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Friday, December 05, 2003 Brainwashing Or Just Innocent Illusion? Around this time of year, some people worry about disillusioning their kids--specifically the fact that there is no Santa Claus. People also worry about kids finding out that the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny don't exist either so there much be something about retaining illusions during childhood. Personally, I don't like the idea of duping kids into believing the existence of imaginary beings just as I don't like forcing kids into the same religion that their parents are in simply by the virtue that they are their parents. Of course, there will probably be adults that will argue with me that kids are young and impressionable and should be "guided" in a manner that their parents deem proper. They will probably also argue that I'm a childless twenty-something who has no place in telling other people how to raise their children. But I'm not telling anyone how to raise their kids. I'm just uncomfortable with the fact that people find it perfectly acceptable to tell other people what to believe despite the fact that these people have brains like everyone else. The only difference is that they're younger. I'm quite sure that most people who can still recall their earliest memories will be hesitant to say--did this really happen? Fantasy and reality don't have the same boundaries as they do when you're older. You're never sure that the particular thing that happened when you were three actually happened or was something that you wanted to happen or just a dream. People who insist to kids that Santa Claus is real will only prolong this uncertain stage until they're much older. Then who is to say that you can't question your entire childhood? When I was in fourth grade, I once had a neighbor who was a few years younger than I was. I mentioned that Santa Claus didn't exist and she went rabid on me--telling me, yes, there was a Santa Claus as well as the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny and who knows what else. I shut up after that since it was obvious she was never going to believe whatever argument I would come up with. And now that I think about it, that sounds suspiciously like religious people or people who believe whatever the government tells them. Maybe adults aren't that much different from gullible children. [posted by S. Y. Affolee on 5:49 AM : ]
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