By Nate Smith | LTVN Sports Director
Most of us spend our entire childhood thinking about how great life is going to be when we’re “grown up,” but what happens when you actually grow up? More often than not, we realize that being “grown up” is not all that it is cracked up to be, and we reminisce about a time when we had less responsibility.
While growing up definitely has its perks, I think we can all agree that there is something to be said about staying young at heart. In my eyes, one of the best ways to do that is by watching cartoons.
Whether you’re 5 years old or 50 years old, the serotonin bomb that a good cartoon watching session can hit you with is unmatched. The way creators can illustrate entire new worlds through animation makes a good cartoon an incredibly impactful method of escape from the real world.
Cartoons are also a great way to learn and teach life lessons, no matter your age. Some cartoons, like Johnny Bravo, have messages that are better suited for older viewers, honestly. Watching Johnny fail over and over again in gaining a woman’s affection due to his relentless, and frankly annoying, flirting teaches a lesson that a lot of people definitely need to learn. Constantly nagging someone until you get the answer you’re looking for is not the way to get that special someone to go out with you. If anything, it will probably have a totally opposite effect than what you were looking for.
There are also cartoons that are just downright fun to watch. I can’t say that I’ve ever learned anything about life from watching Spongebob Squarepants, however, I can say that Spongebob and his friends have entertained me for hours on end and still do upon occasion. Phineas and Ferb, just like Spongebob, is a cartoon that is without a doubt made for adults and children alike. Between the sight gags and sly jokes that are directed toward adults, cartoons like these almost seem like they not only carry the nostalgia factor that we typically associate with cartoons, but they seem as if they get better and better as you grow older and notice more of the nuances within these shows.
No matter where you are at in your life, you’re never too old to sit in front of the TV with a bowl of cereal and take your mind away from some of the more difficult aspects of your life. Whether you’re looking to teach someone a lesson about life, or you just want to be entertained for a while, never be ashamed to turn on your favorite cartoon.
