NEWARK, NJ — Over the years, Fred Rogers changed the lives of millions of children with his timeless advice about empathy, compassion and how to be a good neighbor. But it’s not just kids who stand to benefit from the wisdom of “Mr. Rogers,” a New Jersey scholar says.
As fans eagerly await the release of “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” an upcoming biography about the late television icon starring Tom Hanks, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University is reminding people that Rogers’ life lessons are just as relevant as ever.
According to Louis Benjamin Rolsky, many of the themes the beloved entertainer promoted on his show, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” are especially important to keep in mind in our current “politicized” climate.
Here are four lessons Mr. Rogers taught us that still matter, Rolsky said.
1 — WAR SPAWNS MISUNDERSTANDING AND ANGER
“The series aired five episodes in 1983 in which Rogers addressed the difficult subject of conflict between two neighboring lands, especially conflict caused by misunderstanding and anger,” Rolsky said.
“These episodes aired during a moment that still was soaked with Cold War fears of accumulated weapons and nuclear power,” he pointed out. “The series warned its audiences of the dangers of war in general and the stockpiling of bombs in particular.”
2 — FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE
According to Rolsky, Rogers became a Presbyterian minister in 1963. His mission after getting ordained was simple: to continue his ministry to children and families through the mass media.
Rogers used the program as a unique space to teach the lessons of the Gospel … namely, to treat others as you would like to be treated, Rolsky said.
“In many respects, Rogers’ religious sensibilities reflected the spirit of the Christian Beatitudes as heard in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount,” Rolsky added.
3 — CHALLENGE SOCIAL NORMS
During the program’s second season, Rogers invited an African American police officer onto the set as “Officer Clemmons.”
Played by actor François Clemmons, this landmark moment in television history challenged not only the racial conventions of the time, but also embodied Rogers’ theological commitments to “treating others as he would like to be treated,” Rolsky said.
“In the midst of war both abroad and at home, American audiences witnessed Rogers and Officer Clemmons cooling their feet in a small plastic swimming pool in the name of friendship and mutual understanding,” Rolsky stated. “Not only did this image challenge many racist assumptions at the time, but it also exemplified Rogers’ own understanding of religion as service.”
4 — DON’T IGNORE OUR DIFFERENCES … TALK ABOUT THEM
According to Rolsky, Rogers knew that different religious beliefs can be a wedge that drives people apart. But they can also be a part of life we celebrate.
“This is no truer than in our present moment of polarization,” he stated.
Rolsky said Rogers is a descendant of a long line of persons of faith who have adapted to their respective times by embracing popular media. In Rogers’ case, that medium was television.
“This common usage of media and text should encourage us to talk more deeply about our differences,” Rolsky opined. “The better we understand them as unique points of view, the better we’ll be able to move forward through conversation and careful listening. Rogers taught us nothing if not how to listen to the smallest of voices: those of a child. We just have to learn how to listen better to those who talk the loudest.”
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