really... everyone??

Today a student wrote in his research paper that everyone on earth has heard of Super Mario and has played a video game. Thinking that he had made a careless generalization, I pointed out to him the danger of using the word "everyone." Instead of taking my wise counsel, the kid actually argued with me about it! He insisted that he was correct, and that it was crazy to imagine that anyone in the world is so sheltered that they've never had access to a video game. He finally thought a fair compromise would be to say "most people." Wow... all I could say was, "You have a lot to learn."

I think the next research paper should be about the Congo, which has a GDP of about $300 per capita (http://www.aneki.com/poorest.html).... or maybe make it more personal, like looking at the lives of the garbage boys of Egypt, or the slumdogs of India, or the orphans in Uganda, or the victims in Haiti, or even the children in the poor corners of America... every country has people who suffer from a lot more than a lack of video games. There are kids who fight to have clean water and enough food each day. It's so important to be aware of these problems, so that we can start thinking of how we can be a part of the solution.