Perpetuating the myth of Santa Claus to children is bad

Hello, I am XStrikeX, and I am representing the Proposition for this debate, "Perpetuating the myth of Santa Claus is bad for children." I'd like to open up with a few definitions. Perpetuate: cause to continue or prevail; "perpetuate a myth" Myth: a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence Santa Claus: an imaginary being who is thought to bring presents to children at Christmas Bad: having negative qualities or effects This debate will be based on logic and reason, so no sources are necessary unless there is any statistical information or actual situation presented. Arguments 1. Santa Claus is irrational. For a start his supposed activities would break all the rules of physics - how could anyone fly around the world with magical reindeer in just one night visiting every child? How would his sleigh stay up in the air? And how could he get into so many bedrooms - most people nowadays don't have chimneys to come down, and he wouldn't't fit down one even if they did? Santa certainly seems like a robber through his extremely sneaky ways even if he does "give presents." And do we have any proof for the existence of elves, or of reindeer? Secondly, if Santa existed don't you think that someone would have seen him delivering the presents, at least once? How would a parent answer these questions? They can't because Santa is so ridiculous! The theory of Santa is so unrealistic that children will be confused what actual reality and logic is. 2. Santa is an evil person. Santa is a class oppressor - for he always seems to give the most and best presents to children in the richest families while those who are poor get little or nothing. A single person can be enlisted as naughty or nice, good or bad, based on a few acts. You can't judge a person based on a few observations. And he has been enlisted as a bogeyman in the fight to make children do what their parents want. All those, "You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not shout… I'm telling you why" threats that bad children won't be visited by Santa are just designed to scare children and keep them under control. Parents control their kids by creating an imaginary "powerful" stranger. Such a figure is not worthy of our belief. 3. Children will be disillusioned. We should have a strict regard for the truth, and see the world as it is regardless of the consequences. Our children deserve to be told the truth about Santa Claus, as well as about the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and the possibility of fairies at the bottom of the garden. If they start off believing in these things, one day they will become disillusioned and maybe psychologically scarred for life by the experience. And once parents start to lie to their children about Santa Claus then other dishonesty and mistrust can all too easily follow. 4. Santa stunts intellectual maturity. The priority of believing in the face of evidence or reasoning which contradicts that belief, promotes a model of learning based on authority and accepting irrational concepts, discouraging healthy skepticism. Questions about Santa's existence are likely to be dismissed as opportunities to exercise critical thinking only to be replaced with 'magical thinking' that forms a poor substitute for sound reasoning. They may learn that false arguments work as a substitute for logic. Indeed, the child will learn eventually that Santa Claus is false, but that knowledge may likely come through admission rather than logical deduction. Participation in this deception teaches children that dishonesty at the expense of those who are gullible, like younger children, can be amusing and fun. It may also teach them that we should believe in ideas that are rewarding with the hopes that they are true, rather than believing in them for actually being true. This denounces true, logical thinking. Santa Claus is an illogical, irrational myth that promotes poor logic and is a lie that parents tell their children. Children will also be unsafe and insecure once they learn the truth about Santa's existence and wonder why their parents would lie to them so. For these reasons, perpetuating the myth of Santa Claus to children is bad.