writing and wouldnt shy away from them in their advanced education. When is this more important than now, with the growing influence of the global economy and multinational business. It is going to become more and more necessary in the job market to be able to communicate effectively with people of other racial backgrounds.Most importantly, we must understand that openmindedness and appreciation of diversity cant be taught by a book, or by force. They are taught by example. Children can be taught to appreciate women authors by reading them, but it will mean nothing if there arent any adult figures in their lives to encourage and nurture the intellectual pursuits of girls at an early age. And little boys need to see women and people from other racial backgrounds that dont simply fall into the stereotypes, but question the stereotypes and challenge what our society has come to accept as the norm. The media does nothing to contest the stereotypes, if anything, it reinforces them. The only successful African Americans children are exposed to are sports stars and rappers, similarly most of the women in the media are barely clad musicians, models or actresses. Its not that I find fault in these professions, but why dont we see successful black business men or writers in the movies? And when we do, why are they portrayed as extraordinary, different from the typical African American? And where are the role models for girls that love math or science? They must find them, and we must provide them, in their homes, in their schools, in their neighborhoods. Edmundson argues that by embracing the works and lives of extraordinary people, you can adapt new ideals to revise those that came courtesy of your parents, your neighborhood, your clan. This idea makes the huge assumption, that your parents, your family and your neighborhood are comprised of ordinary people, whose ideas and influence need to be overwritten by those of writers, most of which are...
