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Amidst the usual attempts at turning editorial decisions into political fuel for right wing outrage dumpster fire, I’m simply glad the Seuss family’s decision w
by pqr53 6y ago
Amidst the usual attempts at turning editorial decisions into political fuel for right wing outrage dumpster fire, I’m simply glad the Seuss family’s decision will help parents avoid unintentionally exposing their children to images and contents that alienate them. Imagine your Asian-American 4yo read who’s just learning to use chopsticks read “A Chinese man who eats with sticks,” with a ethnic caricature to go with it. It’s outdated because it wasn’t the author’s intent for the book to make certain children feel like an exotic sidekick prop, but the world has changed and created that risk; IMO, this is a reasonable way to address that. If you have a better alternative, speak up and advocate. If you don’t care about the alienation that minority children might feel reading this, well, that’s your problem.
- schrectacular 6y agoI find it incredibly hard to believe that a four year old will have the capacity to be offended by that image... If anything most four year olds will be excited to see a character also using chopsticks. I can see the parents not wanting their child to identify with the "stereotype", but given the fantastic nature of the rest of the imagery I just don't see anyone being the butt of a joke here. The kid is lost in a reverie and those images of Qing dress with the braid are pretty iconic. I have ample experience with China and no Chinese person I showed it to was offended at all, they thought it was cute.
- pqr53 6y agoIt’s no swastika with a mustache, I agree with that; if the Seuss family decided to do nothing about this, I’d probably make a mental note about reviewing kids books myself first and move on with life. But they did, and I understand the reason. So I’m supportive. Either way, I don’t think it dignifies anyone to be up in arms about it, and certainly not to turn it into a debate about constitutional law.
- inglor_cz 6y ago> Imagine your Asian-American 4yo read who’s just learning to use chopsticks read “A Chinese man who eats with sticks,” with a ethnic caricature to go with it. I imagined it and I felt no reason to collapse on my fainting couch. What is even bad about it? Is America so far gone that a stereotypical picture of a Chinese man with sticks is considered to be on par with a lynch mob singing "hang him high?" Or what precisely should be so shocking and horrifying there for a 4 y.o. kid? Isn't it actually a book that has been read by millions of kids, undoubtedly some of them Asian, without unleashing a PTSD epidemics among them?
- pqr53 6y agoI think the bar for child-safe content these days goes a little further than censoring images of lynching mobs, yes. Similarly, I believe our goal in writing children’s books should be a bit loftier than “not unleashing a PTSD epidemic.” It’s not that you’re tough and rugged; no grownups are fainting into couches over this, but some are clearly annoyed over their children’s confusion at reading these books. Why would they do make this decision if nobody spoke up about it?
- Grustaf 6y agoYou are aware that Chinese people actually do eat with sticks? Do you think chopsticks are somehow inferior, or why would that be even slightly offensive? I think most Chinese would be more offended by people that think chopsticks are something that needs to be censored and hidden.
- pqr53 6y agoI wouldn’t dare guess how a billion people might react to something. But I know what it feels like to be depicted and treated like a novelty, and that it is a slight subtle enough that you’ll be mocked for your feelings if you voiced your opinion. It’s not every day you see someone go out of their way to protect people from that, and I appreciate it.
- Grustaf 6y ago> I wouldn’t dare guess how a billion people might react to something. Yet that's exactly what people do when they are offended-by-proxy on behalf of people in one of the most powerful and long lasting empires in history. They don't need your protection.
- pqr53 6y agoI’m actually from East Asia, so no, I’m not offended by proxy. I wouldn’t want my kids seeing that, and clearly enough parents spoke up that the Seuss family listened. Given your shallow, fawning remarks about Chinese history, I’d hazard a guess you’re not from there. You don’t seem to understand that this is a decision for children, not the people of China, so it doesn’t sound like you spend your daily life worrying about what your children are exposed to without your knowledge. Seems to me that you’re the one who’s offended-by-proxy, out of some personal opinions about politics, rather than any practical issue that concerns you.