 HOME | BLOG | ABOUT US | CONTACT US | PAST ISSUES | ADVERTISING RATES | RACK LOCATIONS How America Educates the World By Jeff Davidson Bergen was our first stop in Norway and we were greatly looking forward to the visit. Bergen, founded in 1070, was among the oldest cities in Norway, complete with its own mountain view, seaport, fish market, historic neighborhoods, and everything else you might expect. We embarked from our ship early that morning and made great strides throughout town. Early in the afternoon, after we had seen nearly everything on our list, we made our way through a distinguished neighborhood heading towards the town center. Throngs of people were gathering on all sides of a stage, whereupon six young Norwegian girls, perhaps 10 to 13 years old, assembled in formation as if they were about to perform. Peter and I considered this to be a bonus since we had not yet seen any Norwegian folk or dance exhibitions. In the next few seconds, my heart sank as heavy rap music blared from a speaker, and the six Norwegian teeny bopper girls pranced about on stage with undulating movements that I had grown to know and loathe in the U.S. Rap music had infiltrated Norway. Why would their culture want to adopt a questionable aspect of ours? Who is selling and distributing this music in Norway, who is buying it, and worse, who is choreographing stage presentations with young girls who do not even know the meaning of their highly suggestive movements? We could only bear to watch for 30 or 40 seconds before departing with a distinctly bitter taste. Here, before our eyes, was the corruption of youth in the name of profits, adult male gratification, and cultural appeasement. Jeff Davidson is "The Work-Life Balance Expert®" addressing corporate and association audiences. He wrote "Breathing Space," "Simpler Living," the "60 Second Innovator," and the "60 Second Self-Starter." Visit www.Work-LifeBalance.net or call 800.735.1994. |