Media today 88

Reading: Reading: Geronimo Stilton: Das Phantom der U-Bahn, 75-92.

Listening: Ich weiß was, "Albert E. erklärt die Eisenbahn," 15:00-38:30.

As I've said numemous times before, with one exception so far, these Albert E. audiobooks are fantastic in terms of substance and realization. But there is one thing that is really starting to get to me. So far without exception, whenever the children-characters are getting an explanation of something technical, it is always from a male character (usually the father), and whenever they are getting an explanation of something else (not technical!) in the house during lunchtime or after school, it is always from the mom character.

Today's listening contained a scene that encapsulates the problem perfectly. The four-person family that provides the plot action are taking a train trip from Germany to London. On the way, the children (a boy and a girl) get all kinds of technical and historical explanations from their father and also from the conductor. After the father has explained something, the mother speaks up. We are told: 

Sie hat interessiert zugehört. Und sie kennt sich mit Lokomotiven fast noch besser aus als Papa. ("She was listening with interest. And her knowledge of locomotives was almost greater than daddy's").  

Then she plays a little word-guessing game with the kids, which lasts a minute or so, then the father continues with his explanations. 

So if the mother knows so much about trains, why doesn't she get to play a bigger role in imparting the knowledge to the kids? The word choice here is telling. It's almost as if the script writers are aware of and trying to redress the clichée of the female who knows nothing about science/technology. So this mommy knows a lot about trains! Her knowledge is almost greater. What does that mean? Does it mean that she knows just as much? Or does it mean that she doesn't know quite as much, thus legitimating the status of the father as the one who gets to impart all the knowledge? Somehow with the phrase almost greater the writers manage to have it both ways: the symbolic suggestion of a technically knowledgeable female, even one whose knowledge is "greater." But the "almost" leaves the traditional  gendered hierarchy intact. 

The sum total of these constellations is just sexism, pure and simple. Not that this problem is confined to this series specifically, or German children's stories as opposed to those of other cultures. 

I make sure to point out to J on a regular basis that 1) a lot more women know more about machines and work more with machines than we hear about or see in stories; 2) a lot more daddies stay home with their children while their mommies are out working than we hear about and see in stories.

One good show in this regard is "Lauras Stern" (many episodes on YouTube). Very often it's the father at home with the children (especially in the kitchen) and involved in their domestic dramas while the mother is out working. 

Total audio 2015: 16.20
Total video 2015: 26.28
Age 5.5.2