"Little did I know, Mr. Rogers was an evil man. By telling children they're special just for being who they are, he helped create this generation of worthless, lazy socialists who think they're entitled to rewards without working... at least according to Fox News.
Watch the video. The Fox News anchors are completely serious when they attribute the differences in academic performance between Asian and American kids to the fact that Asian children didn't grow up with Mr. Rogers telling them they were unique and special. It's not that we have a failing education system or that parents aren't instilling the proper work ethic in their children. American children under perform because Mr. Rogers taught them to expect everything in life to be handed to them on a silver platter.
They actually use the word "evil" to describe Mr. Rogers and criticize him for his "optimistic message." Then one of them starts babbling about how children should go back to churning butter and making their own sweaters. I didn't make it all the way to the end, but I wouldn't be surprised if they blamed him for 9/11.
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72 comments:
Stop being a douchebag. They're quoting someone else.
Yeah, because Fox News is never selective about who they report on, am I right first anonymous?
Except I'm sure the study doesn't call Mr. Rogers an "evil man".
Awesome! A broken youtube link.
Well... they're obviously not talking about all the psychologists that came up with the idea that telling everyone they were special was a good idea, nor all the ad agencies and tv shows that also caught on to the idea. Fox is just trying to get a rise out of people. Better just to ignore them.
Im not a huge fan of fox news, but they are quoting a college professor......You people are the reason this country is so messed up, selective hearing go not listening to the full story!
Spend less time posting videos and more time listening to them. This was a waste of time.
wow what a load of crap.. blame yourself for your mistakes not some childhood show that had nothing to do with this point.. god help who ever decided to mke a study off of this their life must be miserable and are looking for scape goat for their own pathatic views.
"You people"? Just what are you driving at, Mr Matt??
There are also studies done by college professors that say evolution is false and that entirely eliminating government intervention is the best economic strategy. Just because someone is a professor doesn't make them right. Besides, it's a mistake to simplify the causes of something as complex as increased rates of narcissism, especially when it is "evidenced" by a cross-cultural study between an eastern and a western culture... like Mr. Rogers is the only difference between the two. I must say I amazed that Fox could actually stoop to a new low.
My face has been in my palm for the last 6 minutes and 34 seconds.
Matt-
it's called a bias... college professor doesn't mean crap... I'd love to see that actual study, and the empirical evidence, how they took the samples, etc.
I'm sorry, but most of these kids these days? I blame the parents and the over all environment they grew up with. There's a lot more empirical and, frankly, more sound and repeated studies on the effects of parenting and family environment than Mr. Rogers.
God forbid children be optimistic about their lives.
Insane.
yea. I totally agree that peers, parents, elders, life experiences, hardships, environment, school, role models, genetic predisposition of commitment or laziness or ability to cope, and government has absolutely no effect on the outcome of a child growing to an adult. An old man with a choo choo train and puppets decides that future of every adolescent of the 80s and 90s. No question about it.
lol this is better than the Daily Show! i plan to start tuning in to Fox to get my laughs.
...this is supposed to be a joke, right?
yea. I totally agree that peers, parents, elders, life experiences, hardships, environment, school, role models, genetic predisposition of commitment or laziness or ability to cope, and government has absolutely no effect on the outcome of a child growing to an adult. An old man with a choo choo train and puppets decides that future of every adolescent of the 80s and 90s. No question about it.
Now I'm go kill myself because Fox News said I wasn't special. Wow, the kids who picked on my in grade school were right. Thanks Fox News!
:D
what a joke! i think this was one of the worst studies ever conducted or peer-reviewed. did they even take a look at other confounding factors such as the economy, socioeconomic status, etc? what makes it worse is that FOX news is actually serious about this.
I hate Fox news as much as the next forward-thinking intellectual, but they are following up on an excellent 60 minutes report.
Check this out.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/08/60minutes/main3475200.shtml
Perhaps those of you disagreeing with this are part of the generation of whiners that this is referencing.
