WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Word to the Wise: Lies on 34th Street

Episode Date: January 8, 2025

A Christmas episode analyzing one of America's most beloved films and unveiling its philosophical fallacies

Hello, everybody. You're listening to Radio Free Hillsdale 1.1.7 FM. My name is Ariel McDowell. And I'm her brother, Judah McDowell, and this is Word to the Wise, where we critically and humorously scrutinize anything significant in pop culture today. What is up? Dogs. Thank you so much for tuning in with us today. This is our Christmas special on Word to the Wise, so I hope you guys are as excited as I am because Christmas things are just all. always better. So hopefully we can do a competent job at making a good episode here today. Judah, how are you feeling? I'm feeling pretty good. Feeling pretty good. Very Christmasy. Yeah. Yeah. Tis the season, as they say. So this episode is going to be primarily characterized just as a heads up by us attempting to indoctrinate you with things we believe through propaganda. So that's like kind of the vibe we're going for with this particular episode.

That's like most of our episodes. Yeah, that's all of our episodes. That's what we do is we tell you how to think. So, just as long as you're okay with that, here we go. Let's get started. No opinions allowed. No opinions allowed. Okay, guys, so first thing, last night, Ariel and I were watching a movie, a Christmas movie. Maybe some of you have seen it.

Maybe some of you have not seen it. I mean, I'm sure some of you have not seen it. Anyway, it is called Miracle on 34th Street. It's a classic movie from like the 1940s, right? It was the 40s? I have actually zero idea. Okay. Well, it's a pretty old movie, black and white, you know, back in the olden days when dinosaurs

roamed the earth. They filmed this movie. And, you know, we were watching it. We had some thoughts. Yeah. Well, there are thoughts that apply more broadly to the culture than just Miracle on 34th Street. But this movie made them come to our minds. This movie was so philosophically atrocious that it made us like sort of vomit and

our mouths a little bit. And as a result, we felt like we needed to criticize the country as a whole just for like considering this a classic, basically. And I'm, I'm sure some of you are already incredibly angry at us starting to write your reviews that we insulted your favorite Christmas movie. However, too bad. As my friend Aaron said, it is a precious classic. But it's not. It's wrong. She was wrong. So before we get into the movie, there are a couple premises we have to establish just so y'all are on the same page as to why we're talking about it. This first premise is one I think could be taken for granted, but I don't know in today's culture, which is that one's kids should be taught the truth, capital T, meaning, of course,

that you want your kids to have an accurate perception of reality. Now, you may think, oh yeah, I think most people are bored with that. I don't know about that because nowadays I've noticed a lot of people who are for the idea of having a worldview neutral child. Well, first of all, in terms of having a neutral worldview, meaning a child isn't really told what to believe, but the way they'll phrase it is they'll grow up and decide what they want to believe without us pushing anything on them. Okay, first of all, not a thing. you cannot raise a child belief less. You're still raising them with some set of beliefs. That's problem A.

Problem B is that's a horrible idea anyway. So we're going to get into that. But that's our first premise is children should be raised believing what is true. That's not very Christmas spirit of you, Ariel. But in all seriousness, actually, like, you know, she's right, right? Like, there's no way for someone to be raised without beliefs or opinions, whatever word you want to use for it. It's not actually possible. Like, everyone's going to form beliefs about something.

And how, as a parent, how you act, what you do, everything you do is demonstrating what's important to you, what you consider to be your values. And that will be what your kids take on. You can't be like, you know, I'll just make sure they never think I've, haven't, I never give them opinions on anything. And as they get older, they'll decide what's important. then well then maybe you'll be less of a factor than the people they encounter but whatever people they encounter will happen to be the people who influence them so let's say you're trying to be hardly any influence on your kids which isn't going to succeed as juda just said but let's say you do it as much as it is possible then whatever your neighbors believe or whoever they like the most in

their life is just going to become the most influential person on them so they're just it's just putting yourself in this super vulnerable position that means whatever media my child encounters that will probably be what they end up believing because I'm not doing anything about it. So why are we saying all this? Basically, we're just trying to communicate that, like, overall, it is a terrible idea to not raise your kids with some censors to it. Because, like, we said, A, it's impossible. B, even if it was possible somehow, like, they're going to get that somewhere else.

