Sesame Street explains war.

Sesame Street

The Sesame Street creators are trying to explain where childrens parents are going when deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. It's very touching for me and really makes me feel for the children. Gives me a new found respect for the people over on Sesame Street!

wow that's totally awesome. I grew up with this show and the changes they have made to be more post modern

Forgive my cynical nature, but isn't this just a way to influence the next generation into believing that war is good and right?

It's more usually called propaganda and brainwashing - I'd love to know where they got the idea from...

reply to post by budski


I can agree to a point, however young children don't understand exactly how far away mommy or daddy really are. What they are doing and why they are gone. It is a good thing for children's shows to try and explain to kids what is going on. Especially if the parent remaining with the child has to explain things by themselves.

Whats worse is when a parent has to try and explain to a young child that the other parent isn't coming home again.

It is true that it may be a little brainwashing and propigandaish but children do need to understand these things, because they want to know and it's hard on them to have to go through with life with these questions. All they want is for both parents to be near them and know they are loved. But when one is gone they don't always completely understand why. It is important for children's emotional growth to be able to understand these things. They can then more easily accept it when something terrible happens.

I can see both sides of the question.


In a certain sense, everything you say could be considered propaganda for "your" side of any issue.

Having children myself, who have friends with immediate family missing and serving actively, you have to tell them something.

What are you supposed to say? That evil overlords bent on world domination have forced your parent to honor a contract they made years ago in peacetime when war seemed like a remote possibility, and now your parents are being made to kill people for a cause they mistakenly believe in, to further the evil ones' plans?

That's not what a child needs to hear when they're already scared.

One of the things that aggravates me about the anti-war crowd is that they have no respect for people who disagree with them. They assume that anyone who is in the minority and supports the war is "brainwashed." Obviously, if there is a bunch of propaganda "put out there by the Bush crowd," it isn't very effective.

In fact, the anti-war/anti-American propaganda is much more effective. Notice how every poster immediately suspects sesame street of being on "bush's side" if they even attempt to address the issue in an even handed manner.

Why is that?

.

it's called arrogance. What you believe is right, everyone should believe it even if it may be the half truth or a conspiracy.

Look I don't believe this is a form of propaganda and even if it was, it would be the best way of explaining it to our kids. What other way is there without be so blatant to them that it may do damage than any good.

"The content you are trying to view is only available in certain areas"

Can't watch the vid, its geolocked by Yahoo.

Can anyone link to a source that is more open so the rest of the world can watch this?

reply to post by neformore


news.bbc.co.uk...

That might work for ya. IDK let us know Ill search about a bit for more sources of this video.

Odd that I can see this in the states but you cant see it in the UK even though its the BBC.

[edit on 5/22/2008 by whatukno]

Sesame Street watchers are too young to have war explained to them, especially by strangers. This should be left to family and close friends of the family - not by a tv show.

Children frighten easily. This should only be done by people who know each child very well and know what they can and can't hear.

Sesame Street should stick to ABC and 123 .... and cute puppets that help children learn tall/short and thin/thick, etc etc

Sorry. But that's what I think.

"This sesame street production was brought to you by the letters A and Q, and the number 911"

reply to post by whatukno


The Yahoo was geolocked, but the Beeb one worked fine. Just played it in the office and the people sitting around me basically all said the same thing....

Sesame Street was bought to you today by the Hitler Youth, and the letters P R O A G N D

"I'm going to help someone" .........

reply to post by FlyersFan


I think your absolutely right. In the end your child will trust you more than what bigbird says. Maybe it will be difficult to explain and wont know what to say exactly but you will feel alot better if you talk to them than let a complete stranger do it. Lies and conspiracies are beside the point, children that watch Sesame Street are to young to form an opinion about the Bush administration and terrorism and the evils of the world. Besides, there will be plenty of time for propaganda and brainwashing when they start watching CNN.

EDIT:

...And FOX lets not forget about FOX. lol

[edit on 5/22/2008 by 3vilscript]

I don't think they are trying to brainwash, or fill children with propaganda. It's quite possible that the creators of Sesame Street have legitimate feelings for the children with deployed parents. Instead of trying to brainwash children. Perhaps they are just doing their part in making it easier for a child with parents fighting a war. It could be very possible that the creators of Sesame Street don't even support the war at all. During they entire video they didn't even say 'war' one time. It seems pretty clear they aren't trying to sway your child to the "evil war monger" side. The video wasn't biast to one side at all. The war going on is a real issue and it's going to be addressed everywhere. I would rather my child find out a war is going on through Sesame Street then fox, or cnn anyways. To call this brainwashing, or propaganda is overkill.

[edit on 22-5-2008 by USMC-oorah]

reply to post by USMC-oorah


I would rather have my children find out about the war from me than Sesame Street. Dont you think they would appreciate it more that way?

Well, that's a given. I mean 9 times out 10 its going to happen that way anyways. I'm just saying it's non biast and not very informative on the death and distruction part. If they are finding out where i'm going to be not from me. Sesame Street is going to say that very gently rather then other sources. That's all i'm saying.

"Daddy needs to do grownup work." - I need to kill people for the government.

"It's just something I've got to do." - It pays more than civilian jobs.

"I'm leaving to help people in need." - And the billions of dollars they have right now is not enough to make ends meet.





[edit on 22-5-2008 by ianr5741]

I can't help thinking about MadTV's spoofs on sesame street. The 'I've got bird flu' with Bigbert. Or 'nuclear radiation' with cookie monster. Sesame street will make all the little minds ok with ongoing occupations.