Everybody knows of the spelling bee.
If you ask me, the spelling bee is over the top 'humbug'( he he). I shall explain myself.
Now what good is it to me that I know the spellings of words that 99% of the people I associate with would not have heard of? To make matters worse, this has to be mastered as a kid, when one's playful tendencies at their peak. I know that some of those who go on with their over-aesthetic mindsets and "the world is bourgeois" attitude actually enjoy it. But think of those children who are forced into it when all they want to do is frolic or better still, invest all of their hard pressed childhood into something worthwhile like learning music. While I advocate good grammatical sense and spelling in any form of writing, I think the line must be drawn far before it marks those on the belly of the spelling bee. What's more? The huge cash prize and televised episodes only make matters worse.
Its other less famous counterparts are held in subjects like Geography and Math. At least children there are pressured to learn something more worthwhile.
Our country again tops the world's list of pushing children to the brink of their sanity; seven winners in the last decade, while on the other extreme, Indians are falling prey to horrible T9 spelling habits with cheap text messaging! While commending the winners on having realised a rather futile way to exploit their gifted acumen, I really pity those who have been pushed too hard into trying to.
The oh so genteel judge with the annoying mistake bell: Can you spell disquietude?
Nervous contestant with thick rimmed glasses: Could you... Could you use that in in a sentence?
Pretentious judge: I hope your parents pushing you so far as to cause you so much disquietude, does not spell your doom.
1 comment:
Yea, it's some sort of mental exercise.
Something like those professional body builders who spend years on building bodies that look like the muscular system diagrams in biology textbooks. Where the hell would you use that much muscle?!?
There is too much emphasis on building "smart kids" these days, it's sad.
Although, the idea of parents forcing their kids to enter spelling bee contests of all things seems hard to swallow.
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