Blunt Force

The other day I was reading Freakonomics, an economics book by Steven Levitt. In it, there is a chapter on parenting.

I was reading a specific passage that detailed a “cultural myth” that parents contribute a great deal to their child’s personality. The argument was that “the top down influence of parents is overwhelmed by the grassroots effect of peer pressure, the blunt force applied each day by friends and school mates”.

At the precise moment I was reading this passage, my four year old daughter came to me and said “daddy, my friend Melanie says my skin is brown”.

Now throughout her short life, my wife and I have always been attentive and complimentary to my daughter, telling her she’s beautiful and smart. Never once have we mentioned the color of her skin or of anyone else’s skin for that matter. It didn't phase her, nor does it matter. But even though Melanie was also Japanese, the comment made me think of racism and the uncontrollable aspects of life.

“The blunt force applied each day by friends”.