Perpetuating the Santa Deception

[Philosophy Now]

Jimmy Alfonso Licon wonders whether pretending there’s a Santa is naughty or nice.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/165/Perpetuating_the_Santa_Deception

[Impenitent]

it boosts sales at certain stores

tell your dreams to this fat guy in a red suit while your parents spend their money here...

-Imp

[accelafine]

Indeed. I remember being very confused. It didn't occur to me that adults were liars, but at the same time my four year old brain couldn't work out how it could possibly be true. The logistics were ridiculous. What about houses with no chimney? How could he possibly visit every house in the world? What about Africa? I'm pretty sure children only pretend to believe in that crap to please their parents.

[attofishpi]

Indeed. I remember being very confused. It didn't occur to me that adults were liars, but at the same time my four year old brain couldn't work out how it could possibly be true. The logistics were ridiculous. What about houses with no chimney? How could he possibly visit every house in the world? What about Africa? I'm pretty sure children only pretend to believe in that crap to please their parents.

..and yet, what is your existing excuse for being a moron? Do you insist on telling children that there is no dream of an entity that might permit them to feel happy, if only for a brief period of their time as children (their childhood)?

[accelafine]

Indeed. I remember being very confused. It didn't occur to me that adults were liars, but at the same time my four year old brain couldn't work out how it could possibly be true. The logistics were ridiculous. What about houses with no chimney? How could he possibly visit every house in the world? What about Africa? I'm pretty sure children only pretend to believe in that crap to please their parents.

..and yet, what is your existing excuse for being a moron? Do you insist on telling children that there is no dream of an entity that might permit them to feel happy, if only for a brief period of their time as children (their childhood)?

42

[Alexiev]

There's a distinction between "lies" and "fictions". Children are better able to suspend disbelief than adults. When I was old enough to know about Santa, (7 or I still thought I might some day stumble through a magical door to Narnia. Did I really "believe" this would happen? Probably not. But the distinction between fantasy and reality was blurry in my childhood.

Children WANT to "believe" in Santa Claus -- just as I wanted to believe in Narnia. They don't think about the distinction between the imaginary and the "real" as clearly as some adults do. Do people "believe" in God for the same reasons? Do they WANT to believe, and thus persuade themselves? I suppose, as Paul suggested to the Corinthians, they should "put aside childish things." But why? The imaginary is "real" -- just in a manner distinct from physical reality.

So Santa Claus exists -- just in a different manner from the existence of physical things. Telling children about Santa Claus prepares them for a life rich with imagination. The presents Santa delivers are a metaphor for the present God delivered to mankind on Christmas. As with stories about Santa Claus, if we obsess about the truth or falsity of that more basic Christmas story, we may miss the beauty and emotional resonance of the story. Why would anyone want to do that?