It is not going to get well. It is equally bad for someone to grow up with no values or values that someone else assigns to them. And they're vulnerable to whatever the world is telling them. So all of that to say, We're just saying you should teach your kids what is important, what is true, what does matter, so that they're not in this vulnerable spot where whatever their peers are telling them, whatever social media is telling them, whatever the people they're surrounded by are telling them, they're not completely vulnerable to bad influence.

So you should tell them what is true, what is important. So all of this directly feeds into premise two, which is the dichotomy our culture has drawn between being truth focused and love and peace and joy and hope focus is totally bogus. Reality and hope are not actually mutually exclusive. Now, what do I mean by this? I mean there's a narrative, a frequent trope in media, if you will, where there's a character who is super pragmatic and cynical and only thinking about what's real and what's true and what actually is the way things are.

Then frequently there's a character arc in which they learn the lesson, actually focus less on what's true. You can believe things even if they don't make sense because hope and peace and joy, these matter so much more than just reality. This is a totally false dichotomy. If you can only find hope in undermining reality or in making up a fantasy world in which you can have hope and peace and joy and love.

And you need to ignore reality. You need to ignore truth. You need to push truth under the rug in order to be a person who is focused on love and joy and peace and kindness and all the things that make life worth living. Then you don't actually have any hope at all. But what's great, what's great is these aren't mutually exclusive. You can actually have joy, peace, and love, within the reality that exists. Truth actually supports these attributes.

But in media and in pop culture, they are trying to draw a dichotomy. They are trying to divide them. Either you are a person who's joyful and fun to be around and focused on people and loving others, or you're that pragmatic, cynical character who cares about what's real and what's true. And these are, I mean, that would be so sad

if they were exclusive, that would be pretty hopeless. But luckily, they're not. Yeah, it's definitely like super annoying when I see that in movies. Like, I feel like there's this common trope of like some kid, like, really wanting to do something like, oh, I want to be a singer or I want to be a professional basketball player. And it's like either they'll have like the parents be like, yeah, you got this.

It's like super supportive, which is obviously like it's good to be supportive. Or they'll have them be like, like, no, you should probably get like. You should never play basketball again. We hate that you play basketball. We hate that you sing. You should not do these things at all. And then throughout the course of the movie, they learned the good lesson, which is...

That the kid was going to do it all along. That the kid was obviously going to be a superstar and they're just jerks. Like, why is there never a nuanced in-between position that actually makes any kind of sense? Which is like an apparent understanding like, okay, the probability of my child becoming a basketball player for the NBA is not super high. However, I love them and support them. So I'm going to help them understand like. They can play basketball for a basketball team, and believe it or not, it doesn't have to be the only thing they do. And if they end up in the NBA, great.

It's never like a logical position in these movies. Like no one holds any kind of stance that would be a good role model for a child. Right. And the person who's trying to be logical, quote, unquote, is horrible. It's like awful for trying to be realistic. And they'll like, like, the person who's like, maybe you shouldn't become a famous rock star because that's not likely. Always says something like, you stink. only people who are felons sing for a living.

People who sing for a living are just the worst. You're the worst if you sing. I never want to hear you sing again. Go sit in an office and sell insurance. Like they always say something completely radically jerky. And the reason they write the characters this way is because they're trying to create the idea that anyone who would say anything that is slightly confrontational with another person's emotional desires for how they would like life to be, that anyone,

anyone who would say anything opposed to that is automatically a cruel jerk. I mean, that's ideologically, that's what they're trying to set up by writing those characters that way. And for people who are just tuning in with us, you are listening to Word to the Wise on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. And today is a Christmas episode, and we're talking about Miracle on 34th Street. And I realize we haven't talked much about Miracle on 34th Street yet, but don't worry, it is all going to tie in. We are going to get there.

So for those of you who have not seen Miracle on 34th Street, basically the movie follows this single mom and her daughter. And they are very realistic or pragmatic. The mom doesn't let the daughter believe in Santa Claus. She doesn't read her fairy tales. And they know this guy named Mr. Gaylee, who lives in the same apartment complex. And in the movie, he falls in love with the mom. But throughout, he's kind of trying to help open up the daughter to make believe stuff. along with Santa Claus.

