Poor Kid (a story from a co-worker's non-disney board)

[Stacy's a freak]

My co-worker sent me this post to read on another non-disney board (there are non-disney boards out there!?)

"My nephew and his parents went to Disney world and all that business down in Florida a week ago. In one of the parks there is a Star Wars area. Now, Nephew is a big star wars fan. Just this past summer, he was questioning my husband about the philosophies behind the dark side and the Jedi and how good and evil live in people and it's how we choose to let them show... you get the picture, right? It was pretty deep stuff for a 6 year old to be considering, but he's never been one to take things at face value.

Anyway, at the Star Wars area of the park he had his face painted like Darth Maul - they did a fantastic job and he looked all evil. As they all walked through this star wars stuff, they came across an interactive Jedi training session. My brother in law and his wife asked him if he'd like to go join in and the poor fella panicked. "No, I can't! Look at me! I'm evil! I'm Darth Maul! I can't train with the Jedi!" Once his parents found that he couldn't be convinced to join the other kids, they all sat back and watched the training with other spectators. My brother in law looked over at his son and saw tears trickling down his red and black cheeks as he watched the training session in silence.

So, yeah. To me, it's both the saddest story ever told and one of the funniest. Is it bad that I got a chuckle out of this?"

I just knew that my Disboards friends would want to hear this story too. I have to say that I didn't laugh like the poster did ... I just feel awful for that little boy!!

 

[Geef]

I kinda like that he realizes that those characters are evil. When I was a kid, and the movie first came out (76?), we didn't idolize Darth Vader. We didn't even think of something like that. Now days, they target the kids with this train of thought. Being a christian, this concerns me (the idea of evil/sin being ok)

Sad story overall...

 

[NDM#1]

Geef,

I'm kind of with you on this one. I always feel a little uneasy when the "bad guys" are considered cool and the "good guys" are not. Why does DS insist on always wearing his Captain Hook costume and completely shuns his Peter Pan one?

But with the OP, I did snicker over how entirely adorable the little boy in this story is. But my heart ached for him at the same time. As a mom, I have to say I would have been so heart-broken upon seeing him cry that I would have wiped his face entirely clean (no matter how much that fantastic paint job was) and told him to become a Jedi. Precious thing!

 

[LilGMom]

As a Star Wars fan and mom of Star Wars fans I find the story both cute and humorous. I think that if it had been my DS and he had been that upset I would have either cleaned his face and taken Darth Maul off or explained to him that just because his face was painted as an evil character it did not make him evil - it is what is on the inside that matters, not the appearance. Having Darth Maul up there battling Darth Vader could have shown the other Non-Darth Maul looking younglins that good can and will overcome evil by making Darth Maul good while fighting evil.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I agree! If this were my child (albeit my fictional child), I would have either washed his face off OR I would have found a way to get back there the next day to get into the Jedi training.

Poor little guy! But very admirable, for sure.

 

[dpuck1998]

But the bad guys get all the girls...no wonder we like them!

 

[NDM#1]

But the bad guys get all the girls...no wonder we like them!

But the good guys get the girls that are worth getting, right? Wait! I don't know that I want you to answer that, Don. I have no idea what you will say, but I can't imagine that it is something I want to hear.

 

[dpuck1998]

But the good guys get the girls that are worth getting, right? Wait! I don't know that I want you to answer that, Don. I have no idea what you will say, but I can't imagine that it is something I want to hear.

I try not to discriminate! I like all girls

 

[Decorated_Dust]

But the good guys get the girls that are worth getting, right? Wait! I don't know that I want you to answer that, Don. I have no idea what you will say, but I can't imagine that it is something I want to hear.

That's my philosophy! I don't like bad boys, and I don't see why so many girls do, but that's because I'm one of those crazy Jesus freaks.

By the way, I feel bad for that kid. I, like Geef, am also glad this kid is getting it. Even if I take my Christianity out of it and look at the psychology of the whole thing, movies like POTC have been making the bad guys the good guys in a sense. This confuses little kids, whose thinking is still very black and white. For the record, I don't blame parents, but culture in general for this. Actually, I want to do the topic above as a dissertation for either my master's or my doctorate, so I'm probably a little off topic.

I think the parents should have washed the make-up off. Let the kid be a Jedi!!!

 

[catycatcat4]

I kinda like that he realizes that those characters are evil. When I was a kid, and the movie first came out (76?), we didn't idolize Darth Vader. We didn't even think of something like that. Now days, they target the kids with this train of thought. Being a christian, this concerns me (the idea of evil/sin being ok)

Sad story overall...

