At 09:10 AM 11/4/98 -0600, you wrote:

>If that happens great!  But I am not sure the Barbie is going
>to be a teaching momment in most homes.  To take art, history,
>music, etc. out of context, with a disregared to education is hard for
>me to support.

Much of the "fine art" which we hold sacred today was little more than the
home decor, "pop" music or pulp fiction of the time it was created.  If we
use it today in the same way it was used back when it was "new", why is
that such a crime?  Most of it was created just to be enjoyed.  If we make
every experience with art an "educational" opportunity, people, esp. kids
will quickly bore of it.  Barbie's skit is not a big deal nor should it be
turned into a big teaching opportunity.  Let the kids play with the Barbie
and discover on their own where the "neat flowers" on her skirt come from.
If they care about art, they will find out for themselves and if they
don't, even putting a little booklet in the box on the sigificance of the
flowers won't turn them on.

Deb

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