Most people who have grown up in the UK will have at some time heard or seen the kids TV programme jackanory, a show where some famous middle aged person such as celebrities or poets (e.g. Ted Hughes) would read children stories. It is also widely known that children have no interest in politics and know almost nothing about it, another baker came up with the idea of world leader trading cards, my idea unlike that one is to try to inform children about current events and how parliament works.
A suitable middle-aged person would be chosen to present the show and the show would attempt to tell children about politics. Naturally it would be simplified with politicians being given exciting names like “the quiet man” (Ian Duncan Smith), “Two Jags” (John Prescott), and “Benin controller” (Tony Blair) these of course are only examples. The current events of the time would then be jazzed up and made into exciting stories, but with the message of what is happening still intact. An example would be say The Texan Rancher (Bush) and the Benin controller (Blair) going to rescue the magic oil from the dark, scary country of Iraq. This idea is currently still fermenting in my brain and I am welcome to suggestions of alternative names, stories and layout.-- talen, Jan 17 2003 Jackanory http://tv.cream.org/arkj.htm [my face your, Oct 05 2004] Benin http://www.cia.gov/...ctbook/geos/bn.htmlBloody hell, are we rebuilding the Empire? [my face your, Oct 05 2004] The Benin Controller?-- my face your, Jan 17 2003 Ack no! Let kids be kids, they'll have to become political to some extent later in life. Hurrying the process is nasty.
Also as you so eloquently pointed out in your final paragraph, this would turn into a form of propaganda for kids.
Let them develop their own interests without shoving adult concerns down their throats.-- madradish, Jan 17 2003 [my your face] I think my spell checker picked the wrong word. I meant be-nine as in stupid.
[madradish] sorry I've got idea block and this was the only one I could think of.-- talen, Jan 17 2003 // be-nine //
Benign ?
I don't think this would be practical, as most fairy stories are loosely based on some real historical incident, whereas the outpourings of the Ministry of Truth are of course complete fabrication - kids would spot this and lose interest.-- 8th of 7, Jan 17 2003 I think it's a good idea in itself, but would have to be handled carefully. Teaching children about the political process is not a bad thing if it's kept free of dogma. There was a headmaster on the radio this morning decrying the lack of this very thing, although you'd have thought he'd be in a better position than most to do something about it.
And did you mean benign as in gracious, kind, gentle? Not necessarily stupid, some people are that way through choice.-- egbert, Jan 17 2003 That's ok [talen]. Don't rush the creative process. Better not to post an idea than to post an ill considered one sometimes.
Alternatively, go steal some of FloridaManatee's. He's got lots.-- madradish, Jan 17 2003 I think that you'd run into real trouble with trying to keep the stories objective. In your example, for instance, the use of such a loaded word as 'rescue' means that you are taking sides rather than just telling it as it is. No, explain the institutions and the processes of politics by all means but keep political propaganda out of kids TV.-- DrBob, Jan 17 2003 I suppose your right there. My bad.-- talen, Jan 17 2003 "Well, I'm just a bill, yeah I'm only a bill, and I'm sittin' here on capital hill..."-- RayfordSteele, Jan 17 2003 "Hello children ! Are you sitting comfortably ? Well, today Uncle Saddam's going to read to you from a lovely old picture book called the Necronomicon, written by a man called the Mad Arab, Abdul Alhazred. The story's called 'The Rite of the Summoning of Cthulu'. 'Once upon a time ......."
Or so the world's media might have us believe.-- 8th of 7, Jan 17 2003 random, halfbakery