I don’t know what to think. The New York Times this week ran an article about the “Sesame Street” we all enjoyed as children. The article, which is highly cynical, actually talks about how the original “Sesame Street” is now available on DVD but it has a warning on it: Adults Only. Are you kidding me?
“What they did to us was hard-core. Man, was that scene rough. The masonry on the dingy brownstone at 123 Sesame Street, where the closeted Ernie and Bert shared a dismal basement apartment, was deteriorating. Cookie Monster was on a fast track to diabetes. Oscar’s depression was untreated. Prozacky Elmo didn’t exist,” said the author. And let’s not forget that only Big Bird can see Mr. Snuffleupagus – thus he’s hallucinating.
Now, I for one never thought anything like this as a child growing up watching these episodes. But then again, in the 1970s we weren’t exposed to things that are so mainstream today.
The article talks about a segment in the first issue where Gordon brought Sally home to meet his wife and gave her milk and cookies. And in today’s world, a child going home with a man to meet his wife is just frightening. Why? Because the world we live in today is a pretty scary place to be.
My mom always says she gave me the gift of fear – and we both believe it’s a good one. And we do laugh about it – but know deep down this is the greatest gift she could ever give me. Not a fear of everything, but more of a fear to be aware of your surroundings at all times. When the other kids used to cut through the woods on the way to elementary school, it took me a little longer because mom told me not to walk in the woods and I never did.
As a little girl on my necklace chain I had very small gold whistle – the size of a charm. The idea was if my mom and I were ever separated while out shopping, I was to stop and blow the whistle. I have a very vivid memory of losing my mom in a department store and looking up and seeing all these women with the same blonde hair but couldn’t find my mom. I called out to her. Nothing. A woman came over, took me by the arm and told me she’d help me. No way! I started blowing the whistle (while this woman, who honestly in 1974 only wanted to help me find my mom looked at me like I was a lunatic). All of a sudden an arm went up from across the store and my mom called out “Elizabeth, I hear you – I’m coming.” Now that was pretty forward thinking on my mom’s part if you think about it.
Today I always check under my car as I approach it (you never know when someone might be hiding underneath it). I always check the far back of my SUV before opening the door. I walk with my key stuck out between my fingers in case I need a quick way to defend myself from a predator. I lock my doors, don’t let any strangers in my house and overall think I’ve lived a pretty safe existence.
While this author goes on to explain why the original Sesame Street series is carrying this adult only rating, it makes me nostalgic and disappointed at the same time. Those decades were a lot different then the one we are living in now. The world was a friendlier place, people weren’t abducting children and doing horrible things to them, terrorism wasn’t something we thought about on a daily basis and people socialized with their neighbors, said hello to passers-by on the street and left their doors unlocked. I think watching these early episodes of Sesame Street are no different than watching 1950s television programs. They are a reminder of the world we used to live in and a refreshing break from a world where we are always looking over our shoulders.
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7 comments:
Very well said! The old shows aren't the problem - the world we live in now is. It's always good to be safe (everyone should definitely get their kid a whistle, that's a great idea!) but it's sad to think of the spin the world today can put on an innocent show reflective of that friendlier time.
Had to post this - I sent this article to a co-worker (who will remain anonymous) and here's what he said:
Either this author is being sarcastic or the mother of all cynics. I can’t decide which. All I know is, I’m not overweight because Cookie Monster ate cookies, Susan and Gordon were examples of NICE people who weren’t going to “steal” you off the street, and Oscar the Grouch, to me, represented a good example of what NOT to do in life. I never thought Big Bird’s friends accused him of “hallucinating,” and while I’ve joked many many times about the sexual orientation of Ernie and Bert, I’d never state as fact (“closet Ernie and Bert?” puh-leeze!) that they were, not in a public column like this! Wow!
When you're a child, things like child molestation, terrorism, sexuality of any orientation, and drug abuse (illegal or prescribed for 'ailments of the mind') just shouldn't exist.
I'm sorry, but our children shouldn't have to grow up this fast. It's our job as PARENTS to establish boundaries for our children, so they are aware of their surroundings, but aren't afraid of them.
If we fail at that, then we've failed at raising our children. And MY son or daughter will LIVE their young childhood in as much innocence and joy as humanly possible.
Because once you're no longer a child, true innocence and joy are luxuries you simply cannot pay for - not matter how rich you are.
The image of you blowing a whistle in the middle of a crowded space is both totally endearing and really amusing:) I love it.
Your mom was a very smart woman. My mom raised both my sister and I to be overly cautious as well.
I was a Sesame Street addict when I was a kid. I am interested to watch these older episodes now so I can be reminded of a much simpler time. It's a scary age in which to raise a child, that's for sure.
Ahhh!!!! "My sister and me" not "My sister and I."
(I am such a dork for actually going back and correcting myself, aren't I? Go ahead, you can agree with me.)
I wrote this letter to the editor VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN becasue she clearly does not understand the original intent of Jim Henson's Sesame Street!
I read you article "Sweeping the Clouds Away" and I think it is factually incorrect! I grew up in an upper middle class suburb in Boston. I was born in 1980 and watched Sesame Street my whole life. As did almost everyone I know my age.
Jim Henson’s original intent for Sesame Street and the monsters was to show diversity and erase the boundaries of racism. It was not all about drugs and altered realities. Jim Henson was way ahead of his time on many cultural issues and used his brilliant mind to address them.
I have watch today’s sesame street and in my opinion it lacks many things. Fist it lacks creativity. It also lacks realty where everything is perfect and happy like Elmo. The new episodes are repetitive and the animations are of horrible quality.
I have a B.S. in Graphic Design and Multimedia from Northeastern University and lived in Boston for 10 years. In now way when I moved to the city did I think it was going to be like Sesame Street!
I think you just offended all generation-X people out there. My kids will only watch original Sesame Streets because I don’t want them to watch the same show everyday. I want them to grow up with creative original thought. Today’s kids try to conform to the extreme and the new Sesame Streets portrays this. So I ask you, are you really trying to protect today’s youth?
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