Perhaps one of the places that propaganda and brainwashing are most present, is on Children's Television shows. However, this is the place where propaganda and brainwashing are least visible, mostly because of the typical viewing audience. But this is also a place where they are most effective, because of the impressionable minds of America's youth.

Now, this kind of brainwashing isn't necessarily a bad kind. It isn't telling them to kill people, or trying to erase the past, or trying to get a certain governmental philosophy engrained in their minds. But, when watching these shows again now that I am (slightly) more mature has allowed me to see the hidden messages that are entwined within them.

Most of these messages are easy to find and are actually good things for them to learn. For example, Barney teaches kids to share, and to love everyone. Action cartoons try to simplify all of life's problems (metaphorically speaking) into good and evil. You have the good guys and the bad guys. They are very easy to distinguish (Bad guys are usually ugly, and wear black (this is another message entirely)). Many shows (like Inspector Gadget) end with a segment telling kids how they can be good, and stay safe. And of course, shows like Sesame Street or The Magic School Bus out-and-out teach lessons to the kids about science and reading.

But there are some messages hidden in Children's Television that aren't so innoccuous. Most of the time these are messages about social interaction. Have you ever noticed how the bad guys in almost all of these shows are different from the heroes? Whether it be by their appearance or personality, they are always different. Maybe the bad guy is a "nerd," or maybe he is from a different place, but he is always different. And, this person (or thing) that is different is always evil. And sometimes he is purposefully made to look different or ugly. Maybe with a deformity, or a birth defect, or he had a horrible accident. And what is the message in this? Hate those that are different from you. This is one of the reasons that kids stare and point at people in wheelchairs, or people with birth defects.

Now, there are exceptions to this, and there are plenty of shows that are just good clean children's entertainment. But there are also plenty filled with evil communist messages.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.