, Frank Harris, considered this, Ronnie had > hurried to explain, "Everyone is telling kids to 'protect the > environment' or some other stuff, but no one is teaching them the > one thing they have to know: which is, how to take care of them- > selves...and, maybe, even take care of their families." > > "And money is the way to do that?" Harris had asked skepti- > cally. > > Ronnie had responded. "Isn't that how you take care of > yourself and your family?" > > A month later, the manager phoned and asked him to send a > written proposal about 'Capitalist Kids' to the station. Two > months after that...Ronnie was in the conference room, sitting > across from Harris, a producer named Lillian Steiner and the > owner of the station. Ronnie had been afraid that they'd treat > him like a kid, but no one did. In fact, Steiner, who hated > > > > > > > the whole idea of 'Capitalist Kids', was almost hostile to him. > > The meeting was winding down and the owner asked everyone > to make a final statement on whether the station should carry the > show. Steiner began with a question to Ronnie, 'So...Why do you > think money is the most important thing in life?' > > Fortunately, for a whole week before the meeting, Ronnie had > practised answering every question he could imagine them > asking. He responded politely, "It's not. But money and taking > care of yourself is something every kid needs to understand. > Whatever else is important to him, he has to know that." > > When Steiner started to argue the point, Harris interrupted > her. "For goodness sake, Lil, the boy is not saying kids should > steal or rob a bank to get rich. He's saying that knowing how to > earn and use money is a useful skill." Then, leaning toward the > station owner, Harris added, "And it is an approach that no one > else is taking. Everyone else acts as though kids are stupid > about business. This station will be the first in the country to > treat them with a bit of respect on this issue. If the show > takes off, it will take off bit." > > As Harris was speaking, Ronnie watched the owner's face. He > had a feeling that the man liked 'Capitalist Kids', but it was > difficult to tell for sure because he didn't react strongly to > anything that was said. Ronnie started to shift around in his > chair, anxiously. In a few minutes, the owner would give either > a 'yes' or 'no'...and that would be it. The station woul either > carry the show or it wouldn't. > > "Is there anything you want to add?" the owner asked > Ronnie. Before he could answer, a secretary knocked at the door > and opened it apologetically. > > "I'm sorry," she said. "But I thought everyone here should > see this morning's Los Angeles News." She put the paper down on > the conference table. It was open to the 'Living L.A.' section. > > * * * > > In the ice cream parlour, Ken gave a howl of triumph. > 'Living L.A.' had not only run the article on 'Capitalist Kids'; > it had put it on the front page. The article began: > > "Kids who file tax returns and ask for receipts? It sounds > like an unnatural act, an unspeakable practice. But is it? > > "As a parent, I was concerned that my ten-year-old daugh- > ter's favorite television show was the public access hit 'Capi- > talist Kids'. That is, I was concerned until last night, when I > went to tuck her in to sleep. Just as I was about to turn out > > > > > > > the light, she sat up in bed to tell me that I didn't have to > worry about getting old, because she intended to take care of > me..." > > The reporter liked them! As Lynne read the article out > loud, Ken got more and more excited. So excited, in fact, that > neither of them noticed Ronnie walk up, until he plopped down in > a spare chair beside them. He spread something out on the table. > > "A contract!" Lynne screamed out. Ken let out a whoop of > joy and grabbed at the papers. > > Ronnie scooped them up and held them away. "You're right. > We've got contracts. But before we sign them, there two things we > have to discuss." Lynne and Ken looked at each other and then > back at Ronnie. "First," he held up one finger, "they want to > change the name of the show because the producer hates it so > much..." > > "Who cares? I mean there's lots of names in the world." > Ken shrugged. > > "Second, they want the show to have a new member, one > who'll do a weekly gossip spot on teen idols and stuff." > > "That's stupid... > > ".....not what our show is about." Lynne and Ken spoke > at the same time and drowned each other out. > > "Who is this new member, anyway?" Ken demanded. > > "Hi there!" The words came from a perky blonde girl, who > stood by the table, smiling down at them. "Isn't it great! > We're all going to be working together!" > > Ronnie hurried to introduce her. "Judy, this is Lynne > Garcia, who does the 'Money and Investment' segment, and Ken > Osaka who does 'Computing and Inventions'. Guys, this is Judy > Osborne. Her father owns the station." > > Lynne rolled her eyes and groaned, while Ronnie kicked her > under the table. Ken sized up the situation and came to a quick > conclusion. He held out his hand and said, "Welcome to 'Capital- > ist Kids', Judy." > > Judy energetically shook Ken's hand and laughed pleasantly. > "Only it's not called that anymore. I can't wait to hear what > we're going to name our new show." > > "Our show," Lynne said angrily. Ronnie cut her off by > asking Judy to sit down and have some ice cream with them. > > > > > > > > Then, he turned back to Lynne's scowling face. "It's this or > back to public access," he explained in a soft voice while Judy > was lost in studying the dozens of ice cream flavors on the menu. > > Ken leaned over the table toward Lynne, "Come on, we'll > make it work," he whispered. "Think of it as learning to get > along with people in the workplace. You're not always going to > like everyone, you know." > > By the time Judy had settled on a scoop of Cherry > Cheesecake ice cream, Lynne had made her mind. "Welcome to > 'Capitalist Kids'," she held out her hand to Judy, but did not > smile. > > TO BE CONTINUED > > > CONTEST: $100 for the name of the show. > $50 for ideas for Lynne or Ken's segments on the show. > $50 for any letter we run. > > Copyright © 1998, Wendy McElroy. All Rights Reserved.