My essay “Mister Rogers’s Lesson for Democracy” is in Mister Rogers and Philosophy from Open Court Publishing. The essay explores the connection between Mr. Rogers’s Neighborhood of Make Believe and the philosophical teachings of Jürgen Habermas. Habermas’s concept of the public sphere is replicated in the Neighborhood of Make Believe. Habermas argues that a public sphere where all people meet to make collective decisions is vital to a functioning democracy. Furthermore, the mere concept of that space is extremely vital, because we need to be able to imagine a social space where an exchanges are made between an individual’s desires and the greater good.
I could say more, but you’re just going to have to buy the book from Open Court. However, if you’re not convinced, this extensive review from PopMatters should push you over the edge.