> Gary Peterson wrote:
>
> > As an amateur magician and educator, I am interested in the
> > reactions of
> > teachers and others to the increasingly popular books featuring the
> > Harry Potter character. I haven't read the books yet, but my
> > understanding is the character uses spells and magickal powers to make
> > the world right (for him). I predict reactions from concerned parents,
> > as well as folks like us who may be asked our view of such books in
> > relation to a child's (or adult's) ability to differentiate reality and
> > fantasy, the kind of role model being fostered for people who are
> > troubled, feel rejected by others, etc (do any Halloween movies come to
> > mind here? ;-).... Harry is a student of witchcraft and wizardry (still
> > a eurocentric charter school??) and faces dismal and paranoid-like
> > dangers in his world. He rescues himself by his sorcery and magickal
> > powers. Old stuff really, but I am also curious as to the popularity of
> > such books at a time when science literacy in the U.S. is considered
> > very poor (was it ever really good?), and a number of us in education
> > are trying to find ways to encourage critical thinking.
>
> I am finding that television programming for children is focusing
> increasingly on sympathetic portrayals of the parananormal and
> superstitious beliefs. For example, my daughter loves the Disney program,
> _So weird_, about a girl who investigates claims of the paranormal. I have
> also noticed some nonskeptical portrayals of the paranormal on Saturday
> morning "news" programs meant for chidlren (such as one-sided interviews
> with parapsychologists studying haunted houses). I find that I constantly
> have to talk with my daughter about the skeptical viewpoint on such
> matters.
>
> I suppose this increase in popular presentations of superstition for
> children parallels the presentations meant for adults. Magical thinking is
> the opposite of critical thinking; and magical thinking seems much more
> inherent to us than the critical kind: we don't have to teach magical
> thinking in our courses since our students are already very good at it.
I have noticed a shift within my life time on the presentation of these issues. When
I
was young, if a psychic was presented on a program (for example, helping the police
track down a killer), they would be shown to be a fraud before it was over. If there
was a mystery, a rational explanation would be found in the end (a la Scooby Doo's
traditional unmasking of the culprit). Today, if a psychic or someone with paranormal
powers is presented in a television program, the presumption is that the powers are
valid. In fact, a number of people with supernatural powers are now protagonists (for
example, Sabrina the Teenage Witch). I don't know if this switch reflects changes in
society or encourages them or both but it is a difference you can see clearly
comparing older mysteries to today's fantasy/mystery mix.
Rick
Dr. Rick Froman
Psychology Department
Box 3055
John Brown University
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.jbu.edu/sbs/psych
Office: (501)524-7295
Fax: (501)524-9548
"I can't promise to try but I'll try to try." --Bart Simpson
