Does the TV Clicker Strengthen Magical Thinking?

[cronus]

In this fragile age of uncertainty a five year old realizes they can change a channel on TV from a distance with a clicker. Does this weaken their grasp on reality? Have any studies been done?

[Bella Fortuna]

*mute*

[rasetsu]

Weaken? This seems to presuppose there is such a thing as "having a grip on reality," which is a notion incompatible with the virtual world inside your neuronal jello.

[PsychoSerenity]

Depends what you mean by "grasp on reality". If you mean their conception of their place in the world and how their actions have consequences - I'd say it strengthens it, as does any interactive experience. If you mean their conception of how the world works and their ability to separate magical thinking from technology or scientific thinking, then perhaps it weakens it a bit, until you explain how it works.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The computer would seem to be more magical to me.

[hadespussercats]

Anything is magical if you don't know how it works.

[Jason]

When you press a button on the remote it sends out a modulated signal of infrared light which is demodulated by the receiver and interpreted as the proper command.

Programmable remotes are the real magic.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

My parents had an early form of remote. Me.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

"Clicker"? Do you mean zapper?

[laklak]

"Clicker"? Do you mean zapper?

The proper term is "doofer". And it is certainly magic.

[Mysturji]

In this fragile age of uncertainty a five year old realizes they can change a channel on TV from a distance with a clicker. Does this weaken their grasp on reality? Have any studies been done?

A five year old is watching TV, and you think that the greatest threat to their grasp on reality is the remote?
I'd be more worried about Barney the fuckin' dinosaur.

[SteveB]

You mean my remote controller doesn't send an electrical shock to the invisible pixie near my TV that forces it to change the channel?

[laklak]

You mean my remote controller doesn't send an electrical shock to the invisible pixie near my TV that forces it to change the channel?

Of course not. It's an invisible elf.

[Audley Strange]

Hmm actually that's a good question. If the child asks "how does this work?" keep it, If it makes up a magical explanation, sell it's organs.

[Rum]

I would just say 'infrared' and if the kid didn't ask another question about that I would give it a kick.