Have your mom call me at work and I'll fire your ass.
People used to and still use TVs as babysitters. Especially parents who have 2 jobs or work all the time to support the family. The TV keeps its one eye on the kids. Fred Rodgers was the 1st person to see this beginning to happen and how something sad (kids babysat by TV) could become an opportunity to show kids the good things in life were really just a matter of having a kind attitude and curiosity.
This fox news story is what americans calls 'yellow journalism'. sensationalism sells, if it bleeds it lead, shock jocks, etc.
60 minutes isn't much better than FOX News. They exaggerate a story to create shock and suspense, and their interviews are either hatchet jobs or sycophantic. They're better at it than FOX, but it's the same BS. CBS was just doing it before FOX took it to new heights.
I'm a liberal, but I think there's a valid criticism here - not only of Mr. Rogers, but of the whole 'self esteem' movement in education. Praising kids for some innate goodness they possess regardless of actual achievement is only going to increase their insecurity. This is something that I've read and heard a lot about, and not only from conservative sources. Check out this book:
Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled--and More Miserable Than Ever Before
...or this article from the BBC News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7943906.stm
...or this article on the dangers of praise:
http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/
Of course, the schools are perfect and every parent is perfect but they just could not stand against the evil Mister Rodgers!
This is of course a ridiculous presentation of the study. Still, it is true that children shouldn't be told too often that they are special or cleaver. Kids who are told that there work is good because the have put an effort in it are generally more ambitious and do better in school. This is very important, if people are told they where simply born the way they are, they are less likely to improve there score on tests than people who are told there mind is moldable etc.
I am so sick of reading the apologists on this site. They are not quoting anybody. They are using ONE supposed"study" at Louisiana St. as a tool to go off the handle on Mr. Rogers for who knows why. If the study did use the language that these talk show hosts spout then it is no way near an academic study and should be ignored in the first place. Come on people are you really that dumb? It is always important to teach children they are important for just being who they are, which is something that is often ignored by many parents who only focus on the other important instruction tool for parents, work ethic. The two do not have to be done separately, it is important that a child knows how important they are and that they are worth a damn, however it is always important to teach a child that it is a great feeling when you achieve something either on your own or with a little help from time to time.
The "study" that the Fox & Friends morning hosts refer to is an interview by Jeffrey Zaslow of the Wall Street Journal of Louisiana State University finance professor Don Chance, who, reflecting upon the entitlement he felt his students seeking A's displayed, realized, "It just hit me. We can blame Mr. Rogers." Not, by the way, a study.
I had no idea I was just considered part of a "crop"! I wish someone had told me. Thanks Fox News! I now understand what a mindless idiot I am. As for the "evil" Mr. Rogers. Well I am to "ruined" to form an educated opinion.
Every FOX NEWS story title is a question. It's because the network has no answers, just silly sensationalism.
You are a communist. Mr. Rogers was the man!
Hilarious....takes someone *special* to broadcast this.....hypocrites
Stop being a douchebag. They're quoting someone else.
I remember that episode where Mr. Rogers encourages kids to eat pork and then gurgle it up until it gets foamy - just for fun - then he told us to brush our teeth 25 times to clean it up. I'm a perfectly well adjusted adult. Just wanted to add that to the discussion.
blatantly reactionary propaganda using an unverified study from the university of Louisiana as the only verification to advocate idealizing earlier eras in American history and scape goating Mr. rogers for Asians out performing Caucasians academically without taking into account any lurking variables such as culture. literally the worst attempt at journalism i have seen in my life and anyone who buys into this has immediately invalidated themselves as a human being with functional intelligence.
