In The Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss, the Plain Belly Sneetches are said to be “moping and doping alone on beaches, just sitting there wishing their bellies had stars.”

Now, I know that Seuss’ major stories all teach important lessons. In this one, the lesson is against prejudice and segregation.  Which is, of course, highly admirable.

But. What torques my tush about it is that it portrays the “outsiders” (Plain Bellies) as doing NOTHING since they’re not in the IN group.  They seem to have no life. No self-respect. Only the wish to be a Star Belly.

That’s ridiculous! I have to watch this movie almost daily, understand, since Scooter is enamored of the video tape.  So I get more annoyed with each passing day at the implication that if you’re not IN, you’re a dufus. A boring, pokey, wannabe with no clue and no spirit.

Why didn’t the Plain Bellies get together and have their OWN frankfurter roasts?  Their own games of volleyball? Their own gigs?  Why did they just mope about?

This irritates me because people do exactly the same thing.  We have Star Bellies and Plain Bellies in every society around the world.  All too often, the Plain Bellies of humanity mope and gripe and snuffle and watch with wistful loneliness as the Star Bellies live the lives of the Beautiful People.

Why don’t they just organize and do something about it?  Sylvester McMonkey McBean almost NEVER comes to the beach to make it better (though if he did, it’d be on an infomercial) so people should seek to be happy as a Plain Belly and live healthy, useful lives.

Tags: Dr. Seuss, self-respect, sneetches