Good day to you,
I have an interesting question that needs an opinion,
HAS THE MORALE STORY FOUND IN 80'S CARTOONS DECLINED LIKE TODAY'S KIDS KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG? AND DID IT EVER MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FIRST PLACE?
I'm thinking it may make an interesting poser for my dissertation title. I'd like to hear your views
Cheers, Mike
todays cartoons are not like what it used to be,
80's like thundercats/transformers/gijoe..etc really loved by all kids, where the stories were rich and the animation was colorfull (hand painted cells)
todays animations not only lacks of good stories, but also looks colors (dead)not only computers makes animation looks bad, add the lazyness of the animators, add the formula 'time==money' and we get ugly cartoons (which i won't type here to avoid holy war :D ).
3d is what drives companies now because of the money it brings too fast, and not the passion to stick with 2d.
although there are nice movies around made in 3d, its still not it.
80's were really good time for animation, new cartoons, new movies, new techniques, now days we suffer from the comeback of 2d and facing the new king - 3d ;(
long live 2d: paper,ink,hand paint
Visit my site http://www.animdesk.com
I agree that 3d is a factor, but is the problem not deeper seeded than 3d? It would seem that story writers, or maybe it's the producers, are after that american highschool image of the flawless blonde? Idols used to be someone that the kid could grow into, take steps to become more like there favourite character. These days they have this image thrown at them that they could never be. I believe that animation talks to a kid in their own language, in a way is it not our obligation to see these kids turn out alright?
Onamini: Just out of curiosity... what cartoons influenced you the most as a kid?
Your q has the presupposition that cartoons today are more immoral than ever. I disagree. There are depictions that couldn't have been done 30 years ago due to U.S watchdog groups but there can be morals if one looks for them as opposed to the trend 30 years ago of having a character come out and hit the kids over the head with a little speech at end, (Think Fat Albert and FIlmation fare for e.g.). I'd much rather morals not be a prerequisite and somethings are allowed to be entertaining without being "educational" or vice-
versa.
here's an interesting thread in which I participated and further donated my 2 cents:
http://www.animationnation.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008550
And ain't it funny that the adults who worry about how animation will affect kids grew up with explosives, stereotypes and 2 oz. canaries dropping anvils? It might be best to ask how this affected oneself.
Before you begin to even discuss the issue of morality, you really have to define what morality is and also consider that morality is a mobile cultural construct (ie. it's not something NATURAL like umm..fish..it's something society creates). It doesnt stand still. It's always changing--at least in terms of representation (although... even views on something as seemingly obvious as murder - are there not good and bad murders according to some?- have varied over the years.)
Secondly, in order to answer the question, we'd probably have to consider what ISN'T being shown in today's cartoons as much as what IS shown. What a society doesn't say says as much about it's morals as what it does say.
Also, you'd have to consider the TV (and mass media in general) infrastructure and how it's changed over the years.
Anyway, I don't really have an answer because it's a pretty tough question that requires extensive research.
Chris Robinson
As far as I remember the 80's cartoons, most of them were mere scams to sell more toys, specially Mattel's. If I were to be influenced by them, I'd probably be in the military now, or at least I'd think that the army and the G. I. Joes really meant freedom and peace. But that didn't happen, I'm totally anti-military now.
I also used to watch Care Bears and other girlie stuff too, but not necessarily they turned me into the sissy boy I was supposed to for being exposed to it.
What I'm trying to say is that moral is supposed to be taught by your parents and relatives and teachers, and not by TV cartoons. They are merely moving pictures with noise to go along. Any one who has its morality built on that would be crazy anyway, with or without cartoons.
I think 90's and 2000's TV shows are much better than the ones we used to have back in the 80's. I'm planning on having kids soon, and I'd prefer them to grow up watching Spong Bob Square Pants, Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Time Squad instead of G. I. Joe, Strawberry Shortcake or My Little Pony.
danielpoeira.org
We're losing some old morality (don't worship graven images) and gaining some new morality (civil rights; tolerance) and these changes are reflected in our TV shows, movies, comic books, etc. I believe the concept is known as "moral relativism" and religious fundamentalists HATE it.
Does it make a difference? Of course. Our culture is where we learn how to behave.
There are a lot of very moral toons on the air now you just have to look for them:
Rocket Power...isn't bad
Hey Arnold!
Rugrats...although I know a lot of you don't like it and think it's lame.
The Wild Thornberries
Sponge Bob....even though I think it's lame.
As Told By Ginger
Proud Family
You just have to watch and be selective. In fact some of these are more moral than earlier toons.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
Wow, some inspired writing going on here! I like your idea's of old morality and new morality, and how it has changed for the good. I also agree that that Wile Coyote did have some issues that needed attention, but i put that down to him being hungery. But what about the whole idol idea? Is that how the message is carried across? Through idols that have become the same age as the kid who is watching it?
There's a cartoon I've seen, which has no specific moral messages behind it, but is educational. It's got a woolly mammoth and a professor in it, but is set in sort of modern day (in a village I think). I've only seen it a few times, and despite its rather confusing issues about what era it's in, it's really cool. The episode I watched explained how electricity works... too long a story to go into here, but the point is I learnt something from it myself!!! Does it ring a bell to anyone else?
Back onto the issue of morality: I personally loved Loony Tunes etc growing up, and I didn't become a violent person as a result of it. I do wonder about cartoons like the Simpsons, which maybe push the envelope with regards to bad language etc, whether they have an effect on giving kids a smart mouth? In other words, I don't really remember seeing fellow kids plotting to blow each other up after watching Wile E. Coyote. I've certainly heard plenty of kids quoting the Simpsons though, and sounding like little smart alecs as a result.
Kids can imitate anything not just cartoons. Remember the Book Tom Sawyer? They read about Pirates and made a raft and got lost for a few days? Darn books!
Not all cartoons are meant for kids. And those that are don't always have to have a moral and can merely entertain. And it's up to us adults to set an example of right and wrong and know what our kids are into, not to leave it up nor always blame media. My kids imitate the way I get angry, that's where to start.
I guess the root of my irritation is looking at the world situation, the news, the way we can treat each other on the outside world, to isolate cartoons' influence, if any, is kind of trite. And gosh, this discussion has been going on for 40+ years. There oughta be a whole generation or two of us hitting one another with mallets.
Having a protagonist who is a child and a young viewer or reader who experiences vicariuosly through that character is not something that is new nor something that is indigenous to the cartoon medium. There are the jim Hawkins and Oliver Twists to Batman's Robin and Harry Potter.
Why not look at all popular media's influneces rather than take one form and retro-fit all the causes and effects to that?
I might just do that. Cheers for everybodies contribution to the question. I have kinda got exactly what I was looking use in my dissertation:
1. There are many different opinions on the subject
2. There are hundreds of references that I can use
3. There are many arguements to do with past and present cartoons, both in similarity and contrast
4. It is not a simple yes and no answer to the question
5. It provoked an array of angles to take on the subject
6. You people are a never-ending resource of good and useful knowledge and voices
Cheers
By the way, if you want to continue the discussion or add anything to it I'd be more than grateful!