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One of the few things we actually do know for sure about Elly's past is why it is that the Richards family was so late adopting television and fitting in with the neighbors. It would seem that despite having anything like talent or an active interest in updating his routine, Jim was too in love with being THE entertainer in his family to notice or care that his kids seemed to want to fit in with the crowd. I've met the type and know the wounded pride that's on display when the needs of his offsprings to avoid being mauled by the popular kids for just plain not knowing what's on television collide with his need to be a big shot. The way he sees it, they'll get over being embarrassed because he's the father.
The problem is that this habit of mind that assumes that filial piety requires a child to stand around getting picked on while Mommy stages the stupidest protest EVER results The same Elly who used to wonder why they were the last on the block to get a television grew up thinking that Mike's wanting to fit in is a bad thing because she survived and also he owes her since she and John pay for everything anyway. The need of children to simply get through a scary day where it looks like everything is trying to destroy them is discounted mostly because cement-headed adults like Jim and Elly confuse their no longer feeling that way with feeling that way no longer existing.
Since Mike has Jim's broken chromosomes and is thus another blithering idiot who's too dumb to feel empathy, it's sort of obvious that The Delicate Genius is pulling the same stunt as we speak because he can't break the cycle of assuming that conforming is bad for children and great for grown-ups. It doesn't matter one bit that Meredith claims that some person who isn't part of the family is making her life a living, seething Hell because of what he does. Some kid isn't the boss of him and no one picks on kids any longer so Meredith will just have to ignore the vitriol on her Facebook wall if she has any love for her father.
The problem is that this habit of mind that assumes that filial piety requires a child to stand around getting picked on while Mommy stages the stupidest protest EVER results The same Elly who used to wonder why they were the last on the block to get a television grew up thinking that Mike's wanting to fit in is a bad thing because she survived and also he owes her since she and John pay for everything anyway. The need of children to simply get through a scary day where it looks like everything is trying to destroy them is discounted mostly because cement-headed adults like Jim and Elly confuse their no longer feeling that way with feeling that way no longer existing.
Since Mike has Jim's broken chromosomes and is thus another blithering idiot who's too dumb to feel empathy, it's sort of obvious that The Delicate Genius is pulling the same stunt as we speak because he can't break the cycle of assuming that conforming is bad for children and great for grown-ups. It doesn't matter one bit that Meredith claims that some person who isn't part of the family is making her life a living, seething Hell because of what he does. Some kid isn't the boss of him and no one picks on kids any longer so Meredith will just have to ignore the vitriol on her Facebook wall if she has any love for her father.
