Are competition and talentism ruining children?

From: merinews & Lalit Kishore

"A a social psychologist, I am against the reality shows and had been denouncing a variety of versions of entertainment media motivated shows being performed on every festivals in schools in the name of talentism. The two things are ruining children and robbing them of their childhood - competition and talentism. Worst is the parents and schools falling for it," said the Jaipur based social psychologist and retired professor from the local university on hearing the controversy regarding an alleged inappropriate behaviour towards a girl child participating in singing reality show.

Often, even at school functions, the hired chorographers and anchors include adult jokes and content in the performances since their training and education has been based on filmy songs and dances or the modern dances done at clubs and for commercial entertainment. They are really harmful for children and their entry into schools needs to be banned, she added.

Many child rights activists deem encouraging children to participate in reality shows tantamount to forced child labour since children are paid wages in terms of gifts and fees. And, the child labour law prevents children under the age of 14 working and missing the school.

I too feel that children’s reality shows are based distorted reality of life and they are against the tenets of developmental psychology of children. They seem to be doing more harm than good to children. Like me, many educationists and psychologists deem that organizing reality shows for children is an undesirable concept.

Children’s psyche is tender and fragile and often they are unable handle exploitation, criticism and failure leading to low self-esteem and failed childhood. Often, children take public humiliation, harsh criticism or rude remarks very seriously resulting into self-harm, I wrote in an article for this portal earlier.

My take is that in schools, the market-based concepts of competition and talentism should not be allowed to trench in and education should be geared to right kind of child development cognitively and socialization leading to inclusion, and mutual caring and sharing.