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Serious question, what is it about spongebob that you don't feel is appropriate? Reason I ask is I've come across a lot of parents down here in Houston that don't let their kids watch spongebob... never really questioned them on it, just assumed it had to do with the "spongebob promotes a gay agenda" thing that was making the rounds the last few years amongst conservatives. My 5 and 7 year old love the show, and its one of the few cartoons I enjoy watching with them. Although I still prefer they go outside and play rather than watch tv.
They are mostly mild sexual messages that to kids seem innocent, but, to adults can be construed in a different manner. Rugrats (especially rugrats), Hey Arnold, Pinky and the Brain, Catdog (big time in this one too), and basically all the Nickelodeon shows from the mid to late 90's had some form of subliminal message in them throughout the run of the series. My generation was the first to see the appearance of Spongebob (came out in 99', I was eight) and now it's so clear what the subliminal messages are that it's sort of funny (but when I was a kid, I didn't realize it at all).
They are mostly mild sexual messages that to kids seem innocent, but, to adults can be construed in a different manner. Rugrats (especially rugrats), Hey Arnold, Pinky and the Brain, Catdog (big time in this one too), and basically all the Nickelodeon shows from the mid to late 90's had some form of subliminal message in them throughout the run of the series. My generation was the first to see the appearance of Spongebob (came out in 99', I was eight) and now it's so clear what the subliminal messages are that it's sort of funny (but when I was a kid, I didn't realize it at all).
Uhh yeah, sparky - that's kinda the point. What you are describing aren't "subliminal messages" it's called sly humor or the double entendre'.
They are AIMED at adults. Kids aren't SUPPOSED to "get" the jokes, so guess what? It is totally harmless to them.
A subliminal message would be a hidden text or image in the program, subconsciously telling the kids to buy Cheesy Poofs or Sponge Bob cereal.
Warner Brothers cartoons did that a lot. In "What's Cookin' Doc?" Bugs tells an award statue "I'll even take youse ta bed wit me every night" and in response the statue kisses him then says "do you really mean it?" In others Bugs would go into a "lisp" when doing something artistic or effeminate. (Some say this means Bugs was gay. I doubt that as they also had him chase girls or howl at girlie magazines. Still I think they would have him intentionally mimic "gay" stereotypes of the era for a laugh. Some of those stereotypes have survived to our era)
I wonder would atheists ever forbid their kids from watching something because they deem it too religious or otherwise dislike its values? Like as an atheist parent would you be bothered if your kid watched a religion-themed show? Or a show that promoted things you deem inhumane? Do you restrict your kids viewing at all and if so on what basis?
Last edited by Thomas R.; 08-14-2009 at 12:57 AM..
I wonder would atheists ever forbid their kids from watching something because they deem it too religious or otherwise dislike its values? Like as an atheist parent would you be bothered if your kid watched a religion-themed show? Or a show that promoted things you deem inhumane? Do you restrict your kids viewing at all and if so on what basis?
As I do not have children yet, I can only answer hypothetically. I think it would depend on they age of my child and the specific religious content. I dont think I would let my 4/5 year old watch a two hour special on Revelations. But, i would make it a point to be lax in what I would censor, and I would aslo ensure that any religious programing viewed by my child would not go without discussion. Not to belittle or ridicule such ideas, but to encourge my child to actualy think about the material presented and to ask questions to further my childs understanding of the ideas presented, and how/where they fit in with the rest of the world.
As for things i would consider to be inhumane, I do not even watch such shows, so I doubt I would let my children. One example of this is UFC fighiting. I have no problem watching shows/movies with violence, or even playing intensly violent video games, but the violence in these things is fantasy, or entertainment if you will. For me, UFC fighting is just to real and it makes me very uncomfortable to see two people reek such destruction on each others bodies.
Though while the child is too young to make the distinction between fantasy violence and real violence, this will definitely be a subject i more heavily censor.
Uhh yeah, sparky - that's kinda the point. What you are describing aren't "subliminal messages" it's called sly humor or the double entendre'.
They are AIMED at adults. Kids aren't SUPPOSED to "get" the jokes, so guess what? It is totally harmless to them.
A subliminal message would be a hidden text or image in the program, subconsciously telling the kids to buy Cheesy Poofs or Sponge Bob cereal.
Whoa, whoa, Blue. No need to be so snappy.
I apologize for the mix-up though.
But, maybe the humor is the reason why Spotted doesn't want her kids watching it. Some kids do in fact catch on to some of the jokes or maybe she doesn't feel comfortable knowing there are so many innuendo's as her kids watch it. Couldn't really tell ya, but, my post was in response to that.
When I was a kid we only had two channels on a black and white television (that's because I'm old). There wasn't anything on television in those days that would offend anybody. I used to spend alot more time reading than watching television. I read everything Charles Dickens ever wrote which was quite alot if you've ever seen how big his books are and there were a few others as well but television just wasn't much of an influence.
Yeah, I suspect we are of the same generation, shock theatre on Saturday night was the highlight of the week, Howdy Doody was a staple. The most controversial thing on the tube was "Huntley / Brinkley Report"
Uhh yeah, sparky - that's kinda the point. What you are describing aren't "subliminal messages" it's called sly humor or the double entendre'.
They are AIMED at adults. Kids aren't SUPPOSED to "get" the jokes, so guess what? It is totally harmless to them.
A subliminal message would be a hidden text or image in the program, subconsciously telling the kids to buy Cheesy Poofs or Sponge Bob cereal.
good post, movie theatres, used to run a one frame "click" in the middle of a reel, all it said was "COKE" , the projectors ran at 11 frames/sec, one frame was not overtly noticeable. This practice was eventually (early sixties) made illegal, it certainly did boost drink sales.
Serious question, what is it about spongebob that you don't feel is appropriate? Reason I ask is I've come across a lot of parents down here in Houston that don't let their kids watch spongebob... never really questioned them on it, just assumed it had to do with the "spongebob promotes a gay agenda" thing that was making the rounds the last few years amongst conservatives. My 5 and 7 year old love the show, and its one of the few cartoons I enjoy watching with them. Although I still prefer they go outside and play rather than watch tv.
Sorry I'm only recently seeing this and replying. I'm just not a fan of the adult humor in children's programming, however subtle. I'm not big on my kids watching a lot of television in the first place, so when they do watch I'd rather it be something educational than the whole "You're stupid"/"No, you're stupid" type banter you'll see in shows like Spongebob.
In contrast to my religious upbringing where my mother refused to allow me to watch The Simpsons and Bevis and Butthead, I'm going to have an anti-religious upbringing for my children - there will be absolutely no Touched By an Angel, 700 Club, 7th Heaven, or Fox News.
Religion is a silly reason to forbid a TV show, or for that fact to base any other decisions in life.
Now there are a bunch of shows that vacuum IQ points from those that watch like a brand new Hoover.
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