Superheroes too politically incorrect for kids?
August 23, 2003 at 4:48 AM ET
Cheeser
Wizard News (via Hawkes Bay Today)
New Zealander Laura Franklin opines about the seeming desire of some parents to sterilize children's imaginations
, using the claim that today's superheroes aren't suitable for kids. "Obviously," she says mockingly, "that sort of activity has to be ruthlessly stamped out before it spreads."
Where is the line in the sand that separates healthy fantasy from dangerous fixation?
... some tight-lipped teacher-type will frown across the desk ... and pronounce: "I'm dreadfully sorry to have to inform you of this, but your little Benjamin is showing signs of an imagination. It's not the sort of thing we encourage here at the Little Robots Modern Children's Facilitation Complex. Yesterday we caught him wearing a cape and we're fairly sure he was having fun."
What the heck is up with these people?
Where will the daycare police draw the line? A kid can't be Superman or Spider-Man. Can he be Buzz Lightyear? Is Spongebob Squarepants a threatening archetype?
I think we need to have clear guidelines on this. Does Harry Potter encourage black magic and satanism? Does Barney the dinosaur offend those who don't believe in evolutionary theory?
...how cringingly correct do you want to be?