FOX NEWS is garbage enough said
Two points:
1. Kicking a man while he's dead. Classy
2. If kids all feel they're more special then fox thinks they are, then it's singlehandedly Mr. Rogers' fault.
I liked Mr Rogers because he was a cool and interesting guy with a special pair of inside shoes and a trolley to the land of make-believe, not because he told me I was special
I really can't wrap my brain around this one. It hurts that they have nothing better to do than to trash talk a dead guy who taught millions of kids how to use their imaginations and be better people. I watched Mr. Rogers every day and I never got the message that the world should be handed to me and certainly not that he's evil. fox news needs to grow up and report actual useful news.
I loved Mr. Rogers as a kid! My parents encouraged watching it! And my whole family is Conservative...people can say what they want about the show, but I'm positive only good intentions were involved with the script.
The reason why FOX (aka Faux, Fix, Fux) "News" is attacking Mr Rogers (ie. someone who is dead and can't defend themselves - nice one, FOX) is that they can't find (ie. make-up) fault with Obama at the moment.
lol its called faux news for a reason
LOL, only idiots take anything on Fox news seriously!
RT
www.anon-tools.cz.tc
Seriously people. Just watch this, watch the whole thing. Just because TV had one man who was a real role-model they feel like slandering him and "blaming" him. How about people are lazy and won't take responsibility for wanting everything handed to them? Has nothing to do with a man who really worked his whole life to help children have a good show with good morals.
Watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEuEUQIP3Q
The problem isn't Mister Rogers, it's the teachers and parents that think coming in last is worthy of receiving a trophy. Kids these days are overly coddled and all have a sense of entitlement from receiving a reward regardless of success.
Failure in itself should be the reward, learn from it and move forward.
There should be no "Oh you came in last that's o.k. here is your trophy that's for participating."
Mister Rogers just told you to have self esteem. That's a good thing. I'm not ok with teaching a lack of failure. That's not the real world.
The problem is not people "selectively listening", it's with the clowns at Fox (and other "news" media) who sensationalize things that they agree with beyond fair and balanced reporting.
This is the biggest tool of those who wish to try to brainwash the population into being bigots.. Let's see Fox show as much reporting zeal on topics that are supporting of LBGT rights, and the upcoming Polyamorous lifestyle.
Things are changing.. if you can't embrace (or at least tolerate it) you Will become less relevant to society.
“Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.”
--Socrates
2 things, first they were quoting the study when they said asian kids do better than american kids etc and secondly, it's may not be your brand of humor, but the main things you're whining about in the anchors' commentary are jokes.
There is no way to prove that watching Mr. Rogers caused laziness. All they can do is show a correlation. Correlation does NOT equal causation! One of the most important pieces of information you will learn regarding accurate research. Of course FOX News neglects to mention this because the last thing they want to do is educate their viewers. Unless every single study subject had the same life experiences with the same environmental/relational influences there is no way to even remotely prove this.
I seriously find myself laughing everytime i put FOX News on. I wonder if FOX News anchors ever go home feeling like completely worthless human beings...I would if I had to report on something as ridiculous as blaming Mr. Rogers for our problems haha.
I agree , I wouldn't allow my kids to watch the socialsit. ALL kids aren't SPECIAL, Special in this day is a PC word for retarded.
My kids were not retarded, and t o be special , you have to have inbred high selfesteem. ambition, and work hard.
Mr Rogers , said all you have to do is be born to be special, no work ,no ethics , just shirttail it.
Factis I never allowed my kids to watch Sesame street , it was the most anti american socialistic , communistic programs.
But most of our cash is goingtopublic media, which totally hates asmericans and america.
WheI explained t othe kids how thiswasthe indoctrination into losing all freedoms, even the right to drive to drive to grammas.
That did it they never askedagain.
Nice try - you failed. Watch the rest of the video.
No, this is not meant to be humorous and yet, it is.
I get a good bit of my entertainment from FOX news.
The point is to not take it seriously.
Even our own Court System said that FOX news is entertainment, not news. (you know; they have the right to legally lie to us. NOT news, the Court said; ENTERTAINMENT.Nice, huh?)
Some people just aren't good neighbors. Even here in Pittsburgh.
wow, i didn't think we thought in terms of something being "evil" anymore. what is this crap?
