I can't imagine anyone nowadays giving Jim Henson OR Fred Rogers children's television programs

[xiphias]

They're both too suspicious of authority.

I mean, Mister Rogers is one of those people who tries to get people to think for themselves, and have empathy, which makes people tend to be a little worse at being Mindless Drones Of The Man, so that, alone, would keep folks from wanting his message to get out.

But Jim Henson . . . Henson was a deeply Suspicious Of The Man hippie.

I got the first two seasons of Fraggle Rock at Costco, and we've been watching them some. I'd never seen them when I was a kid because we didn't have . . . what channel was it on? HBO or something? Anyway, we didn't have it, so I never saw it.

The second episode, the lesson they're teaching kids? "Sometimes, 'slavery' feels like 'freedom'." So you have to be very careful NOT to let other people be authority figures. Because authority figures will make you feel like you belong, if you go along with their authority, but they are really just using you.

And the third episode. . . well, see, as far as the Gorgs know, whenever they go to the pump in the garden, like they do every day, they get water.

As far as the Fraggles know, at some point, every day, the pond drains out. But that's okay, because after that, the Pipe-Bangers come, and do the Pipe-Banging Ritual, and then the water flows and refills the pond.

And Doc, the human who lives in the house over where Fraggle Rock is? He's decided to fix the boiler so that the pipes stop banging. So he shuts off the water as he repairs the boiler.

The Pipe-Bangers are confused when their ritual doesn't work, so they get a NEW pipe-banging stick, by which time the water is turned back on, so the ritual works, and everybody is pleased with the Pipe-Bangers ritual.

What, exactly, is that saying about religion?

Comments

[gingicat]

This post reminded me of how many skits on Sesame Street are either preachy or downright mean-spirited since Jim Henson died. It makes me sad. About the only bit that I consistently like is Elmo's World, annoying squeaky voice and all.

[mightydoll.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about sesame street. I stopped lettng my kids watch it. (and now they're too old to care)

[alaria-lyon.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I hadn't really noticed. But I don't think turning of elmo in my house is really an option anyway!

[samildanach.livejournal.com]

Yikes. I grew up watching Sesame Street and have very sweet memories of it -- preachy I could see, but mean-spirited? Can you point to an example?

[gingicat]

The nice bald Muppet with the blue nose is reading in his armchair. Grover appears and announces that his house is being featured in EXTREME MAKEOVER! Chaos ensues, and eventually the bald Muppet has three front doors. He protests that he didn't want *any* of these doors put in, and so Grover takes them all away, including the original... and then tells the man that since he and the workmen can't get out, hat they're spending the night. The bald Muppet just groans and shrinks into his chair.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Hunh. That doesn't seem TOO different from the sorts of things that used to happen to the bald muppet when he went to the diner at which Grover was working. . . .

[mightydoll.livejournal.com]

Idunno, but Jim Henson was a scientologist

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

No, he wasn't. He was raised a Christian Scientist. Completely different thing.

[mightydoll.livejournal.com]

hm, I heard he was a scientologist (I'm aware that they 're different things)

It still seems to me possible that when he died he was a scientoloogist...my uncle was raised catholic, but is now one) I honestly can't remember where I go t that incformation, so I couldnt' say if it was a reliable source (pardon the wierd spacing, I'm using firefox on a mac and the combination seems to do wieird things to the livejournal reply fields)

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

I think you were mistaken. I heard an interview with Henson, fairly late in his life, where he said he had grown up as a Christian Scientist but was currently not religious.

[copperpoint.livejournal.com]

And, in defense of Christian Scientists, the gross majority of them are not the sort of fruit loops who withhold medical care from children.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

There WAS speculation that some of the reason Henson may have put off going to the hospital with the pneumonia that killed him was just an ingrained habit of avoiding doctors unless REALLY REALLY necessary, that he probably picked up in childhood.

[ron_newman]

It is, however, reasonable to ask whether his upbringing discouraged him from seeking necessary medical treatment, causing him to die 40 or so years before he should have.

[ron_newman]

I truly doubt this. The Scientologists proudly trumpet the names of any celebrities who join their cult, and they've never mentioned him.

the truth was

[wolfdancer.livejournal.com]

He was HE had too much to do to go to the dr or the HOSPITAL for a COLD.
HE did not have the time.

And yes. I agree with you 100%

[papersky.livejournal.com]

I think it's providing a very insightful truth about people.

P.S. Did you get my email?

[sproutntad.livejournal.com]

Dance your cares away
Working's for another Day
Dance your cares away
Down in Fraggle Rock!!