Earlier this week I found myself on the other side of the "what's in" cultural gap once again looking into the "I must be getting older" abyss from my side of the chasm. It's Ok...I'm getting used to it. Usually I find myself at the edge of this precipice over things like technology, trends and the latest slang. For example, I recently found out that the term "Stellar" was a thing a little while ago and that now there is no need to type www anymore.... who knew? I didn't even have a Facebook account until a little over a year ago, but this time I found myself confused (which according to my wife, is not a hard feat) over something that took me by surprise. This time, my fellow Observers, I was looking in from the land of the lost due to pop culture that I thought would never fade into obscurity. Silly me!
Let me take you back to this past Tuesday, my loyal reader. While working with my son and engaging in the usual banter that aids in making the day go by easier, I made a comment that caused our badgering to come to an abrupt stop. While discussing a situation that dealt with a hypothetical action that would get one in dutch if committed, I stated "If I dood it... I get a whippen!". Chuckling at my cleverness until I saw the puzzled look on my son's face as if I started speaking a different language. I continued..."I dood it!". Same look. Now the look is on my face. "Really?", I asked. "Looney Toons?". "Which one?", he asks. "Which one?!?!?.... Bugs Bunny!". Still nothing. Then I find myself trying to jog his memory and justify my denial by describing the cartoon episode that the line came from to no avail. I went back to work and decided not to quote anymore cartoons that day.
As if that wasn't enough of a generational sobering pie in the face, the next day I regaled the incident to my wife assuming that I was with someone who could appreciate the dilemma of my recent Merrie Melodies mishap. I was even more shocked when instead of the solidarity I expected from my spouse, I was again met with the same look that was on my son's face the day prior and found myself alone on a desert isle of forgotten, iconic catch phrases. I never thought I would get this old.
As I mulled over how exactly the divide of popular culture between my son and myself got so wide, it occurred to me that, in a way, it didn't make sense. Especially when it came to the same response from my wife as there is only a seven year difference between us. (She told me to be sure I made it clear that I was older) It fell even further from logic when I realized that if I had said the same quote to my mother, she would have gotten it and laughed along with me. So how did something that was around when my parents were growing up have just as much of an impact on me to the point that I'm still inflecting parts of that culture in my 50's and my son has no memory of it?
As I contemplated the situation further I figured out that the answer was simple. It's not accepted or allowed anymore. We seemed to have evolved (for lack of a better word) to the point that some feel a lot of the things that I grew up with are now horse and buggy thinking and our children are better off without them. Of course, I disagree. I believe that cultural items that have lasted for generations have done so for a reason, otherwise they would have been discarded long ago, not just in the last twenty years or so. I understand that some traditions and pop culture falls to the wayside to make room for new concepts and ideals that reflect the time we live in, but when we cut ties to our past in the name of political correctness, far left liberal or far right conservative thinking we make the mistake of stealing our children's right to their childhood.
Whatever happened to Saturday morning cartoons? Waking up at the crack of dawn (when we didn't have to) to catch the latest offerings of Scooby Doo, Waky Racers, Yogi Bear, Hong Kong Fooey, Jabberjaw, The Pink Panther, H.R. Puffinstuff, Sigmund and the Seamonsters or any other show created by Sid and Marty Krofft. What was so wrong about a few mindless hours of flights of fancy that almost everyone from my generation cherished? Forget about Saturday mornings. What about after school reruns that channel 5 used to show? I couldn't wait to get home and watch a few episodes of Woody Woodpecker, Space Ghost, Herculoids, Gilligan's Island or my favorite, The Little Rascals on a rainy day or while doing my homework. You don't see those shows anymore... and you should. Even Boomerang, the Cartoon Network channel that was created to air some of these shows, doesn't anymore. They used to and I found myself glued to the screen like a little kid when Pixie and Dixie or Secret Squirrel came on, but sadly, format change has led the station to air repeats of current shows with a splash of Scooby and early morning glimpses of Bedrock. Yeah... that's vintage. More like it's safe.... sterile.... boring.
That's what our children get now. Non-violent, non-offensive, non-biased, candy coated, accepted, allowed, animated crap that has no soul or depth. And if these cartoon channels aren't churning out continuous, mindless, forgettable flotsam, everything else is designed to teach something. When I was a kid, if I wanted to learn something while watching TV (which wasn't very often) I'd tune in Sesame Street, The Electric Company or the occasional Zoom episode if I wasn't creeped out by their matching outfits right down to their sneakers. I don't mean to take anything away from today's cartoons or creators, but I really don't think that Clarence could hold a candle to Baby Huey, Sanjay and Craig could be in the same room with Heckle and Jeckle or Pickle and Peanut could ever be compared to Bugs and Daffy. These characters spoke not only to us, but our parents as well. They have stood the test of time and entered into a place in our hearts. I miss watching them and feel a certain amount of sadness that my children will probably never get to know them as I did. To be fair, some of the cartoons being created recently a have endeared themselves to me. I am a huge SpongeBob fan and I actually got excited when the aforementioned Boomerang started to show reruns of Dexter's Laboratory (don't tell my wife). The problem is that these shows are few and far between and a lot of times when characters like Robot and Monster (another awesome modern show) come along they are just as quickly cancelled.
Every once in a great while I happen upon a cartoon from my youth, but it's always one that is hand picked by those ho have deemed it acceptable to air. Many of the Looney Toons episodes that I love are not shown anymore because they are too violent or depict dangerous or risqué activity. The Little Rascals have been eliminated from any broadcasting due to being labeled racist. Once again this breaks away from logic for me. I grew up watching these shows with no adverse effects that I know of. No matter what I saw Wile E. Coyote do in his numerous vain attempts to capture the Road Runner, I was never compelled to emulate those actions myself. They were cartoons, for chrissakes! Even as a kid, I knew that. Besides, look at what usually happened to Wile E. I wasn't that stupid. As far as The Little Rascals were concerned, I never looked at Buckwheat, Farina or Stimey any differently than how I saw Spanky, Alfalfa or Darla. They were just part of Our Gang. If these idiots that labeled the show racist had a brain in the heads they have shoved so far up their asses they may have caught on to the fact that this show was one of the first of it's kind as it integrated a children's cast as equals at the height of segregation in this country.
So when exactly did we all agree that it was better to let others make decisions for us? Even worse, who thought it was a good idea to hand that right over willingly to those who think they know what's best for us? What ever happened to letting individuals decide for themselves what was acceptable for them and their children to view, read or listen to? It worked for my parents and I think most of my generation turned out alright. And who specifically are "they" anyway? Everyone I know seems to be shaking their heads along with me. The naysayers and malcontents are apparently in the minority, but are somehow making policy. The point is that worthwhile literature and entertainment can earn longevity on it's own merits and would continue to do so... until now, if it offends somebody or some group or conflicts with a certain belief, it winds up a controversial fragment on the moral majority's cutting room floor. No one discussed this with me. I never rubberstamped their censorship dipped in good intentions and if they had I would have told them where to stick their editing tool. If we continue to allow narrow minded ideals to dictate what is acceptable, eventually more than catch phrases will be forgotten. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, I missed that left turn at Albuquerque.
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