Monday 8 June 2009

Tickle Me Obama: Lessons from Sesame Street


Tickle Me Obama: Lessons from Sesame Street

The Arab world has watched closely Obama's speech in Cairo, some glued to their home TV, some in public teahouses, some believed his openess, some were skeptical to what presidents say and actually cannot achieve, some fatalists couldn't care less, some are convinced that nothing will change the course of what is written.
But who would have thought that Sesame Street, the kids TV show, could have ever influenced a president?
He grew up watching Elmo dance and sing with his furry multicolored friends. It must have been a first step into his fulgurous career.
Nancy Gibbs of TIME magazine writes "Sesame Street is now the longest street on the planet. It runs from Harlem to Honolulu; on to Obama's childhood home in Indonesia, where Jalan Sesama celebrates unity through diversity; through South Africa, where one Muppet is HIV positive; through Israel and Palestine and Egypt, where girls are told how important it is that they keep reading and learning. It creates citizens of a highly globalized, post-racial world."

A trivial show gives "children around the world the power of learning, it pushes them to reach their highest potential." (sesame street link).
That's real program with a sustainable grassroot foundation for the future generations...

2 comments:

reemy said...

cool perspective, great insight!

sarah said...

thanks reemy,
the question remains quite intriguing: how does the brain of a child pick and choose values, images and motivations in the process of becoming of an adult?