To Verge: You lose all credibility with decent people when you try to make a moral argument yet use the word "faggots"....for many folks that's the equivalent of "niggers" used to describe black people. Despite what Chris Rock says, it's NOT OK to use "faggot" for general use, in place of a__hole, etc.
Incidentally, young urban professionals and gay folks by no means have a monopoly on spoiling their kids; that's a distinctly American phenomenon that cuts across race, class, sexual orientation, etc.
Ah hahaha I love the whole "Kids these days" complaining! Ah hahaha! Silly old curmudgeons. I'm so going to twitter this!
Hate to say it: they're right. We were raised to think that we were all special, unique snowflakes. Where has that gotten us? Yeah, exactly...
Seems to me that the kids who watched Mr. Rogers are better off than these kids these days who watch all these crap that's on now.
I grew up watching Mr. Rogers and I have a job, a car that is paid for, and a home. I graduated in the top of my class.
then
Take a look at how many school shootings there were back in the 80's and compare them to now.
Don't blame Mr. Rogers blame the parents who allow their children to be mouthy little brats and don't let them realize the value of a dollar.
Look how schools just pass kids through school now because they don't want to deal with them. We have kids now graduating high school because they don't even have basic live skills because they were able to goof off at school and the teachers still passed them through. Mr. Rogers is not evil or the ruination of our society of kids. Our problem is teachers who let the slackers or the popular football players get through class because heaven knows it's way too much trouble to actually teach kids these days.
Leave Mr. Rogers alone and attack the parents and teachers who are really to blame. We'd be much better off if more kids watched Mr. Rogers instead of this crap they call TV now.
I am Asian who grew up in Asia. Academic success has nothing to do with watching Mr. Rogers. We were dirt poor there that our parents punish us for getting bad grades. Made us kneel on salt and got beaten with sticks if we don't study. It has more to do with parenting than a TV show.
It's my generation's fault that the 10-20 year old demographic is so screwed up and a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings that won't work and are having their own kids while still passing notes during third period. I remember growing up and pinky swearing with all my friends that I would NEVER be like my parents when I grew up. Then, we'd turn around and finish watching CHiPs.
My generation has made their children a bunch of pathetic losers. They're worse than the baby-boomer generation ever THOUGHT about being. They want everything handed to them. They expect it. They're lazy. They're goal-less. They think that Britney Spears is a good singer. GAH!
Don't blame Mr. Rogers, Fox News (crap). Blame the X Generation and their whole idea of being "better parents". We suck.
As a second generation Asian in my early 20's. I grew up with Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers still brings back fond memories of the trolley car and his magic painting that would play VHS tapes of videos similar to "How It's Made". His philosophy of children being unique and special in their own way helped me cope with often being an odd duck out in life as an Korean in America. I was raised incredibly asian with my Korean mother and father. I don't think Mr. Rogers is the problem. I think the problem was that people were letting their kids watch Power Rangers when they should have been doing homework. My parents were always Nazis about doing my homework and school. While I never liked school, I excelled in it because of my parents. Asian parents are involved and put their children before everything. While my childhood was never the same as most of my friends, my parents instilled strong work ethics that still persist to this day.
"Kids these days, playing T-ball, and everybody wins, everybody wins, they all get a trophy."
Well no shit. No one beyond elementary school plays T-ball, I don't know what Fox is expecting. Hell, everyone gets a trophy even through 8th or 9th grade where I'm from.
I was going to read all the posts by other people but got tired of it. turns out whoever put this video up is a moron because they couldn't even watch the whole thing, and by the end a psychologists has an opinion that he didn't do to much to help or hurt to many kids.
Looks like FOX has people on with both sides, and when they used only one study they never even try to imply the study as fact or claim Mr. Rodgers is "Evil". Did anyone beside me realize that those news reporters were laughing throughout that whole first part?
