Michael Jackson Dangles Baby over Balcony

Read the following article, then answer the questions.

The Children

Granted that children may be desirable, we have next to decide upon their number. All enlightened thought rejects the only child, thus making two the minimum, just insufficient to maintain the population at its present level. A family comprising one boy and one girl might be thought well-balanced, but with too much reliance on the son’s survival. In view of the fact that a single illness or accident might extinguish the family’s male line there is some reason to have a reserve. With that secure most people would regard the family as complete.

The large family of five or more is not, however, generally desirable. While it may offer a good upbringing to children this is only by a sacrifice of the parents. Five children at an average interval of two years must imply a quarter of a century, more or less, spent in changing nappies and supervising homework. This is justifiable only on the assumption that the children matter more than the parents. But why should this be assumed? There are instances, to be sure, where the fact is evident, but the theory that parents should always live for their children is absurd. That the children might be an Isaac Newton is true, but the father might be Johann Sebastian Bach. To conclude that each generation must matter less than the next is ridiculous and will lead us nowhere.

What, however, is our object to be? We can seek wealth or status, power or happiness, pleasure or escape. We can even strive, if we will, to achieve mere security in our old age. While this last aim may be reasonable, at least up to a point, we can dismiss it at once as an object for which to live. Age should be no more the object of youth than youth should be the object of age.

We should not live to earn a pension any more than we should wake in order to sleep. Granted that some measure of security may be desirable we ought to achieve more in life than that.

What, for instance, if we were to make wealth our object? Here is an aim which a majority of people would reject, no doubt with scorn. The person who lives for pleasure is like a blind man in the dark room looking for a black cat that is not there. By the very nature of things he is doomed to disappointment.

It is in communal effort that individuals probably find their greatest happiness. Losing themselves in a common cause they can forget their grievances and cease to notice their discomforts and ailments.

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Berlin, Nov 20, 2002.

Last night the singer Michael Jackson shocked his fans as he dangled his baby son over his fourth floor hotel balcony. It was not clear what Jackson's intentions were, but it looks as if he will escape a criminal investigation unless the German authorities receive a complaint from the general public.

It was ironic that the singer seemed to be putting his baby's life at risk while he was in the city to receive a lifetime achievement award and to attend a charity night for homeless children. In a written statement the singer said, "I made a terrible mistake. I got caught up in the excitement of the moment. I would never intentionally endanger the lives of my children."

The child, prince Michael II, is Jackson's third and youngest. The boy, his tiny legs kicking, seemed to be covered with a white cloth as Jackson held him in mid-air from the luxurious Adlon Hotel.

Many people have aired doubts about Jackson's treatment of his three children. Whenever they appear in public, they wear masks so that nobody will recognise them. Jackson claims to be protecting them from exploitation by the media, but they seem to live in a private world, unable to mix with other children. Although their millionaire father will make sure they want for nothing, they are growing up with no mother present and incapable of going anywhere without the whole Jackson media circus in attendance. Last year Jackson's father, Joseph, spoke out in favour of spanking children. He maintained that there wouldn't be so much crime if parents were prepared to punish their kids a little and take care that they stayed on the right track. Michael Jackson claims his father beat him and his brothers and sisters regularly when they were growing up.

1) Why did Jackson put his son's life at risk?

2) What is worrying about the way Jackson is bringing up his children?

3) What else do you know about Jackson and his children?

4) If you were rich and famous, how would you protect your children from the media?

1) Read the statements. Which one do you think is more likely to be true? Give reasons for your opinions.

a. Parents and adolescents argue mainly over everyday matters, and these arguments seem to change very little from generation to generation.

b. Parents and adolescents have always argued over small things, but these days these arguments are becoming more serious

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