Before I can respond to the actual question in your post, I have to say that I believe you are exactly as young as you believe you are, that the number is just a number, and the second you let go of your youth is the moment you begin to get old.
Also, as a parent of two small children, and having been in their heads at one time or another—I encourage the free reign of their imaginations at every turn, including “imaginary friends”. Why stifle something that is so obviously a normal part of human development? You may loathe it as a theme for being trite and sentimental, but to disassociate yourself from the wonder you had as a child is sad to me.
If I’m reading you wrong, say so, but I rail against what I perceive to be the intent of your post. In fact, I can’t imagine a childhood devoid of the behavior you claim to abhor.
You lose that spark of mystery that is everything childhood is about, and what the hell is the rest of your life worth, without questions to answer, mysteries to solve?
The more I think about your post the more I feel you surely did it hastily, and have more to say on the subject, as anyone supporting the suppression of human creativity is either ill-advised, ill, or not sober.
I find your concern about the “childish things” trope pretty trivial, the reason being that whether or not we tell children that childish things are alright, they’re going to grow up into mature adults. They largely shed all of this stuff on their own, and of their own will.
Well said Josh.
I tend to hate any films about kids or politically and culturally aware happy young people falling in love.
TJ, you’ve been sent to bed without eating anything.
I think I can hear him gnashing his terrible teeth.
ricky richtoffen
I was just over in STL! and didn’t want to interrupt AWC discussion; some people voiced their anticipation for Where the Wild Things Are. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s been so long in the making, and the film does look different and possible beautiful. I expect it to possibly big a big box office hit, possibly more with teens & 18-35 adults than with children & families, excepting possibly parents who have a connection with the book bringing their children.
I’m surprised at the depth of connection most people seem to have with the book. I wonder if this is because I’ve never had imaginary friends, and have enver related at all to the idea. I actually find it disturbing and repulsive that a film for children would glorify this, or send a message that it is an ok or healthy behavior. I’m not suggesting we mock or scold children about it, just that we not encourage the behavior. Even if the story ends in Pete’s Dragon, Winnie the Pooh fashion, the takeaway never ends up being about the necessity to put childish things away; it’s always seen as sad compared to the fun had.
Maturity isn’t a downer, and shouldn’t be portrayed to children as such. Whether a childhood is pleasant or not, it still must end.
I realize I loathe this theme. There are other themes & thematic tropes I hate. Sentimentalizing and glorifying the late 60s while neutering or refuting the politcal factors of the time burns my ass too; Forrest Gump is a great offender. I’ve read argument of this around here, and the Taking Woodstock threads discussion of tragic homosexuality was one of the more fascinating (to me) threads I’ve seen here.
What themes (beyond generalized leftist or rightist sentiments, I’m not looking to bait extremes here) or narrative tropes actually offend or disgust you?