Ever since I was young, I have felt an incredible attachment to animation series of all types. Cartoons have fueled my love for life more than almost anything else I have known.
A lot of my intelligence, spunk, and creativity can be attributed the cartoons I hold close to my heart.
I remember watching any cartoon ever in my parent’s home. I’d be minding my own business, happy as can be, and most likely lying on the floor with my feet in the air. Then my father would come in, take one look at the television and say, “Can’t you ever watch something intelligent?”
To me this question was so absurd that I could only respond by sticking my tongue out and making a fart noise, only to carry on watching my cartoons.
It was just far too insulting of a statement to respond with actual words. animation has always meant so much to me, and has helped me immensely in so many ways.
I remember passing a test about the book “Lord of the Flies” without ever having read a page of it. I passed with a B. This is all because I was a fan of “The Simpsons.”
In the ninth season they released an episode titled “Das Bus” which was based on the “Lord of the Flies.” I think I must have watched the episode about a thousand times before I took the test, and just so happened to match the characters in the show to the characters in the novel, thus producing a B graded test.
Regardless, the point of this anecdote is not to describe how much of a terrible student I am, but rather to express the idea that animation does more than entertain. It has taught me about culture, history and human emotion.
Also, “The Simpsons” are awesome.
More importantly I believe cartoons have taught me to have a sense of humor about some of life’s greatest hardships and truths.
Take “Ren and Stimpy” for example, an animated series about a chihuahua and a tailless cat who are roommates, and sometimes suggested to be more. It’s one of my favorite shows to date.
This show can be hard to watch, because it heavily dramatizes situations which may be considered painful, or even gross. However, despite the cartoon’s raw nature of being visually disgusting, it is a complete satire of humanity’s desperate attempts to thrive in a capitalistic society.
I think it’s so brilliant that this show can express this stressful idea in such a bizarre and hysterical way.
Another show that I completely love is Adult Swim’s “Rick and Morty.” It encompasses all kinds of ridiculous intergalactic nonsense and brings about the reoccurring theme that humans are small, and everything we do in this world is more or less insignificant outside of our reality.
It’s a horribly depressing show that will make you laugh so hard you’ll pee your pants. This somehow makes me feel okay with being insignificant, and almost takes some pressure off of life itself.
I could not live with myself if I didn’t express my feelings for kid shows as well. They can just as savvy in expressing human nature and growth. The messages may be more obvious but they till speak truth, and remain true as we become adults.
Nickelodeon’s “Avatar the last Air Bender” is the ultimate show when it comes to teaching perseverance, teamwork and love. This show truly proves that anything is possible.
I cried during the triumphant series finale, for real. It was beautiful.
My point is, animation is much more than meets the eye. It is real, just like us, because we create it. It contains real emotions, real problems and real solutions.
Over the years, the more cartoons I watch, the more I fall in love. The consistently prove to be brilliant and most are completely timeless. I will love them until I cease to exist.
I think I might watch one right now… and might even create my own one day.
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