Geef,

I'm kind of with you on this one. I always feel a little uneasy when the "bad guys" are considered cool and the "good guys" are not. Why does DS insist on always wearing his Captain Hook costume and completely shuns his Peter Pan one?


YAll do know these are just characters right? that means they are fictional! Its not like these characters are RL murders or theifs or something like that.

 

[Decorated_Dust]

YAll do know these are just characters right? that means they are fictional! Its not like these characters are RL murders or theifs or something like that.

There is an old adage I learned about in school that people tend to behave like the gods they worship. In this case, the gods are the cartoon or movie characters. It doesn't matter if they're fictional or not, particularly when you're a kid. I know I sound dramatic, but from talking to some of the kids I take care of, it's easy to get a little worried.

There was a study done recently that said teenagers who watched shows with large amounts of sex like Gossip Girl were twice as likely to get pregnant. Those characters are fictional, too. Now, this doesn't mean TV is the root of all evil, and there are many other factors to consider, but like it or not, media has a huge influence on us.

Okay, I'm off my soap box now. This is another subject I get very worked up about.

 

[catycatcat4]

Im probably one of the only ones at my school that doesnt watch retarted tv shows.

 

[Decorated_Dust]

Im probably one of the only ones at my school that doesn't watch retarded TV shows.

Same here. Everyone around me loves stuff like Gossip Girl and the Hills, but I think that stuff is mind-numbing. I hate to say it, but Heroes is now in that category.

 

[catycatcat4]

Same here. Everyone around me loves stuff like Gossip Girl and the Hills, but I think that stuff is mind-numbing. I hate to say it, but Heroes is now in that category.

I like watcing history discovory and national geogafic. the only shows other than that i watch is house M.D. and sometimes frindge how ever its spelled

 

[Decorated_Dust]

I like watching history discovery and national geographic. the only shows other than that i watch is house M.D. and sometimes fringe how ever its spelled

I LOVE HOUSE MD!!!!! That's like my favorite show!

Other than that, I love Lost and The Office. I'm more of a History Channel person myself. My roommate makes fun of me and says I have the interests of a 40-year-old man. I have to admit, she has a point, but I love watching things that make me think.

 

[catycatcat4]

Yup i like to think i hate ppl who don't think.

I think twlilight though not a show it is still very mind dumbing and you're iq will drop every time you read it.

 

[Decorated_Dust]

I think twlilight though not a show it is still very mind dumbing and you're iq will drop every time you read it.

I actually love Twilight. I know I just contradicted myself, but everyone needs the occasional escape, right?

 

[Geef]

YAll do know these are just characters right? that means they are fictional! Its not like these characters are RL murders or theifs or something like that.

Can you think of anyone you know who loves a TV show/movie star so much they act like or talk like them? They get so caught up in it that they annoy others? (kinda like me and Disney...)

If you know anyone like that, they would be the example of how a "Character" can lead someones thinking. People throughout history have been led by their missunderstandings of books, songs, people, etc. It is real and scary. (Charles Manson- HelterSkelter by the Beatles, John Hinckley Jr- "Taxi Driver" the movie, and many many more)

I'm sure some would say that I'm following a book (the Bible), and they would be right. I don't think I hurt anyone with my actions though. (although some mess this up as well)

 

[NDM#1]

Geef,

I'm kind of with you on this one. I always feel a little uneasy when the "bad guys" are considered cool and the "good guys" are not. Why does DS insist on always wearing his Captain Hook costume and completely shuns his Peter Pan one?


YAll do know these are just characters right? that means they are fictional! Its not like these characters are RL murders or theifs or something like that.

Hi caty,

Yeah we get it. That's why my son even HAS a Captain Hook costume to choose. That's also why we are not forming a grand campaign against it. We are just noting a very subtle implication of "bad is cool" or minimally that "bad is really neutral" that is permeating our culture. Our culture does send mixed messages such as "don't be bad, but bad is cool". This little boy is an example of the confusion that can take place as a result. And while it is a really cute story, it is also a little heart-wrenching to see someone so young be so conflicted.

No one (as far as I understand it) is condemning the use of imagination/pretending. Like I said, my son has a Captain Hook costume. He has also seen the POTC movies. In these stories, there does have to be a bad guy. And in the pretending world, there does have to be a bad guy. I think we are just stating that it is a little unnerving that it seems like a regular thing for kids to PREFER being the bad guy.