Anime is Destroying America
You read that headline correct. It’s not terrorism, the war in Iraq or even Lex Luthor that is destroying America. According to the Ol’ Dirty’s Elon Glucklich, it is Japanese cartoons.
“In a society dominated by excess and two-second attention spans, cartoons play a significant role in preparing us for the world. Each can be thought of as a 30-minute babysitter, instilling the kids who watch them with certain values and life lessons. But the landscape has changed”
Glucklich goes on to cite examples of how Anime has led to America’s downfall.
“So what is Pokemon teaching the next generation of kids? The virtues of capturing exotic animals and making them fight for your amusement? I already learned that from Michael Vick.”
Now, I am no anime defender. I find it annoying and pointless. But, is it any better than American Idol, Survivor or Grey’s Anatomy? The answer is no. TV has long been the medium for cheap, pointless entertainment. Networks only care about shows that bring in advertisers. It’s all as high-minded as that.
Is Anime dumb? Yes. Were the cartoons of our generation better? Of course, they were our cartoons. Please check out the comments section for this editorial. Anime fans unite to defend themselves.
October 15th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
The online posting already has 35 comments underneath its belt. Way to bring in those hits Elon!
October 15th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
This is my favorite Elon column so far, if for no other reason than it made a bunch of anime nerds really butthurt.
October 16th, 2007 at 3:10 am
I laughed at it. Elon did some great satire with this editorial. I enjoyed it immensely. And yes, I’m an anime fan. But I understand this type of satire. It a funny ha-ha type, rather than a funny ho-ho or a funny uh-oh (a cookie to whomever can get that last reference)
October 16th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Miles Rost is an anime fan? That’s shocking!
October 16th, 2007 at 9:29 am
The Pokemaster community is reeling after such a devastating blow.
October 16th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Tentacle porn?
October 16th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Hey, people gotta have a hobby. And Guy…Tenticle porn? I’ll leave that for the hardcore “Ecchi” people that are involved.
October 16th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Note to Miles: You are not Japanese. You are a parody of yourself. Please stop.
October 17th, 2007 at 1:36 am
And this, everyone, is how a good thread goes bad.
’tis a shame. I was just starting to enjoy the discussion, as well. And I’m surprised that no one got the Animaniacs reference I mentioned earlier.
October 17th, 2007 at 11:44 am
The second law of thermodynamics seems to hit blog threads especially hard.
October 17th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Miles: No, no, all a good thread needs to go bad is your input.
CJ: Thermodynamics can suck it.
October 17th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
CJ: Quite.
Getting back onto topic, most of the comments made on the Emerald site are passionate. Some of it seems very misguided as well. I mean, c’mon, it’s satire.
People can laugh this stuff off, and by people getting oversensitive about it (like in the comments over at the Emerald), it helps to uphold the idea of political correctness. And that becomes a problem.
October 17th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Note to T: self-parody is a risk we all run. How’s the track jacket these days?
October 18th, 2007 at 8:15 am
“[S]elf-parody is a risk we all run.”
Indeed. So, Ted, how’s alienating the alums going for ya?
October 18th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Do I have to separate you two or are you just going to make out and resolve this unseemly sexual tension?