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What Cartoons Teach Us
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What Cartoons Teach Us
by Perceptor II


Toys to Toon by Dark Star
As I write this, not even a day has passed since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.  It was a deliberate and evil attack that has shaken my country to the core.  Yet I am proud of my country for the way we have responded.  Our police and firefighters performed heroically, even as 300 or so made the ultimate sacrifice.  Common people have rushed to do whatever they can to help the victims, even if, like myself, all they can do is give blood or offer their prayers.  The Lord knows that this country and its people have a lot wrong with them, but today we have shed our petty squabbles and rose to meet the challenge.  Across the world, governments and common people alike have expressed their shock, their outrage, their sympathies and their resolve to stand with and support this tragedy.  As an American, let me expressed my profound gratitude for this.  

With this sort of act, no one can deny that evil really does exist.  There are real villains in this world.  

We are Transfans.  We celebrate a fictional account of a struggle between good and evil, between heroic Autobots/Maximals and evil Decepticons/Predacons/Vehicons.  Today this fiction seems shallow in comparison with the horrific reality we are forced to face.  We face our darkest hour, and no, Rodimus Prime cannot open the Matrix and destroy the great evil we face.

Cartoons such as Transformers have come under attack from many quarters.  Some criticize the depiction of war, of violence.  Others decry the lack of educational value, and others still criticize the simplistic idea portrayed that "good triumphs over evil".  Fans usually respond in anger, saying that they are simply entertaining.  All this misses the point.  These shows depict heroes as they struggle against evil, often overcoming great odds.  When faced with villains bent on committing heinous acts, they respond bravely, not because they enjoy the accolades, not because it's "cool", but because they simply have to.  They understand that evil "must be stopped, no matter the cost."

Whether they are watching Superman, Spider-Man, Optimus Prime, G.I.Joe, the Power Rangers or the Digi-destined, the lesson is clear.  Kids learn that when faced with evil, with villainy, one must stand against it.  In times like this, the importance of that lesson becomes clear.  Today's adults were brought up on these sort of cartoons.  While I can sympathize with the concern that a cartoon that focuses on fighting may teach kids that fighting is the answer to many problems, but it is clear that the importance of opposing evil cannot be understated.

One final note: when the first episode of Transformers: Robots in Disguise aired, there was a lot of complaining for Transfans of the "cheesiness" of such declarations by the heroic Autobots as, "Our power is greater than theirs [the Predacons], because it comes from a place of goodness, not greed."  At the time, they sounded unnecessarily simplistic.  In light of Tuesday's horrific events, they sound like a statement of unshakeable faith, a faith we all need now more than ever.




Disclaimer
The views expressed here are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of TransForums. The only official view held by TransForums is that Transformers are a worthy enough subject to devote a web site to discussing them.