Originally Posted by
Micromegas
I don't blame you for not wanting to continue to defend your wildly inconsistent statements and definitions common only to you. Does assuming you have a more prestigious graduate degree than I (and I'm sure you do) really make you feel better about that? Boy, I bet your alma mater is proud.
Do you have anything of substance to say, or is your insulting behavior merely supportive of my belief that you're rude and inconsiderate of other passengers? Start a thread in OMNI called "Hyperbole and Simile" and we can discuss your apparent unfamiliarity with either. I have accumulated a sufficient quantity of graduate degrees, as well as university teaching experience, to be quite secure with my use and understanding of the English lanugage.
Let me echo your sentiment with which I totally agree "Seat kicking is never acceptable". I never said it was and I never will. If I could guarantee 100% zero seat kicking I would.
You can. I already told you how: If your child is going to kick seats, book bulkheads, buy F, or don't fly with your child. You, however, have decided that, as long as you are "doing your best," strangers will have to tolerate your child's seat-kicking.
Frankly though, your habit of playing fast and loose with the english language is probably going to be a much bigger problem at that difficult job interview than the 1% chance that my kid will kick your seat. Make sure to mention all the degrees you have, that ought to help.
I find it fascinating that, whenever I get into one of these discussions with a parent from the, "planes are public transportation so deal with it" crowd, they almost always resort to insult. That consistency alone is enough to validate my observation that parents who inflict the intrusive and imposing behavior of their children on others are simply rude.
I am extremely anxious about taking my child on the plane. I am hoping against hope that that 1% chance doesn't come up. I am even considering drugging my child (legally) which makes me feel like a horrible parent but that's the impact you are having. In the end I don't really agree that we are that different.
Yes, indeed we are. I don't impose on anyone when I fly, but you do. I don't insult strangers, but you do. I don't digress into trivialities, but you do.
You keep casting this in terms of whether you are a "good parent" or a "horrible parent." It's none of my business how you parent -- I simply couldn't care less. I only care about whether you are a good passenger or a bad passenger. If you are responsible for some stranger's seat being kicked, you are a bad passenger irrespective of what kind of parent you may or may not be. This isn't about parenting, it's about courtesy and regard for others when in public.
We both abhor seat kicking and never want it to happen.
Indeed. And another difference between us is that I am never the cause of someone's seat being kicked, whereas you are.
I also agree with you that I am putting my grandmother's desire to see my son once over the 1% chance that he might kick your seat. Let me know when you find a parent who would choose differently in that "context".
My participation in this conversation started with the observation that seat kicking by children is a rare and infrequent phenomenon, at least in my experience. Apparently, there are many parents whose children are capable of flying without terrorizing strangers around them (I'll anticipate your digression into the meaning of the word "terrorize"). However, thank you for finally getting to the bottom line: You believe that your desire to have your grandmother see your son trumps the interests of whoever may have the misfortune of sitting in front of your son. How does that square with your agreement that seat kicking is never acceptable?
As I said, the very definition of entitlement. It's unfortunate that you don't recognize it as such.
Here's my bottom line: I don't care why you're flying. I don't care with whom you are flying. Don't kick my seat. Period.