Fox News slanders the nicest, sweetest, most gentle man that ever walked the planet

[figment1986]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

I'm special; just like everyone else.

Here's your star for today for admitting your special like everyone else...

</sarcasm>

Still, sure we are all special in our own way, but why should we keep saying it if we are all equally special like Mister Rodgers said...

The blame was just shifted from where it belongs to him. Besides, research like this happens all the time and can be manipulated one direction or the other easily... I still say blame family, friends, role models... if they were all pushing the idea too, well they are equally to be blamed.

(Not all family, friends, and role models did this, just some...)

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Syndrome from The Incredibles

And when everyone's super, no one will be.

I went to an awards thing for my daughter at the end of school year. She was receiving two awards - no huge deal. There were maybe 40 awards for the entire 7th grade. She was getting a math award and an MVP award for her 7th grade basketball team.

What angered me is that in almost every award given to anyone, the presenter (typically a teacher) would offer up "This doesn't mean that other kids didn't deserve this award" or some other such crap. It cheapens accomplishment and rather than making those who aren't getting an award feel better, it makes the person who actually earned it seem like their accomplishment wasn't really that great.

I have a view of self esteem that while, yes, we are all unique and have something unique to offer, special is something that sets us apart, and that is something that is earned. My daughter works very hard at basketball and has become a special player because of that. There is no better feeling than working at something and becoming good at it. That is where true self esteem comes from - knowing that you can do it it through perseverence and hard work.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I don't think anyone here would disagree with what's being said about "being special" or self esteem. And the point is, neither would have Mr. Rogers. His message cannot be boiled down to his single catch phrase.

[flippyshark]

Family Communications (parent company for Mr. Rogers Neighborhood) have mounted a detailed defense on their homepage.

Don't Blame Fred

[Tom]

My dad once saw Mr. Rogers naked.

He (my dad) moved to Pittsburgh about 1990, and has related the story to me how shortly thereafter he joined an athletic club and one day walked into the showers, only to be confronted there by Mr. Rogers in the buff.

Anyway, no real relation to this thread, but I enjoy the story and wanted to relate it. Just don't let Fox News hear of it.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Now I've got an image of Mr. Rogers wearing nothing but a cardigan and sneakers.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Now I've got an image of Mr. Rogers wearing nothing but a cardigan and sneakers.

I find myself wondering about the pigmentation of his genitalia

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Alex

NPR, though, also mentioned this article the other day so they too have slandered Mr. Rogers. Apparently he is getting it from both the left and the right.

Yes, but NPR gets a pass because they meet their "progressive" story quota early every month

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

I think we must all turn off our TV sets immediately, starting with Faux News.

....and the radio too, starting with NPR

Originally Posted by Jazzman

That video gave me really mixed feelings. On the one hand I was rather disgusted at how they targeted Mr. Rogers, a man who dedicated his life to children and bettering their lives. On the other hand, I agree that the whole culture of "everybody is special, everybody wins, everybody blah blah blah" isn't a good thing. One of the things that bothers me most about society today is the entitlement complex that so many people have, and I agree that that complex comes from teaching kids that they're all special little angels no matter what they do and that they all deserve to be treated special. But I don't believe that Mr Rogers is to blame for that at all. I grew up watching him (and Sesame Street) and they helped me feel confident, but not like some little Prince.

Terrible reporting there, but not completely off about some points, in my opinion.

Thanks Jazz, that pretty much sums it up for me.


Elastic Girl: "Everyone's special Dash"
Dash: "..just another way of saying no one is"

[Ghoulish Delight]

On the flip side of all this is the people who say you only have value if you are a winning sports hero. That your wealth is the only measure of your value. That only people who work in industries they approve of are special, contributing human beings.

Bull crap.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I never got "deserving special things" from Mr. Rogers' "you are special" message. He basically said to accept yourself for who you are.

I didn't watch the clips, but he was always a well-spoken person as far as I saw. Leave the guy alone. He's not the source of entitlement. Overly permissive parents contribute more. IMO

Faux Not-News is just trying to bump their ratings.