And when you get a trophy, not because you won but because you played, has ruined a genertation and have indoctrinated them into believing that you shouldn't have to win, just to try. Turns out that is not how it works.
Sounds a lot like parents trying to find yet another excuse why their kids are ordinary and average. Parents should be busting their kid's butts to do work. Don't blame Mr Rogers for making your kids lazy. Take some responsibility for their future.
I'll be back when the day is new and I'll have more ideas for you. And you'll have things you'll want to talk about. I will too.
:'(
"Immune to Reality" by Daniel Gilbert. Great essay
I find it pathetic that this is argued about,period! The fact of the matter is that Mr. Rogers was telling these children that they are/were special because it is something that I can comfortably say parents generally don't tell their children. He is playing the roll these bastard children have to deal with, with their 15-19 year old single mothers who (not all of course but you cant tell me there aren't bad single mothers) treat the child as an abomination or burden. Also, children do not process what he says as literally as these seemingly uneducated persons say in the article. His evil is because they choose to depict something in a way it is not meant to be depicted. And when they grow up, they don't look back and tell themselves, "I'm a failure." Rather, as I did, they mourn his death, thinking of it as a loss of someone who cared. Someone who took the time to look into the child's eyes and say, "you are special, and don't let anyone tell you differently."
The main issue is that these disgruntled mothers are looking at their failure as that, a failure. It's too bad that there has to be a scapegoat for something that is so outrageously not the targets fault. But this is what we get when we become the traditional greedy American. It's our way, and if you don't like it, I'll label you and throw you out on the street. (the last part isn't how i think by the way)
Who else was going to tell them they are special? not there parents, that's for sure.
perhaps, if parents did their job, the television wouldn't have to.
Im as "anti-fox-news" as they come, but I agree with them and the views expressed regarding Mr. Rogers.
Funny, Gretchen and Brian were born in 66 and 64 respectively. Mr. Rogers started in 68 so they are a couple of this generation of "special" kids. What a couple of wankers. Morons.
I don't give a shit whether FOX news was quoting another source. The whole story is absolutely pointless and a total heap of shit. This is not news, and it's certainly not presented objectively. They actually tried to use the higher achievements of kids in Asia to prove that Mr. Rogers was the source of our problems. Correlation does not prove causation, and FOX News never proves to be anything more than an attention-seeking bullshit factory. I'm the calmest person I know, and FOX News never fails to make me want to fucking murder someone.
Mr. Rogers told my generation that we're special. I agree that we listened to him, we thought we could change the world. And, guess what Fox News, WE DID! By thinking that we were special and that we could do anything, we decided to elect Barack Obama as President.
If you saw the hard work that I saw at Indiana University that caused a 20 point swing and turned Indiana blue for the first time, then you would see that the youth are the least satisfied...the most motivated and the ones who will bring change to our country because we will not be satisfied with anything less.
Fox News and Republicans are going to be in trouble if they continue alienating this generation. I'm going to be a lifelong Democrat, and I'm a finance major.
Welcome to the new progressive America.
We had a lot of kids in my family, and I am the oldest. I wasn't the "pretty" one, or the "athletic" one, or the "popular" one. I was the one who had to watch out for the rest, babysit the rest, wait hand and foot on the rest. I was the one blamed for whatever the other kids did. I was never given praise, and was always made to know that I wasn't as cared about as the other kids in the family, since Mom and Dad always equated looks with worth.
I thank God for Mister Rogers. He didn't judge me. He never made me feel less worthy. He very gently reminded me that I was special just for being me, and that kindness counted for more than looks. He cared for all kids, but most especially for the ones who were treated like crap for no real and substantive reasons.
I raised my own son on Mister Rogers, and a kinder person you will never find. Mister Rogers made sure I didn't make the same mistakes my own parents made.
The study is correct. There is no denying that Fred Rogers was a wonderful human being, but I agree: if you feed someone a message that basically says "Good enough is good enough", then there is no incentive to excel. The real truth is that good enough isn't.
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