A Tired Contention

Poor Exene Cervenkova. From her whining, it is obvious that she is incredibly out of touch (“Less Fun in the New World,” May 31).

Her contention that technology is replacing culture is an old, tired one. What can she say about the excellent people who bombed the DreamWorks’ “The Lost World” Web site last week in the name of preserving the Ballona Wetlands?

And the idea that all kids are going for the corporate shills is just too convenient. Anybody who has contact with preteens and young teenagers knows well that the women’s movement is reflected in the attitudes of girls who don’t take abuse from boys, and work hard to be academic leaders. Teachers are teaching social studies and language arts stressing the human factor in history and literature rather than rote memorization of dates and grammatical rules, and kids go for it. I believe this indicates that the souls of our kids aren’t really being obliterated as much as Exene would like us to believe.

And what’s her solution anyway? Buy more stuff at her trendy boutique? Buy her two-star-rated, warmed-over punk rock?

PAMELA HICKEY

Santa Monica