ABSTRACT
The culture which reflects our social system, which is part and parcel of personality itself, demands that childhood reflect our new values. Fairy tales' expression of these transformation myths provides the child with one method for transcending reality and overcoming obstacles. Childhood is the only time when we really believe in miracles and the tales' miraculous action often breaks down into independent single events that casually violate the thermodynamics of everyday life. Replacement of fairy tales by more prosaic reading material is removing the child from an atmosphere in which imagination can assert itself, and alienating him from a traditional feature of childhood itself. Television programs watched by children also seem to be devoid of qualities that appeal to one sex or the other. The most extensive study of television and children found little support for the view that girls are more squeamish than boys in connection with violence.
