Seemingly simple, cartoons impact felt years later
People have a funny way of looking back at the past with rose-tinted glasses. Memories from the “good ol’ days” are powerful enough to trigger immense feelings of joy and security, and they take us back to a time when everything was simpler and cozier.
Interestingly, the things we have nostalgia for, while maybe simple individually, can bring on these powerful feelings. Something as simple as a cartoon.
Well we never really had money for cable and TV so I never really watched anything, but one time we did,” Gerth said via text. “I would watch a lot of Cartoon Network. I watched Amazing World of Gumball and Regular Show and a bunch of other little shows. I always liked the really stupid jokes and dark humor in them. I would say they haven’t influenced me but that’s a complete lie. I always try to make the best out of bad situations like Darwin. I make really dumb jokes all the time and dark humor is my life.”
Many other people’s personalities have been influenced by cartoons. Whether they binged all day, or watched occasionally, some students have developed personalities partially inspired from what they watched, such as junior Jada Williams.
“I didn’t watch many cartoons,” Williams said via text. “I kinda just watched whatever my brothers were watching, like Young Justice or SpongeBob. I always remember laughing a ton because they were funny. I think they have influenced me today by teaching me to laugh everyday and finding all the joy in things!”
TV shows can have effects on our personalities, but for some, like sophomore Lily Peinhardt, cartoons acted as a tool in family bonding.
“Phineas and Ferb, it was a staple of my childhood honestly,” Peinhardt said via text. “My family would all gather in the living room to watch it together and watching it made me the curious and emotion-based person I am today.”
Among their mentioned array of special powers, the cartoons we grew up with can teach us valuable life lessons, and this is especially true for sophomore Maria Oushalkas.
“I watched Teen Titans, Tom and Jerry, and Codename: Kids Next Door,” Oushalkas said via text. “I always remember staying up to watch them or waking up early to watch them before school. They helped me to learn to laugh things off and that having friends by your side is great.”
For senior Allen Vasquez, cartoons were an enjoyable way to spend his mornings.
“Cartoons I watched growing up were Adventure Time, Regular Show, Johnny Test, Danny Phantom, Ben 10, and Star Wars the Clone Wars,” Vasquez said via text. “Every Sunday I would wake up turn on the TV and start watching one of them but Star Wars: the Clone Wars was my favorite”
Teachers also have their own fond memories watching cartoons, and for chemistry teacher Montgomery, they were full of wonder and excitement for things to come.
“The cartoon I watched the most was The Jetsons,” Montgomery said via email. “When I was little (before cable and the internet), we only had cartoons on Saturday morning. So it was the one morning a week that we didn’t have to be anywhere. My sisters and I would sleep in and then lounge around in our pj’s and watch cartoons without a care in the world. The Jetsons takes place in the future where they have cars that fly and robots for servants, so of course, I was convinced that was what my future would look like, too. Even though it was just a cartoon, I think it helped me be open minded and excited about all the amazing things that the future would hold.”