Changing hearts and minds through ... commercials?

[rlg94086]

Yeah***…children ***who have selfish desires rather than respecting the human dignity of their future siblings are evil. No doubt they will burn in hell, if they don’t repent.

I would highly recommend some informed reason…it might help.

The entertainment we choose for ourselves needs to be judged not by the emotions it evokes but by the cold, sober glare of correctly informed reason. If this commercial featured a child rekindling the erotic love between his parents without the selfish desire for a sibling-as-toy, it would be fine. Because the commercial’s entire premise rests upon this child’s selfish desire to use a prospective sibling for his own ends rather than to respect the human dignity of that sibling, I call it evil.

 

[Atreyu]

The desire for a brother or sister, in and of itself, is not evil. It is a good thing. That, however, is not what the commercial linked to depicts. The child in this commercial does not desire a sibling in order to love and rejoice in that other person’s uniqueness. Instead, the child means for that other person to service his selfish desires. For this child, the value of that sibling is contained entirely in the potential for that sibling to be used to this child’s own end. This is the very antithesis of love. It is therefore an evil.

I think you are claiming way too much knowledge of the child’s desires. How do you know that the child doesn’t desire a sibling in order to love and rejoice in that sibling’s uniqueness? Simply because he wants a playmate in no way means that this is his sole desire in wanting a sibling. Why does he not just get a friend to play with him?

The commercial is good.

 

[raggakitten]

Well… The commercial is nice, it was truly creative… BUT, we can’t forget it was made to sale something, so, it IS supposed to be attractive to the eye of the public…
So, hehe without a doubt I can say that the commercial wasn’t specifically made to “change hearts and minds”, someone could say that it was made for both purposes, but I REALLY doubt it.
Simply, it was made to sell a chocolate bar, and apparently, the director/creator made an excellent job at it

 

[rlg94086]

I agree wholeheartedly. The producer certainly made an excellent commercial, but not to change hearts and minds regarding having children.

It is definitely one of those commercials where you go “what are they selling??” I’m not sure if it will sell a chocolate bar…it might because people may say “did you see that cute Stratos ad?”

All that aside, it has a nice pro-childbirth message whether it was intended or not. The fact that it was made to sell something doesn’t detract from that.

Well… The commercial is nice, it was truly creative… BUT, we can’t forget it was made to sale something, so, it IS supposed to be attractive to the eye of the public…
So, hehe without a doubt I can say that the commercial wasn’t specifically made to “change hearts and minds”, someone could say that it was made for both purposes, but I REALLY doubt it.
Simply, it was made to sell a chocolate bar, and apparently, the director/creator made an excellent job at it

 

[Other_Eric]

Yeah***…children ***who have selfish desires rather than respecting the human dignity of their future siblings are evil. No doubt they will burn in hell, if they don’t repent.

I would highly recommend some informed reason…it might help.

I recommend you provide some informed reason, based on more than simple sentiment, that my reasoning is flawed.

As for the concept of the children who are evil as a result of their selfish desires, the Church has never taught that youth is a safeguard against the effects of Original Sin. Children do have selfish desires and if those are left to metastasize, they can and will result in eternal death. It is the job, therefore, of a parent to instruct the child out of those selfish desires rather than to rejoice in commercials that glamorize them.

 

[Other_Eric]

I think you are claiming way too much knowledge of the child’s desires. How do you know that the child doesn’t desire a sibling in order to love and rejoice in that sibling’s uniqueness? Simply because he wants a playmate in no way means that this is his sole desire in wanting a sibling. Why does he not just get a friend to play with him?

The commercial is good.

Hypothetically, it is possible that the child wanted a sibling for reasons other than the ones shown in the commercial. Still, such speculation can never be used to justify this commercial. One can use speculation to rationalize anything.

All I am going on is exactly what is in the commercial. I am not going to go beyond the commercial and assume that I know there are mitigating circumstances when the director of the commercial chose to show none of them. Therefore, in the absence of any direct reason to believe anything contrary, I am bound to form my judgment based upon what is in the commercial, not what might be happening outside of the frame.

What the commercial shows is the selfish desire of a child for a sibling that will serve to do his bidding. There is nothing in the commercial that would contradict this conclusion unless you were to claim way too much knowledge of the child’s desires.

