Voice post. AFFECTED AS HECK :c

[raisedinabox]

I remember hearing about an artist who hired billboards one Christmas to put up these huge posters, saying: "Santa gives rich kids more toys

Comments

[vinkus_witch]

I agree. I don't think his work should have been censored, but then, those with the greatest power tend to feel more comfortable with lies.

[raisedinabox]

There are some cultural lies that almost everyone is more comfortable with. Challenging those benign assumptions is more dangerous than people expect.

[vinkus_witch]

Hm. I find it all ridiculous.

[last_kodiak]

Indulgence and lies to children. No wonder the human race is so weak.

[raisedinabox]

Yes, I'm sure Father Christmas is to blame for the human condition.

[last_kodiak]

He's a symptom. Not a cause.

[raisedinabox]

Perhaps. So what's the cause? Is it purely genetic, would you say?

[christ_onabike]

Actually, mate, you've got a point.

It's like... if a kid's parents don't have a ton of money, Father Christmas and that shit? Is just getting them to put pressure on their parents to buy 'em something they can't afford. Which is then setting themselves up for disappointment. Once they're older and, y'know, know what's going down, they can ask for stuff they might get, and nobody's upset, and nobody feels guilty for not giving a kid a robot with lasers when all they can afford is a new knitted jumper.

[Paddy. Talking about his life? noooooooo. Surely not.]

[raisedinabox]

Exactly my thoughts. Parents give all that they can to make their children happy, and if there was a little more emphasis on that, and a little less on what toys Santa's bringing, Christmas might be a little less fraught for everyone.

[christ_onabike]

Only the rich folks can afford to have fantasy that works.

The rest of us are stuck with fucking grim reality.

[raisedinabox]

Exactly. So why not make Christmas about celebrating the things that are free?

I don't know, I don't think there's anything wrong with having the story in place, just as long as they get that it's a story and don't feel let down when they can't understand why Santa could only afford a second hand bike for them.

[victimofnoone]

If kids knew it came from their parents, it would make the holiday just like a birthday or whatever. The original St. Nicholas that most cultures base Santa Claus on totally gave gifts to strangers. Besides, there's nothing wrong with believing in a little magic and developing some optimist instead of just like, being a "realist" and jaded your whole life.

[raisedinabox]

Maybe if you come from a rich family then having a little magic behind why you get the best toys once a year is fine, but if all your family can afford to give you is second hand or homemade gifts, then it seems unfair to be told that what you get depends on how good you are, when regardless of their behavior the kid next door is always going to get something better.

If children honestly believe that story, then they also must believe that the ones with the best presents are the best behaved or the best liked. Personally, I don't think that's a fair message to send.

At Christmas, everyone receives something. Everyone who can afford to give things to the people they care about does so. Families come together and eat together and enjoy each others company, without it being all about any one person. That's what makes it different to birthday celebrations, and I don't think that appreciating the reality of that makes you jaded at all.

[victimofnoone]

Maybe if you were raised in a not-rich family, you would still appreciate getting gifts at all because you aren't spoiled. Besides, there's always someone getting something better or more of what you wanted or a gift that's better six months from now. You'll always be happy to get something and later wish you got something else, even if you love what you got. It's just how people are.

I think kids can believe in Santa Claus without believing that their goodness if a direct cause of their number of presents.

I think Christmas is the same with or without Santa, except the kid's enthusiasm in the morning and their later likelihood to be optimistic and believe in wishes coming true. And if the parents tell them right, I think they learn that they have to work to make those dreams come true, but that they still can. If you grow up without Santa, I don't think you'd really believe in anyone being extraordinary.

[raisedinabox]

If the best example a parent can think of to make their children believe in the capacity for human beings to be extraordinary is a fictional character, then they need to invest in a history book. You want your children to believe in wishes coming true? Forget Santa and teach them about the civil rights movement.

I agree with you though, I think that children can be grateful and excited to be getting gifts regardless of what wealthier children are getting, and I also think they would feel that way knowing that it's their friends and family who give them gifts.

[raisedinabox]

Well, if it makes you feel better, there was a backlash over the censorship of it? But as long as people are profiting from lying, they'll keep protecting that lie.

[THE TRUTH IS GOOD FOR CHILDREN. HARD COLD TRUTH AND GRUEL.]

How are you finding the flood? Do you know if you've been affected or not?

[raisedinabox]

Evidently not, but how do you backlash against the owners of billboards? It's not like consumers can take away their custom, only corporate entities.

[NO FALSE COMFORTS FOR YOU. WE DON'T APPROVE OF THEM.]

Hm.

[Private]

You sound more unhappy about this than you do about most of the things that go on here.