Who was hired by the mother for, the mother works for Macy's, and she hires this man to play Santa Claus, not knowing that he actually is. So the movie is basically, and this is a little creepy if you think about it, a team effort between Strange Man 1 and Strange Man 2, meaning Mr. Galen Santa Claus,

to try and influence this little girl apart from what her mother wants to believe and make believe, while her mother is bothered by these ideas and doesn't want to do so. So that's the setup. And the mother does, you know, end up opening up to these ideas in the end as well. Right. In the end, she learns she actually should lie to her daughter every once in a while.

That's a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. So we're going to start by just playing you this clip from the movie. We think it'll help you understand what we're talking about. I was wrong when I told you that, Susie. You must believe in Mr. Kringle and keep right on doing it. You must have faith in him. But he didn't get me that. That doesn't make sense, mommy.

Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to. Huh? So first of all, no, wrong. That is not what faith is, not even close. Second of all, just think about philosophically what this is setting up for the little girl here. This doesn't make sense. You've seen with your own eyes that it doesn't work. Like, Santa didn't get you what you wanted.

Now, in the movie, in the end, he actually, he does. But as of this scene, she doesn't know that. And she's been given multiple reasons to not think that this guy is Santa. And actually, at this point in the movie, the mom doesn't think the guy is the real Santa, too. That's what's crazy about this scene. In this scene, the mother does not believe that Chris Kringle is Santa. She's literally just looking her daughter in the eyes and saying this because she believes there is moral value in ignoring reality. Right.

So at this point in the story, the mom hasn't even like come around to like Santa being real because in the story, this guy is the real Santa. But she has been convinced by all the events that have unfolded that it is now okay for her to lie and say to her daughter that this guy is Santa, even though she doesn't believe it. Now, it's important to clarify. In the beginning of this story, the stance the mom takes is not one we advocate for. She's this total pragmatist. She won't let her daughter read fairy tales. And basically her life's perspective is like love, joy, peace. These things don't like pay the bills.

It's all about just getting by, making money, doing the right thing. These aren't exactly her words, but this is a general painting of herself and her daughter. And either of them are very like, you know, cheerful, enthusiastic Christmas spirit creatures. They're both kind of like, wow, that's a bad idea. You know, they kind of are meant to rub you the wrong way because they're overlooking. cynical and not full of quote unquote the Christmas spirit it starts to me during like the Christmas parade the guy was like hey isn't that a cool float and she's like it's just a float from last year with a thing painted over it like she's just like no she's right super so they're not

you know they're painted as because they don't believe in Santa Claus and because they're focused on reality they have this you know unwillingness to enjoy life is kind of the best way to put it which is obviously not great like there's no reason why her daughter um At one point, Mr. Galey brings up to the young girl the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. And the young girl, her name is Susan. Susan has no idea what Jack and the Beanstalk is because she isn't allowed to read fairy tales. So obviously, the writers of this, the producers of this movie are trying to set up an association between children who are not allowed to read the story and Jack and the Beanstalk. And children whose parents don't tell them Santa Claus.

Don't tell them Santa Claus. Right, which is the false dichotomy we were talking about earlier, which is like you're either the cynical, unpleasant person or you're fun, but a liar. Right, exactly. So I know what you guys are probably thinking, which is, I don't know much, but I sure do know you guys are the cynical and fun ones. Man, who takes sentimental Christmas movies this seriously? And I can see why you would have a point in a lot of cases. Here's the thing about Miracle on 34th Street that makes it, worth talking about.

Other movies have this trope, and I do think that has to do with ideological neo, postmodern, relativism, et cetera, et cetera. But whatever, I wouldn't just pick out any movie that has that and rant about it. The thing about Miracle on 34th Street is it doesn't just have characters that are written this way, the cynical person concerned with truth and the fun, happy, cheerful person willing to play make-believe. It is actively moralistic. And what I mean by that is if you've ever watched this movie, the characters and the messaging is, it's incredibly intentional and it takes itself entirely seriously.

Like, it's no joke. It's supposed to make you cry. Like, it's supposed to be like, oh my gosh, you're right. The Christmas spirit is about pretending. It is about the things that make you feel good more than the things that are true. So we're going to play a scene from the movie for you here, another one, where Mr. Galey is taught. talking to Susan's mother, and he's actually the one who first introduces her to the saying that is, faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to. And then he goes on to just like say something else that really adds to our point.

