The Role of Animation?

[Mirkgirl]

I was meaning to start this topic for a while... when I was a child one of the animations I watched was french based on the Bible. Two children, a dog and one professor (I think) who has built a timemashine and every episode was telling a story of the bible. It didn't make me a christian, but it gave me some general knowledge on the bible, as the chances to read it are quite slim. The same with greek mythology, even tho I have read them. Now I see there's one animation about ancient egypt on one bulgarian tv and I find it great that the children are going to understand a lot about their culture and gods watching it.

I don't say that children should watch just these (like saying we should only watch documentaries) but it's not too bad if they do now and then. I haven't yet seen any series on cartoon network that has the remotest educational element tho. And along nice funny cartoons (most of which I have to say are the oldies - Tom&Jerry, the Flintstones), most of the new ones are 100% nonsense (Johny Bravo) or even disguisting and offensive (Ed, Edd and Eddy; the one with the cow and the chicken). I find that worrying... maybe I worry too much, but anyway, that's what I think.

[Bonos-Girl]

i know what you mean. When i was younger I used to watch this cartoon that was about christians living in roman times...there was a bred maker or something and his family and they told stories from the bible or something along those lines...cant really remember...but c'mon...dexter's lab...the educational-ness of that astounds me :p

[Gil Galad]

i think i remamber the cartoon you were talking about Mirky and there was one about the human body(same characters except they were bllod cells) and another about different acient things, i found them very interesting and they are an excelent way of making learning, be it about anatomy or history, or even legends, alot more fun

[Cuiel Rilwen]

We haven't had those mentioned, but we did have a cartoon that I think perhaps was french or canadian, the norwegian title directly translated is "Once upon a time there was a human being." It started in the stone ages and described human evolution/development all the way up to our time, with hundreds of episodes! It featured an old wise man with a long nose and his whole body covered in his white hair and beard! All the kids in my street sat like glued to the TV when this was on! Ofcourse kids love to learn, if the wrapping makes it fun!

Actually when I was little there was only "learning" kiddie tv...only one channel...bless those days! That in fact was a bit much, but nowadays they don't have any. Should have a good mix of both!

[Gil Galad]

i remember that Cuiel, i like that to, i think it was popular in Ireland too(or maybe im just a geek)

[Tirithel]

I have to agree with you as far as most of the stuff on cartoon network goes...absolute tripe, though Jonny Bravo can be rather amusing once in a while. Powerpuff Girls? C'MON! I saw one of the original episodes...one of them got 'meat hair,' where one of her pigtails was replaced by what looked like a chicken wing. I know cartoons are supposed to be silly and fun, but I think they're getting a tidge rediculous.

Give me Loony Tunes and Rugrats any day! :thumbs:

[Beleg Strongbow]

There were two favourite cartoons of mine when I was a little boy. Quick-Draw McGraw was on of 'em and The first ever Astro Boy cartoons that were made back in the 60's. I was amazed at the technology involved in creating a robot with empathy. I also like the "Queep Quoip" noise their feet made when they walked around...lol

[Catz]

hmmmm youre a worry hon............cartoons............didnt really like em that much as a kid.............i was always rootin for the bloody coyote ;)..........."GET that damn bird" lol
:catz:

[Mirkgirl]

the bird was damn annoying at that lol

Originally posted by Gil Galad
i found them very interesting and they are an excelent way of making learning, be it about anatomy or history, or even legends, alot more fun
Originally posted by Cuiel Rilwen
All the kids in my street sat like glued to the TV when this was on! Ofcourse kids love to learn, if the wrapping makes it fun!

Actually when I was little there was only "learning" kiddie tv...only one channel...bless those days! That in fact was a bit much, but nowadays they don't have any. Should have a good mix of both!
Yeah we can't expect the little children to learn from big books... that's the way we always complain that our children know nix of the our history for example. The important names etc, I always thought it'd be a great idea to make a childrens movie (be it cartoon or not) based on them and then the children will know... actually the life of Levski, Botev etc was really exciting and will make it easy to learn. But no. When they hear the idea, the so called intellectuals scream "Those holy names in a cartoon! No way! Herecy!". So instead the holy names stay on the ugly drawings on school's walls which scare the children and in the history books where it's just one chapter, dry and uninteresting, forgotten right away, if ever learnt. I say better commercialize the past and remember it then keep it holy in the big covered in dust books.

[Catz]

i have to say that most of the REALLY interesting stuff about historical figures, you dont find out till youre older anyway ;)
some of those people were by NO means as dry as theyre painted.HG Wells for example, was something of an eye opener for me when i found out what hed been up to in his life :o lol
but yeah, youre right...........knowledge has to be digestable.by that however i DONT mean dumbed down
:catz:

[Mirkgirl]

hehe... well those things maybe shouldn't be included ;) tho if you ask me there's nothing that bad in that.

I didn't mean dumbed down either... the thing is that, even for older people, it's easier to remember things when you can connect them with something interesting, instead of it just being a dry fact. It's no wonder those genious memory people remember numbers by thinking of stories, etc.

[Catz]

oh agreed .....everyone learns by association........most of those memory whizzes have just taken that ability, to associate things with other things, to its nth degree
humans are by nature story oriented, and visually oriented...that was after all, how ALL knowledge used to be passed on......by story and picture
:catz:

[Beleg Strongbow]

42..."The Meaning of Life"
77............."Sunset Strip"
12............."Monkeys"
13............."Days"
12............."Angry Men" (hmm...used 12 already)


anyway...I must be one of those geniuses that Mirky described!

[Catz]

1................fishslap!! :trout: ;)
just keep taking the pills Beleg hon ;)
:catz:

[Beleg Strongbow]

Gee...I thought that I was being coherant...

[Catz]

youre tired sweety...............i hate to tell you this, but coherence isnt one of your strong points when youre tired ;)
:catz:

[Beleg Strongbow]

Well...regardless of what you think, I have grown up now and I watch more meaningful animations now...like "Samurai Pizza Cats". Not only that, but Deb & I used to watch them years ago and found them not only light-hearted, but also intelligent and enlightening!!



So there!

[Catz]

mmmm the zen of pepperoni..............sorry sensai but ive eschewed the "way of the anchovy"...specially at 3 am in the morning ;)
:catz:

[Beleg Strongbow]

so you used to watch it too then!!???

I thought that it was one of the most brilliant and funny cartoons I'd ever seen. I want it back in syndication!!!!!!!

[Catz]

lol hush...............ive worked nites most of my life ok??
ofc ive watched it lol.............and just about every other toon ever made ;)
:catz: