Imagination Dangerous for Young Children

I guess "Vroom, vroom" doesn't cut it anymore. General Motors withdrew a Corvette TV commercial after seven auto safety groups complained that the ad sent a dangerous message. The ad, titled "A Boy's Dream," features a dream sequence in which a young boy is shown driving the shiny, fast car. The groups criticized both the promotion of excessive speed in the ad and the depiction of young children driving, saying, "Promoting illegal and risky behavior in ads viewed by millions of families -- especially young males -- watching the Olympics is egregious corporate behavior." Give me a break! When are we going to stop blaming advertising and media for our own screw-ups?? We're fat because of fast food adveritsing, not because we don't take charge of our dining habits; our 20-year-olds smoke because tobacco companies advertise their death-dealing product, not because they choose to ignore the ample warning information available to them; and young boys think it's OK to drive Dad's sports car because the TV ad shows it, not because their parents have failed to impress upon them that a car is not a toy. Cheesh! All together now folks, "If Johnny jumps off the cliff, are you going to follow him?"