As filmed, the commercial glamorizes evil.

 

[Atreyu]

I recommend you provide some informed reason, based on more than simple sentiment, that my reasoning is flawed.

Your reasoning is flawed because of the following statements made by you:

The child in this commercial does not desire a sibling in order to love and rejoice in that other person’s uniqueness. Instead, the child means for that other person to service his selfish desires.

This premise is anything but proven. There is nothing to suggest this is true from the commercial.

 

[Other_Eric]

Your reasoning is flawed because of the following statements made by you:

This premise is anything but proven. There is nothing to suggest this is true from the commercial.

The commercial begins with the child playing soccer alone. He ends up being dissatisfied with this situation, then undertakes to go through elaborate manipulations just so that his parents will conceive him a playmate. At the end of the commercial, where the child presents the infant with the soccer shoes, this purpose is made concrete. For the child, his infant sibling is meant only to serve the function of soccer partner. There is nothing in the commercial to suggest otherwise. This is a selfish end. Therefore the commercial glamorizes the evil of self-centered desire and promotes the manipulation of others to this end.

 

[rlg94086]

I recommend you provide some informed reason, based on more than simple sentiment, that my reasoning is flawed.

As for the concept of the children who are evil as a result of their selfish desires, the Church has never taught that youth is a safeguard against the effects of Original Sin. Children do have selfish desires and if those are left to metastasize, they can and will result in eternal death. It is the job, therefore, of a parent to instruct the child out of those selfish desires rather than to rejoice in commercials that glamorize them.

I have highlighted the primarily problem you have…the commercial doesn’t glamorize a child’s selfish desires, it uses them to make us smile and chuckle at the way a child thinks.

I have taught my children a lot of things, however that doesn’t prevent me from looking at their past statements or actions and chuckling at the silly things they did before they matured. The reason my older kids (13 and 16) viewed the commercial and enjoyed it is because they have matured in their love and respect for their younger siblings. That’s what makes it funny. People who haven’t learned those things wouldn’t laugh because for them the commercial would be a documentary.

My younger kids (ages 5 and 7) thought it was cute because of the soccer, and I had to explain the rest. And, no, I didn’t go into a long dissertation on respect for the humanity of siblings. I explained what the kid did, and told them “that’s silly isn’t it?”

I’m guessing you don’t have kids OtherEric.

 

[Other_Eric]

I have highlighted the primarily problem you have…the commercial doesn’t glamorize a child’s selfish desires, it uses them to make us smile and chuckle at the way a child thinks.

I have taught my children a lot of things, however that doesn’t prevent me from looking at their past statements or actions and chuckling at the silly things they did before they matured. The reason my older kids (13 and 16) viewed the commercial and enjoyed it is because they have matured in their love and respect for their younger siblings. That’s what makes it funny. People who haven’t learned those things wouldn’t laugh because for them the commercial would be a documentary.

My younger kids (ages 5 and 7) thought it was cute because of the soccer, and I had to explain the rest. And, no, I didn’t go into a long dissertation on respect for the humanity of siblings. I explained what the kid did, and told them “that’s silly isn’t it?”

I’m guessing you don’t have kids OtherEric.

The commercial is designed to evoke warm sentiments that we will then associate with the chocolate that they’re hocking. In cases where the passions can be exploited it is even more incumbent on the Christian to see to it that analytical reason be brought to bear. To recognize what the child did in the commercial as merely “silly” is to miss the larger issues involved. It leaves the conscience ill informed and vulnerable to the influence of evil under sentimental pretenses.

 

[rlg94086]

You can do and think what you will…I will enjoy a well made commercial, laugh, and move on. I concern myself with “larger issues” when they are relevant.

This is the last I will say on the subject, because I think making a big deal about this commercial is “silly.”

The commercial is designed to evoke warm sentiments that we will then associate with the chocolate that they’re hocking. In cases where the passions can be exploited it is even more incumbent on the Christian to see to it that analytical reason be brought to bear. To recognize what the child did in the commercial as merely “silly” is to miss the larger issues involved. It leaves the conscience ill informed and vulnerable to the influence of evil under sentimental pretenses.

