Haven’t watched the videos, but based on the quotes they don’t sound weirder than actual children’s cartoons like Invader Zim or… actually, Invader Zim is such a good example that I don’t think I need any others. All of those quotes would fit right in on Invader Zim (which is on the dark end of children’s cartoons but is a children’s cartoon nonetheless). Children’s cartoons are wacky. I agree with the commenters who say you’re jumping to a conclusion.
Here’s an issue I’m much more curious about: I have a friend who hates animation, and I don’t think I can change her mind about this. To hear her tell it, she basically can’t respond emotionally to animation—can’t empathize with animated characters, etc. I wouldn’t have thought this was possible. Does anyone know anything about this kind of phenomenon?
I have a friend who has this response to Farscape. I recently finished it (didn’t have access to cable when it was actually on-air) and consider it head and shoulders above most contemporary television SF. She came to visit during that time, and while we were watching it mentioned she can never get immersed in it, because “the muppets are too distracting.”
I inquired a little and apparently she simply cannot empathize with or attribute even fictional personhood to Rygel and Pilot. Pilot is one of the more emotionally-evocative characters for me (despite being literally incapable of facial expressions in the usual sense), so it was quite odd to hear. On the other hand, I routinely perceive hermit crabs as having emotional states, goals and the other stuff that empathy can key on, so possibly I’m very far in the other direction. Even plants—I once had to plant an onion that began sprouting in my fridge (rather than use it), simply because I was moved at its sheer tenacity.
Haven’t watched the videos, but based on the quotes they don’t sound weirder than actual children’s cartoons like Invader Zim or… actually, Invader Zim is such a good example that I don’t think I need any others. All of those quotes would fit right in on Invader Zim (which is on the dark end of children’s cartoons but is a children’s cartoon nonetheless). Children’s cartoons are wacky. I agree with the commenters who say you’re jumping to a conclusion.
I’ve had some success discussing the “animation is not just for kids” issue by linking people to TVTropes’ article on the Animation Age Ghetto. A parent might want to read What Do You Mean, It’s Not For Kids?.
Here’s an issue I’m much more curious about: I have a friend who hates animation, and I don’t think I can change her mind about this. To hear her tell it, she basically can’t respond emotionally to animation—can’t empathize with animated characters, etc. I wouldn’t have thought this was possible. Does anyone know anything about this kind of phenomenon?
I have a friend who has this response to Farscape. I recently finished it (didn’t have access to cable when it was actually on-air) and consider it head and shoulders above most contemporary television SF. She came to visit during that time, and while we were watching it mentioned she can never get immersed in it, because “the muppets are too distracting.”
I inquired a little and apparently she simply cannot empathize with or attribute even fictional personhood to Rygel and Pilot. Pilot is one of the more emotionally-evocative characters for me (despite being literally incapable of facial expressions in the usual sense), so it was quite odd to hear. On the other hand, I routinely perceive hermit crabs as having emotional states, goals and the other stuff that empathy can key on, so possibly I’m very far in the other direction. Even plants—I once had to plant an onion that began sprouting in my fridge (rather than use it), simply because I was moved at its sheer tenacity.