Cruel or clever?

amanda6035 · #1 06-14-2008, 08:38 AM

Do you honestly think that MADD presentations about drunk drivers...photos, videos, parents coming into tell the story of their dead son or daughter, etc etc, are going to have any impact on these kids? I dont. Kids don't pay attention, and theyt sure as heck don't care. I remember going to those assemblies in high school, thinking "blah blah blah, don't drink and drive, yeah, I know...god this is boring...why am I here? I dont drink anyway, so this crap doesnt apply to me...." and I guarantee you, I wasn't the only one who felt that way.

Munchkin03 · #2 06-14-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanda6035

Do you honestly think that MADD presentations about drunk drivers...photos, videos, parents coming into tell the story of their dead son or daughter, etc etc, are going to have any impact on these kids? I dont. Kids don't pay attention, and theyt sure as heck don't care. I remember going to those assemblies in high school, thinking "blah blah blah, don't drink and drive, yeah, I know...god this is boring...why am I here? I dont drink anyway, so this crap doesnt apply to me...." and I guarantee you, I wasn't the only one who felt that way.

Before I started hanging out with construction workers all day, I counseled college students and high schoolers, so I KNOW that this stuff has an impact on some kids, but not all of them. Most people, if they're going to drink or drive, nothing will stop them from doing so. But, there's that 20% or so who can be discouraged from something like this. That's the 20% we're all trying to reach out to. The administrators out in California went about getting those 20% in the wrong way.

So, yeah...there are those kids who think like you did, but there are also smarter and more empathetic kids out there as well.

amanda6035 · #3 06-14-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

So, yeah...there are those kids who think like you did, but there are also smarter and more empathetic kids out there as well.

What exactly are you trying to imply? I was already smart eough to not drink and drive. And for those of you think i'm not giving kids enough credit...think about it. There are alot of kids out there, who are smart enough, ALREADY to not drink and drive. They don't need some dumb school assembly to tell them not to do so. THAT is what I was getting at. It didnt apply to me because I didnt drink, and honestly, at that point in my life, I didnt associate with kids who did. I knew it was illegal because I was underage and didnt associate myself with kids who thought it was cool. I didnt feel the need to be empathetic to kids who were stupid enough to tip back the bottle because they thought it made them look cool, and especially for those, who decided to get behind the wheel after having done so.

I think those 20% that was mentioned is already smart enough to not be stupid...so again, as I said...pictures, and videos, and testimony, aren't going to do jack squat for them. It's the other 80% you need to worry about. And if they "suffer a little emotional distress" because of it, then good. They probably need it.

KSigkid · #4 06-14-2008, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanda6035

Do you honestly think that MADD presentations about drunk drivers...photos, videos, parents coming into tell the story of their dead son or daughter, etc etc, are going to have any impact on these kids? I dont. Kids don't pay attention, and theyt sure as heck don't care. I remember going to those assemblies in high school, thinking "blah blah blah, don't drink and drive, yeah, I know...god this is boring...why am I here? I dont drink anyway, so this crap doesnt apply to me...." and I guarantee you, I wasn't the only one who felt that way.

I don't think you're giving kids a whole lot of credit for their intelligence. If kids aren't going to get the message, because they think it could never happen to them, going this overboard isn't going to change that.

LPIDelta's example was a great one; a similar one I've heard is for the administrators to fill a gymnasium or classroom with a representative number of students (number killed in a day, an hour, etc., in incidents related to drunk driving). Each of those tactics is effective, and gets across the point to those who care enough.

All you're doing here is opening the door for the students to question the sincerity of the administration. The most extreme way of showing something isn't always the right way to do it, and putting kids through trauma to prove a point doesn't seem like a productive idea.

BabyPiNK_FL · #5 06-14-2008, 10:54 AM

During my orientation at college, the Orietation Leaders (students) were talking about all of the terrible diseases you can get in college. Then one kid decided to come out and say that he has AIDS (and how he got it if I'm not mistaken). All the OLs ran off stage crying and in hysterics, hiding in their grief.

Then they came back on stage and told us that he didn't really have AIDS and weren't we glad it wasn't real? Um...NO! I was embarrassed because I had witnessed something so personal. Sad beyond belief for him. And really really upset. But it wasn't real, so everything's supposed to be cool now? RIGHT...

ZTAngel · #6 06-14-2008, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanda6035

Do you honestly think that MADD presentations about drunk drivers...photos, videos, parents coming into tell the story of their dead son or daughter, etc etc, are going to have any impact on these kids? I dont.

It worked for me. And if they taught at least one kid not to drink and drive or to wear their seatbelt, than I think it was worth it.

amanda6035 · #7 06-14-2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZTAngel

It worked for me. And if they taught at least one kid not to drink and drive or to wear their seatbelt, than I think it was worth it.

This can go both ways though. I'm sure this outrageous stunt "taught at least one kid not to drink and drive or to wear their seatbelt" and so therefore, was worth it.

sjsoffer · #8 06-14-2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanda6035

This can go both ways though. I'm sure this outrageous stunt "taught at least one kid not to drink and drive or to wear their seatbelt" and so therefore, was worth it.

only in this case it was done with potential emotional trauma and definite harm to people's trust to affect one person; the assemblies probably didn't hurt anyone.

AGDee · #9 06-14-2008, 12:44 PM

We're not talking slight emotional distress. Do you really think that, at age 17, if you were told your best friend or your boyfriend was killed, it would be "a little emotional distress?"

The core problem with the prevention of drinking and driving is that, when you're drunk, you're not making good decisions and you don't have good judgment. EVERYBODY knows you shouldn't drink and drive and most people know someone who has died as a result of someone drinking and driving. Yet, when someone is a little too drunk to be driving, they usually believe that they are fine and don't think they are too drunk to drive. Therefore, no matter what they've experienced in the past (whether it's a fake death or a real one), it's not going to matter!