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September 28, 2005
Genie's Existance
Poor Genie had, and maybe still is having, an all-around terrible life, as we all know. It baffles me how anyone could do such awful things to his own child. Most parents can't help but love their children, it is innate. Her father must have been very mentally unstable. I wonder, though, why he didn't just kill her. If he was capable of doing these shocking things to her, and if he was so ashamed that she might have been retarted, then why wouldn't he eliminate her from his life? I think it was because he liked to control and feel powerful. Having this power over her, her mother, and possibly her brother made him feel superior. Even after Genie was put through this unheard of living situation, she was still put in many more than awkward postitions-- her mother suing the hospital, being placed in many foster homes, even more abuse, etc. In some ways, I do believe that the scientists exploited her in order to finish the "forbidden experiment". Genie's mother sued for $500,000 but this little girl's life was priceless and it is not something that she can buy back.
Posted by lcishagan at September 28, 2005 10:17 AM
Comments
Hi Ariel,
I agree with you about Genie's parents' being such brutal to her. When the father killed himself, he left a note which said, "They will never understand". Isn't that such a powerful quote to have from a suicidal? However, no matter what reason he had, still he wasn't normal and morally decayed. Also, what ticked the mother to sue the scientists? Wouldn't she be ashamed of what she did to her child? Probably, she couldn't help her child because of the father, but any mother would want to have healthy and normal child, therefore would do anything for them. We will never know what was behind Genie's family wall. :(
Posted by: zaya at September 28, 2005 08:17 PM
I agree that it is baffling how any parent could do this to their very own child -- it does challenge your statement that parents loving children is "innate". It might not be. We might have to learn to do it and support each other in doing it. Sort of the "it takes a village to raise a child" idea.
Posted by: Nanette V at October 12, 2005 10:25 AM