Blogs > Liberty and Power > The Dark Side of Dr. Seuss

Mar 11, 2005

The Dark Side of Dr. Seuss




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Jason Kuznicki - 3/13/2005

I seem to remember the "Horton" books were pretty decent too. The messages there were to always stand up for yourself, even if you're different from others--and that hard work brings rewards.


Steven Horwitz - 3/13/2005

Right - or just ask the obvious question of why they would exhaust their major input. Duh... maybe because they have no ownership rights?


Roderick T. Long - 3/13/2005

All we need to do to fix _The Lorax_ is add a section where it turns out the company has been granted a limited-time permit to harvest trees on government-owned land and so has no incentive to conserve resources for the future ....


Roderick T. Long - 3/13/2005

Seuss also had a book on nuclear war and mutual assured destruction; back in my hawkish days I disliked it, so I'd probably like it now, but I haven't read it recently.


Jonathan Dresner - 3/11/2005

It's worth noting that Geisel was only one of many cartoonists, artists, performers, journalists, etc., who "contributed to the war effort" through their work, and that his portrayals, disturbing as they are in the present, were actually quite derivative. See John Dower, War Without Mercy for a great deal more on US v. Japan WWII propaganda.


Steven Horwitz - 3/11/2005

In my Intro Econ course, I have the students read The Lorax in the section on environmental econ then write a critique of it based on the material from class. Very effective assignment, I must say. Very unpleasant book.

The most offensive kids' book I ever read to my kids was "Rainbow Fish." If I recall, the basic plot was that the beautiful special unique fish is emotionally blackmailed into giving up his specialness to be one of the crowd. After one read, I refused to read it again.

See the first review here for a flavor.


Gary McGath - 3/11/2005

I haven't read "The Lorax," but I have read "Thidwick." For that, I'll forgive him for having once given in to Rooseveltian hysteria.


Aeon J. Skoble - 3/11/2005

Gil, all that you say about The Lorax is right on. But, Dr. Seuss also wrote "Thidwick, the Big Hearted Moose," which is hard-core libertarian/public-choice/almost-Objectivist in its treatment of property rights, majority rule, "the sanction of the victim," and so on. My suggestion: for every time your kid(s) make you read The Lorax, read them Thidwick three times.


Gil Guillory - 3/11/2005

http://anti-state.com/article.php?article_id=216


David Timothy Beito - 3/11/2005

What was that about?


Gil Guillory - 3/11/2005

I thought this post was going to be about his horrible book _The Lorax_.

;)


Robert L. Campbell - 3/11/2005

David,

I've seen these disgusting cartoons before; there is a coffee table book that collects Seuss's World War II propaganda efforts.

It was no loss when he gave up political cartooning to give all of his attention to kids' books.

Robert Campbell