Some people overestimate the impact that brief exposure to certain concepts has on children. For example, I watched shows like Captain Planet as a kid, which promoted causes like environmentalism. I wasn’t consciously aware of the viewpoints being presented, and they definitely didn’t turn me into an activist as a child. Young children are primarily drawn to entertainment and often don’t engage with complex ideas or deeper messages at that age.
I have to imagine that most children don’t even realize that same sex couples are in a relationship or a character is trans while watching shows.
As a child there were commercials showing birds and other animals tangled up in the plastic 6-pack rings. I still cut those up as a result of those commercials 40 years ago. Everyone I know from that era does the same… even people who generally laugh at the idea of environmentalism and throw recyclable cans with a deposit it the trash, because they can’t be bothered.
I always think of Punky Brewster and get a little anxious any time I see someone get in a refrigerator. Even though I know modern refrigerators don’t have the issues of Punky’s, it still feels incredibly risky to get into a fridge thanks to that one episode of a TV show I saw one time 30+ years ago.
You never really know what people will latch onto that will change behavior decades later.
I watched Captain Planet as well. While I don’t know if it was directly responsible or not, I have a hard time throwing stuff away that still seems good. I always try to sell or donate it. I don’t want to be the one that adds massive amounts of stuff to the landfill. If I have more than one bag to throw away for the week, I feel a little embarrassed. I avoid retail therapy, in part, for a similar reason. Was it Captain Planet, was it the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle commercials? Maybe a little of both.
IMO the main difference is that identity is more or less immutable. If it could be easily changed in childhood, nobody would be gay. We spent, like, the last 200 years trying our absolute hardest to make sure nobody is gay. We practically beat them over the head with it. We told people it's the worst thing ever and they deserve to die if they're gay.
States are introducing age-verification bills for porn where they include "gender ideology" or "people expressing identity incongruent with their biological sex" in the definition of porn. This was planned very explicitly in Project 2025. The right is pushing the same "trans visibility is turning kids trans" nonsense that they were pushing a 20 years ago with "gay visibility is turning kids gay."
This isn't just going to be parents cancelling netflix subscriptions or even school boards removing specific books from libraries. This is going to be coordinated efforts to criminalize trans visibility.
What is the "false information" being pushed here? That transgender people exist?
Anyone who has watched "Dead End" knows the only "propaganda" it is pushing is that trans kids exist and one particular one (Barney) feels more comfortable expressing what they feel is their most authentic identity.
Also what is the comparative exposure of LGBTQ experience as seen in children's programming versus the amount of heterosexual experience they are shown?
If children are sponges when it comes to learning why do we wait until high school to let them learn eg calculus? And why censor anything from them? Seems like MORE exposure to ideas is better than less. The kids’ll sort out the truth for themselves when they inherit the earth.
By this logic, I would need to be expert in cutting heads off Mexican cartel style, because when I was a teen I had a nasty habit of watching LiveLeak.
Is the HN community so blind to the effects of their products that they are willing to sacrifice their children's mental health for it? Brainwashing really works.
I have to imagine that most children don’t even realize that same sex couples are in a relationship or a character is trans while watching shows.