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by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.
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Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

The Boogie Man

Thursday April 1, 2004

(The following question and answer is from a New York Times interview entitled "10 Questions for . . . Al Franken" published March 23, 2004.)

QUESTION: Why do liberals like you, Al Franken, hate America?

FRANKEN'S RESPONSE: Liberals like me love America. We just love America in a different way. You love America like a 4-year-old loves his mommy. Liberals love America like grown-ups. To a 4-year-old, everything Mommy does is wonderful and anyone who criticizes Mommy is bad. Grown-up love means actually understanding what you love, taking the good with the bad and helping your loved one grow. Love takes attention and work and is the best thing in the world. That's why we liberals want America to do the right thing. We know America is the hope of the world, and we love it and want it to do well. We also want it to do good.

The above quote has nothing to do with today's essay. Just the same, I thought you might enjoy it as much as I did. Go America! Do good.
 
When I was a kid long, long ago when Homo Erectus was just starting to branch off from apelike ancestors about 2.4 million years in the past, clan mommas in my Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood kept their offspring in line by warning that we would be turned over to "the Boogie Man" if we did not stop doing whatever mischief we were about. The Boogie Man was not a mythical figure, but a fearsome character or troupe of characters that traveled the alleys of our row house streets collecting newsprint and rags. The Boogie Men would announce their presence with the singsong cry, "Any ol rags? Any ol rags?" While the refrain, when sung with original bell and pot accompaniments, would no doubt be viewed as musical genius today, to us it brought panic and terror, for we were indoctrinated to fear such men, for bad little boys who had misbehaved once too often usually ended up inside the large sacks the Boogie Men carried. The Brothers Grimm had nothing in the imagination department superior to the creative talents of our parents. 
 
A modern day friend and colleague named Jeff Haebig has reinvented the Boogie Man, and uses the term when promoting what he calls "BrainBOOGIE." His "BrainBOOGIE" "approach to wellness promotion integrates cognitive and neuro-scientific research to facilitate learning in fun ways. Jeff has designed a range of movement exercises based on a conviction that "body hormones, enzymes and peptides join neuro-chemicals in the brain to create thoughts, feelings and behavior." Jeff believes ample research shows that all these elements can be harnessed to facilitate effective and lasting wellness education.
 
Jeff sent me an example of one booster exercise activity that typifies the "BrainBOOGIE" learning system for children. It entails lots of gestures, movements, signals and challenges as part of "fun, fast, no-flack feedback booster activities." It takes the form of a class assignment, as follows: "Hold formal debates with students choosing sides and conducting more extensive research supporting their points of view - and quote from at least three different sources of reliable information." Jeff offered these sample questions to choose from -- the teachers can select the ones suggested or can make up their own that they believe best relate to issues of interest to the students. 
 
To add interest to the process, I added a comment or two as to how I would relate to each question, based on my adult wellness mindset. Then I sent my compliments to Jeff, including a list of my opinions. I mentioned that I thought all his questions were good for discussion and debate in getting the students to think and move about. I added, "Of course, you have to want to know MY OPINIONS on each question that reflect what would be good responses from a wellness, if not a constitutional, perspective." 
 
Here are Jeff's "BrainBoogie" activity questions with my reactions--you might think about how YOU would respond to each question.   

1. Children under the age of 12 should be restricted from watching violence on TV and video games.
    
   NO, but discussions after such TV shows with a skilled facilitator would be helpful.
    
   
2. Schools should not be allowed to have either candy or pop vending machines.
    
   Yes. A modest first step to deal with childhood obesity and to shape healthier nutritional patterns.
    
   
3. Minors under the age of 21 should be fined $1000 if caught smoking tobacco.
    
   NO. Kids don't have such funds.  Even if the fine were $1, it would discriminate against poorer kids.
    
   
4. It is ethically right to clone super-intelligent, super good-looking humans.
    
   YES. Desperate steps are needed to improve the gene pool.
    
   
5.  Children should be required to assume all financial responsibilities of their aging parents.
    
   NO. Children could not afford it, and by the time they would be forced to do this, they would not be children anymore.  
    
   
6. Doctor assisted suicide is morally correct for terminally ill patients who seek it.
    
   YES.
    
   
7. Excellent physical fitness should be a requirement that all students meet for being on the honor roll. 
    
   YES
    
   
8. All parents should be required to complete a responsible communications course.
    
   YES, IF a decent course could be created -- but could we all agree on the nature of such a course? A parenting course BEFORE procreation would be an even better idea.
    
   
   (I added this next question.)  
   
9. No child should be required or placed under any peer pressure to recite the Pledge of Allegiance containing the phrase "under God."
    
   YES. This phrase was added in 1954 and represents a McCarthy era violation of the separation of church and state. That separation has served the nation well and should be safeguarded by eliminating ceremonial deism from required public duties and ceremonies. 
   

Of course, the activity is the point, including developing a comfort level with exchanges of ideas on issues wherein not everyone views things in the same way. Tolerance can be a valuable skill at all ages, and if "BrainBoogie" activities facilitate that, then good for Jeff. 
 
To learn more about Dr. Jeff Haebig's work in this area, go to BrainBoogie.com or contact him at 888-388-WELL or 507-281-3143. You can also sign up for a free weekly Body/brain Booster tip with a simple request to Jeff at this E-mail address --  wellnessquest@charter.net.  
 
Best wishes, be well, be nice to the Boogie Man and look on the bright side of life.

Domain: mental
Subdomain: emotional intelligence

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