Random last-year link on Santa...
Dec. 11th, 2005 02:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conuly
Interesting post.
I'm only posting it to quote a specific comment:
I bet you don't believe in imaginary friends, either. Your world sounds so sterile and literal.
WTF is that supposed to mean? Of course he doesn't believe in imaginary friends! 'cuz they're imaginary. That's the meaning of the word!
What Anonymous means, of course, is "don't think they're appropriate", which is something else altogether. It's also a straw man - people don't lie to their kids about imaginary friends. People *do* lie to their kids about Santa. Children aren't expected to actually believe their imaginary friends are real. They *are* expected to believe that Santa is real. Whether or not you consider this a bad thing, the two things are not comprable.
Don't believe in imaginary friends. What a nonsensical set of words. It's like complimenting Shrubboy by calling him an incredible speaker. Not only are you wrong in the sense that you mean the word, but you're right in the literal etymology which nobody uses - he is quite honestly not credible. Whee, tangent!
I'm only posting it to quote a specific comment:
I bet you don't believe in imaginary friends, either. Your world sounds so sterile and literal.
WTF is that supposed to mean? Of course he doesn't believe in imaginary friends! 'cuz they're imaginary. That's the meaning of the word!
What Anonymous means, of course, is "don't think they're appropriate", which is something else altogether. It's also a straw man - people don't lie to their kids about imaginary friends. People *do* lie to their kids about Santa. Children aren't expected to actually believe their imaginary friends are real. They *are* expected to believe that Santa is real. Whether or not you consider this a bad thing, the two things are not comprable.
Don't believe in imaginary friends. What a nonsensical set of words. It's like complimenting Shrubboy by calling him an incredible speaker. Not only are you wrong in the sense that you mean the word, but you're right in the literal etymology which nobody uses - he is quite honestly not credible. Whee, tangent!
no subject
Date: 2005-12-11 07:07 pm (UTC)You didn't hear how I said it - other than the "eyes in back of head" one, it's one of those... joking things? Where you grin maniacally and jump drastically.
Especially the tickle-monster. I just wanted to play tickle-monster with Ana. Boy, did that work too well... now she keeps going "Monster? Where's the monster?" and wanting me to help her find it. Why, I *don't* know. I don't think she quite grasped the point of running away from the imaginary monster while screaming.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-11 07:13 pm (UTC)So I go out of my way to make sure it's obvious I'm not telling the truth. If I thought they misunderstood, I'd explain. The other day, I found myself explaining to Ana that, no, she can't *really* knock me over, it's just pretend when she does. Which might've been a bit mean in and of itself, but she didn't seem to mind.
People do want their kids to believe in Santa, as near as I can tell. It's something completely different.