Dr Phil disguises the breakdown of the family as a moral values issue. Is that a hidden message to bring more religion into the family? He says that we are giving our children too much, and calls it child abuse. Materialism is child abuse?
Dr Phil: "I believe that overindulgence is one of the most insidious forms of child abuse known to man. You don't teach them how the world really works if you're overindulging them."
On the issue of teen pregnancy, Russert and Dr. Phil seem to put all the blame on the girls and only a fleetingly mentions the role of teenage boys.
Tim: How do we get in the hearts and minds of those young girls, young babies having babies?
Dr. Phil: The reason that's important is I think we have to begin with these young girls in helping them to believe that they are capable of more...
Phil's answer is disingenuous because it doesn't cover the fact that sexual behavior is a natural instinct that is never addressed as such. Instead of talking about our " social masks and personal truths," young people make mistakes and often experiment with many things (like sex, alcohol and drugs) and his answer seems to say that young girls are having sex to get pregnant because they don't believe in themselves.
James Wolcott : I share Jeff Jarvis's incredulity at tuning into Meet the Press and seeing Tim Russert engaged in Vulcan mind-meld with Dr. Phil. What's next, Suzi Orman laying out Social Security privatization for us between teeth bleachings?
