Quote Originally Posted by basschick View Post
underground cartoons and comics have had shock stuff for years. there's enough edgy references in the family guy that children shouldn't really be watching it, although not many parents do their job. when we went to see south park - bigger longer uncut - there were 7 or 8 little kids in the audience.
I've struggled with this.

I have a great relationship with my son and I have to say, the Simpsons is what inspired Southpark, Family Guy and the other spinoffs.

IMO innocence and virtue in our children are not stiffled by dealing with reality, even if in cartoons, but only in denying reality, in whatever form.

That being said, a childs mind develops at a given pace and some things they will just not understand until they can comprehend, and put all the pieces together.

When watching the simpsons, or family guy, I find myself continually explaining things. That's what these shows do, make you communicate by giving you a platform on the infinate number of topics they address. In a way that is new to us, these show facilitate dialogue with our kids about tough yet timely topics.

Let's not forget... Bugs Bunny and countless other WB cartoons used to be very racist, violent, and disrepectful to authority, minorities, gays, the overweight, etc. (speedy gonzales, porky pig, toons in blackface *Sambo*, Tokio Joe, etc) Take a second and think about it. Same thing different generation but PC with a twist of moral ambiguity.

Think about it... any family watching the Simpsons, Family Guy, Southpark, etc. will discuss what they see, and give their opinion, thus imprinting their thought process on their children, good or bad. The Lefties will sit in judgement and give justifications to their kids where righties will explain things logically and give their children the tools to make up their own mind.

Your thoughts?