Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
#46
Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
This is what I don't understand, of course you will find classist and sexist elements in those and just about every classic, why wouldn't you? In fact they are riddled with it. The exceptions are stories that do not include such elements. Why does it upset people when the bloody obvious is pointed out.
#47
Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
If any possible left, right, up, down social opinion was taken out nothing would ever get written or made. Whatever is presented will be a reflection on the authors opinions or of the current thinking of the time. Enid Blyton is a good example, perfectly acceptable at the time maybe not so much now.
I don't see why it's such an issue, kids are impressionable yes but if that's the only moral reference they have then they've got bigger bloody issues from crap/lazy parenting than iffy tv!
That said, i did watch a Thomas episode recently where they bricked an engine up in a tunnel for being naughty which struck me as a bit harsh!
I don't see why it's such an issue, kids are impressionable yes but if that's the only moral reference they have then they've got bigger bloody issues from crap/lazy parenting than iffy tv!
That said, i did watch a Thomas episode recently where they bricked an engine up in a tunnel for being naughty which struck me as a bit harsh!
#48
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Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
Clearly.
That kind of thing is endemic these days, on the left and right. A bunch of busybodies reading way too much into things and deciding that just because there appears to be content that they don't like, that the whole thing has to be completely shut down, which seems rather an overreaction.
Children aren't watching it and thinking anything other than 'Oh look, talking trains'.
There is too much time wasted on worrying if some minority or other is being offended by something else. It's rather patronising as an attitude and quite honestly, WGAF if someone gets offended anyway, that's life. Grow up and move on.
Of one thinks a kids' TV show is 'oppressive' then one needs to get out more.
That kind of thing is endemic these days, on the left and right. A bunch of busybodies reading way too much into things and deciding that just because there appears to be content that they don't like, that the whole thing has to be completely shut down, which seems rather an overreaction.
Children aren't watching it and thinking anything other than 'Oh look, talking trains'.
There is too much time wasted on worrying if some minority or other is being offended by something else. It's rather patronising as an attitude and quite honestly, WGAF if someone gets offended anyway, that's life. Grow up and move on.
Of one thinks a kids' TV show is 'oppressive' then one needs to get out more.
#49
Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
Well said, though maybe the "going outside" idea is a bit extreme.
My childhood was filled with Famous Five, Secret Seven etc. I don't give a crap what people think of it now... I loved it, and still mostly do. Oh, and the mention of the early Thomas books earlier... yes, they were beautifully illustrated.
Anyhow.. back to trains.
#50
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#51
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Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
Yes but the point is more about how they affect girls/minorities. Obviously if you are the target audience, you will relate to them fine.
#52
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Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
Shit like that pisses me off way more than a bunch of demographically desirable groups being offended by things
#53
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Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
At the end of the day, it's only a TV show. Amazingly, literally millions of people are able to choose to not watch a TV show without wasting column inches pontificating about it in their oh-so-right-on, preachy, wrapped up in comfortable middle-class outrage, kind of way.
#54
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Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
I think we're giving the writers wayyyyy too much credit if we think kids, however perceptive they are, are going to pick up on a bunch of esoteric things that may or may not even be in there.
Kids will imitate their parents, so god help us when this bird's children grow up and start whining, too
Kids will imitate their parents, so god help us when this bird's children grow up and start whining, too
#56
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Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
I think we're giving the writers wayyyyy too much credit if we think kids, however perceptive they are, are going to pick up on a bunch of esoteric things that may or may not even be in there.
Kids will imitate their parents, so god help us when this bird's children grow up and start whining, too
Kids will imitate their parents, so god help us when this bird's children grow up and start whining, too
They will imitate everything they see.
I don't personally object to Thomas the Tank Engine but one can still have an awareness of the issues that kids' role models throw up.
#57
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Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
Not really. I'm more annoyed than outraged. The main difference for me is that I don't give the slightest hint of a shit if someone gets 'offended' by something.
I start off with the premise that everyone is a cnut until they prove otherwise. That is true equality.
Only the adults worry about the issues, the kids don't care one bit. They get to watch their silly little shows that they eventually grow out of and get on with the rest of their lives.
Honestly though, if society put as much effort into important things, instead of worrying about what poor, huddled oppressed mass might be offended because they accidentally saw or read it, we'd have eliminated disease, solved the energy crisis, reversed climate change and we would all be living on the moon and driving flying cars ...
I start off with the premise that everyone is a cnut until they prove otherwise. That is true equality.
Honestly though, if society put as much effort into important things, instead of worrying about what poor, huddled oppressed mass might be offended because they accidentally saw or read it, we'd have eliminated disease, solved the energy crisis, reversed climate change and we would all be living on the moon and driving flying cars ...
#59
Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
Not really. I'm more annoyed than outraged. The main difference for me is that I don't give the slightest hint of a shit if someone gets 'offended' by something.
I start off with the premise that everyone is a cnut until they prove otherwise. That is true equality.
Only the adults worry about the issues, the kids don't care one bit. They get to watch their silly little shows that they eventually grow out of and get on with the rest of their lives.
Honestly though, if society put as much effort into important things, instead of worrying about what poor, huddled oppressed mass might be offended because they accidentally saw or read it, we'd have eliminated disease, solved the energy crisis, reversed climate change and we would all be living on the moon and driving flying cars ...
I start off with the premise that everyone is a cnut until they prove otherwise. That is true equality.
Only the adults worry about the issues, the kids don't care one bit. They get to watch their silly little shows that they eventually grow out of and get on with the rest of their lives.
Honestly though, if society put as much effort into important things, instead of worrying about what poor, huddled oppressed mass might be offended because they accidentally saw or read it, we'd have eliminated disease, solved the energy crisis, reversed climate change and we would all be living on the moon and driving flying cars ...
#60
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Posts: 41,518
Re: Thomas the Tank Engine is EVIL (apparently)
Not really. I'm more annoyed than outraged. The main difference for me is that I don't give the slightest hint of a shit if someone gets 'offended' by something.
I start off with the premise that everyone is a cnut until they prove otherwise. That is true equality.
Only the adults worry about the issues, the kids don't care one bit. They get to watch their silly little shows that they eventually grow out of and get on with the rest of their lives.
Honestly though, if society put as much effort into important things, instead of worrying about what poor, huddled oppressed mass might be offended because they accidentally saw or read it, we'd have eliminated disease, solved the energy crisis, reversed climate change and we would all be living on the moon and driving flying cars ...
I start off with the premise that everyone is a cnut until they prove otherwise. That is true equality.
Only the adults worry about the issues, the kids don't care one bit. They get to watch their silly little shows that they eventually grow out of and get on with the rest of their lives.
Honestly though, if society put as much effort into important things, instead of worrying about what poor, huddled oppressed mass might be offended because they accidentally saw or read it, we'd have eliminated disease, solved the energy crisis, reversed climate change and we would all be living on the moon and driving flying cars ...
You think we have total equality now, and some people are just overreacting. I think there is still a way to go. Classics have their place, but let's not pretend it doesn't matter what kids see and hear.
Yes.