Profs and Pints Richmond presents: The Dao of Mister Rogers, a
meditation on Eastern wisdom as conveyed through a beloved childrens
show, with John M. Thompson, a professor of philosophy and religion at
Christopher Newport University and scholar and teacher of Asian
traditions. Its a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day
for a lecture. Thats especially true if that lecture that will be
given in a brewpub, impart wisdom from Chinese philosophy, and bring
back memories of a beloved figure from our childhoods. Come join Dr.
John Thompson of Christopher Newport University, who teaches courses
on Asian philosophy and on popular culture and religion, for a look at
how the PBS series Mister Rogers Neighborhood resonated with aspects
of Daoism, an ancient Chinese tradition. To be clear, the shows host,
the late Fred Rogers, wasnt a Daoist in any formal sense. Rather, he
was a Presbyterian minister. Yet his show demonstrated Daoist notion
while subtly challenging mainstream cultural norms. Eschewing the
special effects, product placements, and slapstick or cartoon violence
found in other childrens shows of his era, Rogers instead spent most
of his show talking directly to the kids (and adults) in American
living rooms. He accepted everyone and encouraged all of us to delight
in the everyday. His approach was one of playful simplicity, and it
helped make him a unique and highly successful media figure and his
award-winning show one of the longest-running in history. Professor
Thompson will use his discussion of Mister Rogers Neighborhood to help
us grasp what Daoism is and how Daoist notions of paradox and play
encourage constructive engagement with the world. Hell talk about how
the show offers us ways of living that, if adopted and put into
practice, could help us counter some of the more toxic dimensions of
21st century life. You just might end up rethinking the shows impact
on you, and thinking more about how what you watched as a child
influenced how you see the world. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales
tax and processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed
time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Fred Rogers
and friends in 1984. (Wikimedia Commons.)
culture
1056
Views
23/08/2023 Last update