Oh JEEZ I never even noticed that he wroteĀ āButterfryā.Ā š
The problem Iāve always had with Dobsonās argument ofĀ ākids cartoons can be deep too!ā is not so much that heās right, but itās still that classicĀ āeven when heās right, heās wrongā.
Kids cartoons can touch on deep subjects to some extent, but I crave more complexity and depth. Certain aspects of life, like the mind-fuckery portrayed in George Orwellās "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by the Thought Police, go beyond what kids cartoons can effectively address. It's not merely a simplified "control what you think" concept; it delves into a system that manipulates your thoughts to the point where you accept contradictory ideas because the state demands it. Kids shows might lightly touch on such themes, like an authoritarian teacher in an afterschool special, but they lack the full impact and permanence of the real world situations.
Kids are undoubtedly intelligent, almost like young adults, but they lack the personal history that comes with age. It's akin to comparing the Ancient Greeks to modern civilization; both involve smart humans, but our understanding of right and wrong is shaped by thousands of years of history, which the Ancient Greeks didn't have. Similarly, kids cannot fully comprehend why something is good, bad, right, or scary until they experience it themselves. Considering this, kids shows are crafted with the understanding that children lack certain knowledge, so they might not be the best medium to introduce certain topics.
So... when I think of āmatureā storytelling, I agree, it doesnāt need to always have a dark, gritty, swear-filled story... but it helps underline the cruelty of adults better than without it. And while I can certainly appreciate kids cartoons for their willingness to touch on deep topics, they ultimately rarely have the same level of gravitas and respect that a genuine adult story would have. Sure, some edgelord "adult" cartoons may be less mature than the best examples of mature storytelling in a kid cartoon, but that fact doesn't automatically make kids cartoons inherently more mature in comparison.
While kids shows can certainly delve into meaningful themes and evoke emotional responses, it's important to acknowledge that they operate on a different level compared to truly adult narratives. Moments like Littlefoot's loss of his mother in The Land Before TimeĀ (which I absolutely cried about as a kid) or Ash's decision to part with Butterfree in PokĆ©mon are poignant and touching for a younger audience. However, they don't reach the same level of complexity and real-world gravitas as the intricacies of characters like Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old MenĀ or Django in Django Unchained, which covers topics and matters which simply have no child-friendly alternative (translating Chigurh into a school yard bully undermines his tale, and thereās simply no way to involve slavery and racism in a childrenās show short of actually involving it at face value).
Adult shows often explore profound adult cruelties and complexities that kid shows simply cannot match. There's a clear distinction in the depth of storytelling and the themes that can be addressed in these two different genres. While kids shows can be deep and emotionally impactful, adult narratives delve into more profound and nuanced aspects of the human experience. (And let's be honest, Lord of the FliesĀ may involve kids but itās definitely not a kids story, while Catcher in the Rye serves as babyās first introduction to adult themes more than anything. Hell, that may be the best point I could make in all this.)
EDIT: "I would argue that many children's cartoons and comics often treat these mature subject matters with FAR more respect..."
Define "respect". It seems that kids shows tend to handle these deep topics delicately to make them more understandable for children, considering their limited ability to deal with such complex issues, and you're interpreting that as "treat[ing them] ... with FAR more respect".
Let's draw a parallel to the first time you encountered disturbing content, like Rotten.com or a video of someone unaliving themselves. Would you say you're better prepared now as an adult for the next time you stumble upon another unaliving video, or back when you didn't even realize this was a thing to begin with? Kids shows approach these topics with what is often referred to as "respect" by shielding young audiences from explicit details, as many children more often than not lack the necessary tools to handle these details. It's like telling a child that their grandparent "passed away" instead of using harsher language.
The problem here is, this approach narrows down the portrayal of these topics to a more pleasant, 'nicer' representation, missing out on the various ways both kids and adults navigate and manage their emotions surrounding these deep matters. While these shows may aim to be "respectful," they might only offer a limited perspective on how people genuinely react and respond. In contrast, adult shows have the freedom to explore these subjects without the primary focus of being a "teachable moment" or enforcing specific conduct when dealing with these themes.
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