It is interesting to me how "grid-centric" we as a society have become. Not all that long ago, you were responsible for gathering all of the energy you intended to consume. If you didn't get enough firewood, you went cold. Just that simple. Now it is "brainwashing" to teach kids about being self sufficient? How backwards is that? It is good that you don't have kids Evilbeagle, they would just end being mindless little consumers like mommy/daddy. How exactly are building blocks an "agenda-less" toy? They teach kids how to build things (agenda), balance (agenda), maybe some geometry (agenda), and even symmetry (agenda). Hey, that sounds like architecture (agenda). You're right, keep 'em dumb. They're easier to manage that way.