Cartoons And The Murder Of The Brain: A Message To Little Spectators -By Olukunle Rofiat

Which is more relevant; that the child learns from academic books or from animated TV series? It is pertinent to note that a child is like an empty notebook; it is what we write there that shapes their future. After all, we are what we eat– what we our brain takes in. So, it is up to the parents to filter what they want written there. With parents using different forms of media to keep their children occupied when they are busy, coaxing them to eat and run errands, the media has become magisterial in the lives of every children.

Cartoons are an inevitable part of every child’s life. In a study conducted by researcher Kayla Bois &Brad Bushin, the cartoon content in children’s schedule was summerised as follows:

2-5 Years old children watch cartoon 32hrs weekly.
6-11 years old children watch cartoon 28hrs weekly.
71% of 8-18 years old has a TV in their rooms.
53% of 7-12 years old has no parental monitoring for what is being watched on TV.

Boys imagine themselves to be superheroes like pJ mask, conquering the villains while girls fantasize about being a princess like Barbie. Therefore, most children are engrossed in a “mirrorverse”– an imaginary world of fantasies far off from the realities of the real world. In light of the foregoing, this article sets to discuss the adversary effect if cartoon in changing the mentality and behavior of children.

Naturally, a child, from an early stage of infancy, seeks new experiences and is easily enthused by anything that promises some forms of adventure which is why toddlers are always glued to their seat while watching animated TV series. Amazingly, the human brain does not differentiate between what is virtual and what is real. In other words, if a scene is witnessed on Tv, the human brain will react to it as if it were real. Children indirectly learn from the cartoon they watch. They tend to act it out, thereby influencing the way they socialize with others and view the world.

A cartoon could be much more dangerous. It could contain direction that contradicts with parents’ orders and confuse the child’s expectations with real life experiences. They begin to get familiar with the mode of dressing, speaking and behaviour of what they watch and feel is the norm. A cartoon hero may be a child’s role model for life, hence, they effortlessly try to act like their ‘model’ by following its path. For instance, a character with negative attitude or manner that appears as the cartoon’s hero or heroine can cause the child to change his/her understanding on the civil way to act.

Additionally,70% of children’s behaviour change after watching cartoons, when children pay more attention to the entire cartoon story or a particular character, the craziness influence their behaviour to change them. They show aggressive behaviour and use the same techniques they observe in cartoon during each other’s fight. Another issue of concern is how girls idolize characters in terms of physical appearance, fashion and beauty. They may develop the idea of judging others by their physical appearance and set high standards for those they want to make friends with.

In a nutshell, cartoon series are double-edged weapons that could ruin an individual’s childhood through excessive exposure. It affects an individual’s childhood and takes considerable time. However, making educational programs and shows in form of cartoons could be used to make up for the lost time and avert possible future crises, as children who watch educational programs are more likely to have higher grades, read more books , place greater value on achievements and show more creativity.