What Happened When Elmo Asked a Simple Question

In all likelihood, this article will get buried under a mountain of clickbait and useless information. The ever-changing algorithm doesn't favor pieces that don't dwell in lowest-common-denominator, easily-digestible, often-recycled subjects.

So if you're reading this: thank you for stopping by. I appreciate the click.

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A Brief History of Elmo

This is kinda hard to believe, but Elmo (of Sesame Street fame) has been on TV since 1980. The character became a regular around 1987.

And who could forget the Tickle Me Elmo War of 1996.

Elmo Asked a Simple Question on Twitter/X

Elmo Then Got Trauma Dumped

We...are not okay as a society. The responses were overwhelmingly bleak.

The Official Sesame Street Twitter/X Account Had to Jump In

What The Responses Say About The State of Our Well-Being

OOF.

The worst-kept secret of the United States is that our healthcare - in general - is trash. Our mental healthcare is somehow worse.

Too many (not all) doctors have become pill endorsers. U.S. healthcare wants to treat the problem instead of cure it. If a treatment works well, it's probably not covered by insurance. And...insurance. I won't trauma dump about my despisal of insurance companies.

We're not okay. We are definitely Ving Rhames in the basement during Pulp Fiction. If you know, you know.

Much like when Steve from Blue's Clues returned to the spotlight to check in and the generation that grew up watching him crack cases with an animated dog felt all of the emotions, the generation(s) that grew up watching Elmo saw him checking on them and unloaded their trauma.

Sure, it's TV characters; but if you need to release some pain and you either:

1. can't afford a licensed therapist
2. only feel safe letting it all out to a TV character you grew up loving

...then more power to you. I'm glad that Sesame Street stepped up to offer those in pain some resources to help.

Empathy is Not a Weakness

The alfalfa mails of the world will LOL at this, and let them: Empathy is not a weakness.

I repeat: EMPATHY IS NOT A WEAKNESS.

Retaining any empathy is an apathetic and downright malicious world is a real show of strength.

Unloading years of bottled-up trauma and emotional pain onto a TV character on social media doesn't make you weak. It's a step in the right direction. Keep going.

The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is 988

You can talk to a person, or you can chat/text with a person, both via the same number. I fully-endorse this resource.