 

[Atreyu]

What the commercial shows is the selfish desire of a child for a sibling that will serve to do his bidding. There is nothing in the commercial that would contradict this conclusion unless you were to claim way too much knowledge of the child’s desires.

On the contrary, I would say that there is nothing in the commercial that shows the child desires a sibling solely to do his bidding. It shows that he wants a sibling to play soccer with him, sure. But it is a huge jump between:

1. 
   *]A child desiring a sibling to play soccer with.
   *]A child desiring a sibling that will serve to do his bidding.
   
   Unless of course, you are the one who is claiming way too much knowledge of the child’s desires. This is what you’re doing in my opinion, and with respect, you are being scrupulous.

 

[Other_Eric]

On the contrary, I would say that there is nothing in the commercial that shows the child desires a sibling solely to do his bidding. It shows that he wants a sibling to play soccer with him, sure. But it is a huge jump between:

1. 
   *]A child desiring a sibling to play soccer with.
   *]A child desiring a sibling that will serve to do his bidding.
   Unless of course, you are the one who is claiming way too much knowledge of the child’s desires. This is what you’re doing in my opinion, and with respect, you are being scrupulous.

1. 
   On the contrary, the only rationale that the commercial presents for what the child does is the child’s desire for a sibling to fulfill the end he has in mind – that of a soccer partner. In his desire for this end, the child exhibits aggression, forcefully pushing through the doors in the maternity ward. He curtly nods his head over the infant to indicate his approval before he places the soccer shoes on the infant. His mission accomplished, in that he has obtained for himself the partner he wants, he then relaxes with a chocolate bar.
   
   It is important that the commercial presents not even one scene to mitigate this child’s craving. It presents as acceptable the manipulation of parents and the desire for other people to fulfill one’s own selfish ends. To speculate that the child may have other motivations is exactly not what the commercial invites us to focus on.
   
   Therefore, the “huge leap” that I am supposed to have made does not, in fact, exist. As far as what is presented in the commercial, the only use that the child has for his sibling is that of a soccer partner. That the child’s bidding happens to be specific in this case does not diminish the evil we are being encouraged to embrace.

 

[urban-hermit]

I have another interpretation of the commercial for consideration:

The kid is lonely on the soccer field with nobody to play with.

It’s true he’d like to have a brother - no sin there. (A good friend of mine is an only child who still to this day wishes he had a brother or sister - it isn’t always easy being an only child. A fate which, BTW, more and more children are suffering nowadays because of childbirth being (and sometimes staying) put on the back burner. Also - and I realize this is a bit heavy for such a light-hearted commercial - but China’s “One Child” policy comes to my mind as well. Such a policy - whether forced upon you by your government, or “freely chosen” because of ideas about success, womanhood, and family you soak up from your materialistic culture - can have a lot of unforeseen repercussions.)

Anyway, the kid decides that, to make himself feel better, he will do something remarkably thoughtful for his parents. He does this to make them happy - again no sin there. His motivation is not primarily nor exclusively to finagle a sibling for himself. Maybe the thought occurs to him but … well, if they haven’t had another baby since he was born, why put all your money on one dinner doing the trick? So he’s mainly concerned with that joy we all feel when somebody we love is pleased through our actions. In addition, as a child, he feels more secure when he knows his parents love one another.

When the baby is born he’s really happy and expresses it in a cool boyish way, appropriate for his age. The baby is like a bonus, not the intended goal. Clearly he wants the new baby to grow up to play soccer. But since the baby will be too young to be in big brother’s league anyway, I assume big brother is taking on a teaching role or maybe even a protector role. Again, no sin there. In fact, quite admirable I’d say. (Didja happen to hear the music in the background?: “you … and me … always … and forever” I personally thought of the fact this little baby is an eternal soul who, if he and brother both persevere, will be together in heaven FOREVER. Sure, not every viewer of the commercial thought that. But I bet quite a few veterans of the Spirituality Forum might.)

There’s typically not a lot of character development in 90-second commercials. We have to fill in the blanks ourselves sometimes, and a lot of what goes into those blanks depends on our pre-existing point of view. Just trying to offer an alternative. Hope this sounds plausible.

 

[Debbie]

Thanks for posting this, urban-hermit! I’ve shared it with many!