Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and the So-Called “Make-Believe” Pandemic
By Supermodelsonya
Some of us grew up very lucky children. We got to turn on our televisions in the morning to see Fred Rogers with his sweaters and his sneakers. His reassuring smile and his gentle, calm nature was enough to transport most of us to a world of make believe. He made children as if our imaginations would make our worlds come alive.
It was a magical feeling, and its one that I find myself experiencing again, as i transport myself back in time to my childhood. As a child, anything was possible. However, we grew up and learned different lessons that seemed incongruent with what we learned from Mr. Rogers. Our generation was taught that race, religion, sex, or creed shouldn’t matter. That we should be more understanding and learn how to treat people in order to create a better world.
Growing up just enforced our differences and it seemed by the time we were able to look up from it all, we had already chosen different sides. The magic was now lost. “We” turned into “me”, introducing the rat race that has become and essentially defined our humanity.
That old make-believe world of castles, dragons, and princesses in need of help was for the gullible, the simple, and the insane. We put those people away for the supposed good of the rest of us…
