It's really hard to be a father in America these days for a lot of reasons, some problems are as old as time but some are very new.
I'm sure most of you have heard the term "toxic masculinity", if you haven't I would sum up its meaning by saying it's an ideology built on sexism towards males and a fundamental need to blame others for the problems in one's life.
Before anyone gets angry because they think that I'm picking on Feminists let me be clear, this article is how weak MEN are attacking our children at the earliest ages possible. I would like you to compare the image above of the promotion art being used for the remake of Thunder Cats to the image below that was used to promote the original show I watched in the 80's.
The difference is striking wouldn't you say? Now I do not claim to hold any particular love or nostalgia for the Thunder Cats in particular, I watched them on Saturday mornings when they aired as much as any other cartoon that was on then. I could let it go as a one off and bond with my kids watching a similar show on the weekends but this seems to have happened across the board to all the things I remember liking when I was a kid.
Why not just watch the new kids shows that are coming you may ask? Well, take a look at the images below of the average cartoon promos aimed at finding an audience with fathers and their sons.
Now honestly, what is a guy like me supposed to do with that? These shows are not even made by the same people or companies, it just looks like all the same low effort junk to me whether it's WB or CN making them. I've tried to be a good sport and give these shows a chance but I spend more time talking over the cartoon trying to explain to them how wrong the world view presented is. I really do not care how anyone wants to live and the producers of this stuff can certainly express themselves but I want the same respect for myself and my views in return. I really don't want to endure social justice messages or left wing guilt trips while I'm trying to have fun with my young kids, it's not entertainment but more like re-education camp.
When every father in these shows is a complete idiot, bungling do nothing loser, fat and stupid pig I get offended. Take a look for yourself at the creators of this remake and ask yourself if these so called grown men are not trying, as hard as they can, to hurt guys like me. Maybe they are still fighting with their own fathers or maybe there is some one who pushed them too hard to fit the traditional masculine identity that broke them? I can't say but there are probably lots of reasons to have anger at a group that one can't measure up to but to dedicate a life to hate and ire seems like a waste. This video gives you a good look at what kids in 2018 are watching when left alone with their devices as well.
Despite the creators of the new Thunder Cats giving lip service to the old show it is clear that their goal was to completely flip it upside down and mock it as unflatteringly as much as possible. The jokes are jabs at manly men of the past and the only depictions of machismo just so happen to be by the antagonists so the sissies to get the better of them because of it.
It's not just kids shows that are teaching us to reject tradition, check out this commercial that airs no matter what alternative media I try and pick for us.
Great right? I'll go let my wife know I've decided not be tough and protective for the family anymore so I can be more fluffy too. Right now the only fluffy thing about me is my beard after a summer T-storm...…… Could make for a tough transition.
It's rough when your kids are being taught to be outright disrespectful and dismissive of their fathers. We all want our children to be like us if we are strong, successful, confident people so having these influences feels like an unneeded burden to carry on the path to that goal.
What's left for us to do then? We are homeschooling so my kids have lots of free time and less interaction with the culture as is. The ones that can read more than anyone I know, (me included nowadays unfortunately) already and some are too young for that route anyhow. Watching any TV exposes them to the ads which are finely tuned to get their attention and appeal to them at the same time so I can't pretend these shows do not exist. They are on to me that it isn't 1987 so we can't just watch old shows (they aren't that great either by the way) that these new ones are ripping off. As I said before sitting down and explaining the thing to kid line by line ruins the fun for everyone involved believe it or not.
That doesn't leave me with many solutions but I do not want to leave those who have read this far without hope, I have some ideas that seem to help.
First and foremost I do my best to lead by example so the boys can see what a real man is and what we do so when they put down childish things like cartoons they can get things done. Most importantly on that note, my daughter can not think that way of me. If she were to settle down with some slob, an incapable boob as the TV depicts us, it would break my heart. I'm more scared for the little girls who will accept this tragic idea of what a husband and father is supposed to be than the boys who will coast through life with these low expectations. If you have heard this before, please allow the reiteration to cement in how important this advice really is and why it gets the front spot of the line on every fatherhood list.
Second, let the kids watch it a little bit in small doses. I still always sit down with them and check out each show they are into but I do let them explore the world on their own for a few hours a day. When we watch together I try to go with the fun of the themes while correcting the misinformation and bad ideology presented, but then I let them make their own minds up. The more a guy like me, their authority figure, tightens his grip on what they are allowed to think, the more my kids seem to rebel so I don't want to be making a martyr out of LionO or He-Man of all things and be stuck with them saying a space cat is now part of their identity. I say my peace and let them know "cool guys like me aren't into that kind of entertainment". That seems to help them put down bad influences faster and by their own accord instead of feeling forced, big parts of growing up in my opinion.
Lastly I will just say that giving them better interests than this junk food entertainment can be the biggest difference for when you want immediate changes in the family dynamic. Filling up a kids free time can be exhausting but we only get a few years to mold what they are going to do for fun during the rest of their lives. A Yo-Yo, a ball, a frisbee disc or a jump-rope can keep a little one busy for an hour or so, get all of it for them and make a rule about not allowing electricity use when the sun is up. Your kids will start telling you about the games they made up together, rather than the weird stuff they see on the internet, within a week or so's time. The more you like them, the more they will like you and want to be like you, so make sure they're interesting people with hobbies and skills as soon as possible.
Have a great day guys, Thanks for reading!
Images and videos courtesy of BING and YouTube
other sources for info
http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/trailers/946985-thundercats-roar-series-coming-from-wb-animation