So here's the clip. You don't have any faith in me, do you? It's not a question of faith. It's just common sense. Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to. Don't you see, it's not just Chris that's on trial. It's everything he stands for. It's kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles. Oh, Fred. like a child, you're living in a realistic world, and those lovely intangibles of yours are

attractive but not worth very much. You don't get ahead that way. That all depends on what you call getting ahead. Evidently, you and I have different definitions. So this is where the movie is just particularly philosophically frustrating, because he's not responding to her pessimistic view of reality with any real message of hope. He's just responding by saying, oh, you're worried about the facts. You're worried about the fact that in this scene he's just thrown away his career, basically. You're worried about the fact I've thrown away my career. That's not what Christmas is about. It's about these lovely intangibles.

Well, here's the thing. He's right. It is about the lovely intangibles. Christmas is about hope. It is a message that is very counterintuitive to pragmatism. It is full of love. It is full of faith. And it's based on a miracle, right?

In truth, Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ coming into the world to save us from our sins. Here's the thing. regarding Christmas specifically. This is true all the time, but particularly in regards to Christmas, the world is so okay with a cultural gospel. A message of faith, hope, peace, and love. They're good with it.

They're even good with it if it's, quote, unquote, religious, as long as it's in this feel-good box that isn't attached to reality. And they're just like, they aren't even against it. Some people are against it because they respond by saying, oh well that's not reality we should be focused on reality but a more common theme is oh it's not reality and that's okay because that's not what life is about it's okay to not be realistic sometimes

sometimes it's good for you in other words they're pro feel good gospels um and it preaches within the scope of good feeling but it's unwilling to bring this message of hope into conversation with reality, with like ontologically the planet and what is actually real, because it would require them to actually discover what brings hope and to confront the idea of the one true God and what the world is actually about and their real purpose in it. If they were to bring this message of feel good, emotional, hope, love, peace into conversation with reality, as opposed to keep it in a box that is separate from reality, they would have to interact with the idea of God what his gospel actually is and what it actually requires of them.

And they are unwilling to do that. So they put it in this box. They put Jesus in the same box with Santa or they just put Christmas. So they put hope and joy and peace and love and faith into this box of these things are important. They've got nothing to do with reality. But every once in a while, you can just tap into them even though they have no basis in truth. Right. Like, and in the end for the movie, obviously, it turns out that the guy is Santa.

so it's like true but like the guys writing the movie don't think Santa's real they're trying to say like despite the fact that this is clearly not real we should be you know believing it just for the sake of like the spirit of it even though it's not true so it's the same with like with Jesus like if Jesus helps you love other people during Christmas time that's great but just no he's not real but it's not real like this is in our actual hope and here's the thing in a godless reality they're right in a godless reality, for someone who wants to be realistic and face facts, there is no love. There is no peace. There is no faith. There is no hope. That's why they're separating the characters into either realistic or hopeful because in a godless world, you have to choose between the two. Luckily,

we don't live in a godless world so you actually don't have to choose between the two. Reality is hopeful. There is a message of peace, joy and love that is available for you. and it is in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is what Christmas is actually about. So going back to, like, our original point, you are able to teach your kids the truth without being a pessimistic killjoy. Like, you can tell your kids the truth about Jesus Christ,

and you can also tell them the truth about Santa. So, yeah, our hot take for this episode is you should not tell your kid Santa's real. Because, you know, you should raise them in truth, but that doesn't mean you have to be like some jerk who is like, no make believe for you. Like you can teach. You encourage the imagination.

Encourage the imagination. Encourage joy. But base it in truth and based it in good value. Right. You can show them that they can have joy in the reality that God created. It's not like you want to teach them, the world sucks. But if you pretend that Santa's real, there's something to look forward to. That's not what you want your kids to think.

You want them to have joy in the reality, the way things actually are. And so truth and love and joy and peace are totally intertwined. They're totally compatible. And that's what we should remember this Christmas season is we should be grateful that we live in a reality thanks to the work of Jesus Christ, where we can have hope completely grounded in truth because he is the truth. Amen. Thank the Lord for that. Anyway, guys, we just hope you have a super good Christmas and just an amazing holiday season, eat yummy cookies and food and drink lots of good drinks and watch Christmas movies galore. Anyway, guys, this has been Word to the Wise on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM.

I'm Judah McDowell and I'm here with my sister Ariel McDowell and we hope you have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. We'll see you next time.