Barney, Berenstein Bears & “Pseudo-gemeinschaft”
My 3 year old daughter was watching the Berenstein Bears today and I remarked at the crazy verse of its theme song:
They’re kind furry around the torso
They’re a lot like people, only more so!
More like people than real people themselves?! Holy cow. But the show that my 18 mo old son watches is even worse: Barney. how do these shows get their tentacles around our kids?
“Pseudo-gemeinschaft” is loosely translated as false community. “Pseudo-gemeinschaft” is a powerful technique for persuasion , because a sense of community is a basic human need. Professor Nass at Stanford drove the concept home by deconstructing the nightmare that is Barney. Consider how manipulative Barney’s theme is:
| I love you | “I” — a guy in a purple dinosaur suit on the TV! |
| you love me | You, whatever you are, tell me to love you! Oh, the audacity |
| We’re a happy family | family! that’s pseudo-gemeinshcaft for ya |
| With a great big hug | |
| And a kiss from me to you | Pretty intimate, don’t you think? |
| Won’t you say you love me too? |
|
| I love you | |
| You love me | |
| We’re best friends | Best friends? |
| Like friends should be | *should* be? |
| With a great big hug | |
| And a kiss from me to you | |
| Won’t you say you love me too? | I submit….I love you Barney! |
And don’t forget that we ask the kids to sing along (see any of these 300+ videos on youtube made by proud parents). Creepy, isn’t it?
