Artifact Two

McQueen, Ann Marie. "Socialites in training." Toronto Sun 12 Dec. 2006. 12 Dec. 2006 http://torontosun.com/Lifestyle/2006/12/12/2753146-sun.html.

1) I wouldn't go tot he extreme of calling dolls "sluts," but I would say that they do lean a lttle towards that direction.

"'I call them plastic sluts,' says Bethany Laughton [mother of Audrey and Kate Laughton]."

2) "...it takes time to look this good," says to me that these dolls are full of themsleves, should they be given a personality. Parents try to teach their children that they should focus "on who they are as a person, and kindness and truthfulness and ethics and values."

It's not hard to see why Laughton is opposed. In addition to their come-hither look, the dolls are preoccupied with diamonds and shopping. As their website loads, a message appears that says "Please wait ... it takes us time to look this good."

3) Even if there isn't a store anywhere remotely near you, you have to have the "all the rage" fashion.

"In Halifax, Tracy Cosgrove struggles to find a happy medium for daughter Emily, age 11. Right now pricey Lululemon sweatshirts are all the rage -- even though the yogawear company doesn't even have an East Coast store."

4) Even as ten-year olds, girls can be mean.

"'One woman I know, her daughter went to school on the first day of Grade 4 and a group of girls walked up to her and said things like ''''we're the clothing police and we don't like the shirt you are wearing,'''' she says."'

Questions:
1. "'The difference is, the kids in Mekenna's age group who are like that, as awful as it is to say, their parents are the same way.'" Are the parents the ones who are more responsible for their children's behavior towards fashion?
2. Is fashion a justified reason for a person being mean to another?
3. Not that I think parents are the reason for their children's behavior, but is it posible that they are not trying hard enough to teach their future what it means to be kind and ethical?