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Thanks for swinging in! Writing with a bunch of smart young people, we blog about the monkey business of life with tweens 8-15, and love anything shiny and new. Book/movie/game reviews, shopping, nom nom snacks, OMG news and issues, pop stars, and YouTube LOLs are fair game in this jungle.

7.17.2013

Kudos to Kids React Video on kids' true reactions to the Cheerios ad

You may have heard all about the recent Cheerios commercial featuring a mixed race family demonstrating the heart-healthy benefits of our favorite cereal. You also have heard about the Fine Bros. (we've posted about their Kids React videos before), who I think are pretty funny and spectacular when it comes to showing kids' humorous and insightful reactions to popular videos. 

With this video, they decided to take on a serious subject: racism and the negative reaction to the Cheerios commercial. 

Watch this video (it may surprise you) and think about how innocent kids - not jaded racist adults - reacted to this commercial. Credit to Benny and Rafi Fine, TheFineBros., who have done a great job with this "Kids React" brand:



My favorite quotes from these very animated, articulate kids: 

  • "But some people just fall in love like that?!?" 
  • "My brain doesn't wrap around the idea [of racism]." 
  • "I thought Martin Luther King fixed this already..." 
  • "... You should only judge a person based on their character and their personality." 
  • "Underneath it, literally, you are the same person, with organs, and a heart..." 
  • "Some people are stuck in the old days with racism and stuff..." 
  • "It's like the mob mentality [when they give negative comments on YouTube] - it's like monkey see, monkey do." 
  • "Why would you waste your time giving negative comments when you could just go on to another awesome YouTube video?" 
  • "Cheerios is brave for making this commercial." 
  • "[To those victims of racism]Stay strong bro-skis." 
  • "Those mean people out there do not deserve anything." 
These tweens are AWESOME and deserve an award for their articulate comments. In a society where we put criminals on the front cover of newspapers and magazines, how about a little kudos to these kids who are reaching millions of people with positive messages? 

Just curious... do you have friends who are racist just to be funny? What do YOU think should be done about these hurtful, negative commenters on YouTube? Any ideas?

2 comments:

Deborah Trivitt said...

I always think of that song from South Pacific when these discussions occur "You have to be carefully taught". Once taught to think ill of another because of race, it takes a conscious and determined effort to change your thinking. Unless confronted, most people won't change. It's too difficult and takes too much effort. Belief systems are the hardest to change.

Unknown said...

Thank you for posting, and I just think they are all brilliant, smart, sweet...honest! Love their comments and how simple their perspective is...so smart!

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