Leftists love to claim that their half-baked, ill-advised ideas are…“for the children.”

But child experts advise that young children should not have too many toys at one time, and parents should leave out only a few for the children to choose from.

And, as The Telegraph reports, child psychologist Dr Aric Signman notes that children do not benefit from a lot of variety, and the show’s appeal to kids might be lost.

But Progressives will be happy… because: Diversity!

Via Telegraph.

Since its creation in 1946 by British clergyman Wilbert Audry, Thomas the Tank Engine has charmed generations of children, imparting gentle wisdom while keeping alive the romantic nostalgia of British railways….

In a nod to the realities of cultural diversity in modern life, Thomas is to make 14 new friends from countries like India, Brazil, China and Mexico.

It is the latest effort by toy giant Mattel to expand the reach of the franchise which already brings in more than £500 million in annual retail sales, one of the largest of any toy range in the world.

However the announcement of the new cast has led to fears that the ambience of the programme could be lost. There are also worries about cultural stereotyping.

Raul of Brazil is described as ‘feisty, ‘strong’ and ‘agile’ while Yong Bao of China is ‘driven to achieve’ and ‘make progress.’

Ashima of India is ‘happy to help out’ while Carlos of Mexico is ‘proud’ and ‘always wearing a smile’ as well as having the type of eyebrows last seen on Frida Khalo.

Tracey Van Slyke, a researcher in social justice and pop culture of the Citizen Engagement Lab, has previously accused the programme of sending out ‘pretty twisted, anachronistic messages’ because the engines are forced to perform tasks ‘dictated by their imperious, little white boss.’….

There are also fears that the traditional feel of the programme could be lost forever.

Psychologist Dr Aric Signman said one of the attractions of the show was its slow-paced nature and the small cast of characters which helped children’s development.

“Children do not benefit from a lot of variety,” he said. “If there are going to be a lot of new characters then it will be more difficult for children to invest in the narrative and to feel connected to the story.

“One of the great things about Thomas the Tank Engine is it has a fairly slow narrative and slow editing speed which is much better for children.”….

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2 Comments | Leave a comment
  1. Dr. H says:

    But the trains from Tajikistan keep attacking the trains from America.

  2. Alain41 says:

    Isn’t this Forced Cultural Appropriation ? And what about the monorail gender ?

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