Dan’s research and book list:
The History of Childhood
$90.00 (as of April 18, 2024 21:04 GMT -04:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
A History of Childhood: Children and Childhood in the West from Medieval to Modern Times
$29.95 (as of April 18, 2024 21:04 GMT -04:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Childhood in the Middle Ages (Routledge Revivals)
$64.95 (as of April 18, 2024 21:06 GMT -04:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)Resources not sold on Amazon:
The Evolution of Childhood (Essay) by Lloyd deMause
Julia.Pikachu –
I can’t believe that I’ve never considered or encountered this concept in school and college (or “university”, if I’m feeling snobbish and fancy). The romanticized view of procreating and child-rearing that I’ve never found appealing (despite repeated assertions that “it’s different if it’s your own”), and my instinctual aversion to it – just makes so much more sense now. Also puts my own childhood into perspective. Mothers with bags under their eyes and frazzled hair and milk spit on their pajama pants need to tell me and themselves what a blessing and joy their screaming baby is, and that delusion is probably for the best in terms of maintaining sanity. It’s interesting to see how parents, for thousands of years, have struggled to balance both the instinct to produce and care for offspring, with the harsh realities of the societies and various contexts that they lived in. Really adds much more to consider in the timeless nature vs nurture debate, too. Maybe the guilt mothers feel (and are terrified to admit) about wishing they can just send their screaming babies away from time to time so that they can catch up on sleep and maintain sanity isn’t all that unnatural. One thing we seem to have lost in modern industrialized society is the idea that it takes a village. Seems like there was this in-between transition when community cohesiveness began breaking down but parents still needed to outsource the most gruelling parts after bringing a child into this world. Plus it was interesting to see the less “nazi/evil eugenics” side of the rationality in eliminating weak links in a society.
These probably aren’t the intended take-aways of the episode, but it’s where my mind went. Dan is way more objective and not at all cold-hearted in this. I’m the one taking it to dark places. Don’t mind me. Just do yourself a favor and listen to this. It’s just a trippy and thought-provoking experience. 10/10
travisgcheek –
A fantastic and disturbing look at just how horrible the past was for children. I had a deep discussion with my own parents afterwards about some of the issues addressed here to get their take.