Hi All,
I couldn't bring myself to watch the end of this video but I think it's important to watch a small portion of it to understand the extreme manipulation of culture that is going on today. This video focuses on what's happening lately but I think it's important to realize that anyone who grew up watching television was subjected to some forms of cultural manipulation and mind control.
I worry about children and parents today and how can we all protect our children? It seems that simply turning off the TV may not be enough. I'm thinking that the Amish somehow knew this would happen and that mimicking their complete isolation may be the best solution. I pray that parents and children everywhere find it within themselves to reject this cultural manipulation and mind control that is happening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwUwchCeeI4#t=1249
That's just insane! I didn't know how bad the kids' TV shows had gotten. We don't have cable TV at home, we just selectively download what we want to watch, without commercials. I found for my daughter in the early years that Treehouse shows were pretty good, they have good lessons without the hyper-sexualization. I also really like the "My Little Pony - Friendship is Magic" series because of their great lessons and focus on the qualities of true friendship, but I was dissappointed when they came out with a movie where they go in to an alternate dimension where the ponies are humans - and they look very sexualized there. I don't let her get the Bratz and Monster High dolls because I don't want her emulating them. At the same time I try not to censor her choices too much, because she'll eventually do what she wants to - whether I know about it or not is the question. So she'll occasionally listen to Katie Perry, but I'll point out how the music sounds really cool and singable, but the lyrics are all about sex, power, and manipulation.
We've raised our daughter to question authority, to not necessarily believe something just because someone tells you or something on the TV tells you, and to understand that the media is designed to make you think a certain way and to want to buy their products. Time will tell if those lessons hold out, but they seem to be so far.
Hi Trish,
Yea, that was my reaction too because we turned off the boob tube in about 2002. Good for you for doing all you can to make your daughter aware of what's happening.
What an eye-opener. I always wondered at how quickly the Leave-it-to-Beaver values, which I was raised on, vanished from television. (Hate to say it, Trish, but I saw some subliminal messages pointed out on The My Little Pony brand, too.)
Not too long ago, I went clothes shopping with my friend for her eleven year-old daughter. We had to wade through a bunch of clothing that was lacy, backless, or had inappropriate words on them.
The video ends on a positive note, Wendy. A panel of young girls give their disapproval of the marketing of overt sexuality aimed at their age group.
Although the trend presented in this video is disturbing, I think most people haven't lost their inner sense of moral decency. I think sexed-up teens represent the minority.
I play this video for my students. I tell them it's not necessary to behave like a skank in order to sell records. I think they get it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msp2WlgoIUs