Bob the Builder: Duplicitous Businessman
My three-year-old son Jonathan really digs Bob the Builder, but I’ve seen or overheard enough videos to conclude that his fascination with the chief character and his crew isn’t morally healthy. Sure, Bob seems like a very likeable fellow who cares for his town and team and loves what he does, but that’s really a façade. Bob’s a shady, manipulative figure; make no mistake. He’s captivated his crew by indoctrinating them with his “Yes we can!” rhetoric and seeming concern for their hopes and fears, but on paperwork his crew are little more than slaves. After all, his crew members are not really persons, not as far as the IRS is concerned: they’re vehicles. Bob doesn’t have to pay them, and he can deduct their usage as business expenses. These stories of hard work, the fun of building, and overcoming Lofty’s persistent inferiority complex all harbor an underlying narrative: bosses should manipulate their crew for the sake of profits, but do so in a Machiavellian manner, in a way that operates below the consciousness of those manipulated. Scary stuff, really.
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I’m not one to generally get overly concerned over cartoons, but I can see what you are saying. It is quite sad how much this parallels the real world. Many moons ago, a coworker at a large national pizza chain was telling me that the company had researched and found that offering tokens was a better, as in cheaper and as effective, way of rewarding good work than giving more money. So, if you did something great you would receive a pin or a ribbon. The whole idea that employees are entitled as a matter of justice to the profits they create has been replaced with the idea the idea the employees should be grateful for the boss’s beneficence.
I’m not really overly concerned about Bob the Builder, or concerned at all, just having a bit of jovial fun at Bob’s expense. As children’s shows go, the cartoon isn’t that bad.
The worst part is that we all know what will happen to the tools the second they no longer can…
Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino team up to direct Bob the Builder.
John Henry,
As I may have mentioned awhile back on your group blog, it is this very dynamic that makes me very wary of Mister Topenhat and his overemphasis on “usefulness” for his engines.
I look forward to your thoughts on Sid the Science Kid.
Come on Brett, you should know it’s Sir Topenhat. Which brings the question of aristocratic class privilage into the picture as well.
And all you guys thought Joe McCarthy was the villain. Live and learn… Newton Minow, former chairman of the FCC once proclaimed TV to be a “vast wasteland.” Well, somebody’s changed that and for the worse.
ALL media is infested with some “message,” but Bob the Builder is low impact and totally obvious about its intent; it’s just a mere example of mass media manipulation of young viewers. At the mature level, your nightly “news” is a travesty and the alphabet networks are working for the corporation run government. Remember, your kids will evolve (devolve) into you and watch that junk too– but that’s a topic for some other day. How many of you watch propaganda laden “24″ and other “government is benevolent and is here to protect you” soap operas? What total trash! But you’re adults, you “should” be able to discern the real mind-bending intent of such garbage productions. The real issues arise when baseline moral, cultural, or economic subtleties are continually injected into a storyline that is meant for young, impressionable children. How many of you use TV as a surrogate parent and baby sitter? How many of you are fully aware of the content that your youngsters are absorbing as they suckle at the glass teat? I hope you all answered “I do!” If not, you better start pronto–you’re on the “list” of things that kids will need to change for the common good. A case in point is marketing the total fraud of global warming and being “green.” How many young minds are being twisted by that lie? Somebody’s seeing the green from all of this, that’s for sure… Has your son or daughter told you what you’re doing wrong for the sake of the environment yet? It’s happening out there in La La Land. Doubts? Go check it out for yourself.
I’m into my sixties and seen plenty. I’m totally disgusted with the condition of my country and especially with the corruption of the media. I raised two highly successful and intelligent sons that got to the top without stepping on someone’s face. When they were growing up, IF I allowed them to indulge in TV, I made sure that I filtered it for their sake–especially if it was Sesame Street…yechh!
Well- I just happened to stumble on this page and probably won’t return. I do hope that what I had to say is totally understood by all, and already common knowledge. Best wishes to all.
As I may have mentioned awhile back on your group blog, it is this very dynamic that makes me very wary of Mister Topenhat and his overemphasis on “usefulness” for his engines.
I remember laughing and sharing that comment with my wife (my 3 year-old son is a big Thomas fan).
The intellectual spadework for euthanasia starts at a young age.