Think Tank - Non-Human Humanoid Violence in Children's Fiction

[qualapec]

Recently, I've developed a sudden and unexpected interest in the Transformer's fandom, both through the video games I've played and the Transformers Prime animated series. I also blame ghostofthemotif , who had the nerve to go and write AWESOME fanfic for it.

TF Prime - best children's show I've seen since Avatar: TLA. Granted, it's not QUITE as good as Avatar,

Comments

[kecen]

Non-human characters let people euphemize about real-life issues. Racial tensions, the issue of conflicting views on history, social injustice, etc. But in the wrong hands these issues can be trivialized because hey, funny rubber forehead people with their funny rubber forehead customs. So it might be that "silly" aspect at play here. Maybe when these children get older, they re-watch the shows and think, "wow, it's about that..."

But I might underestimate their intelligence.

[fearedeyepatch]

I'm not entirely sure I would put Animal Farm in the same category though--because Orwell as an author is just as violent and vivid, if not down right worse to his human characters. Animal Farm I would argue is a case not about using animals as stand ins for human, but a different sort of story telling device to create a sort of fable. And Watership Down is directed at Children. >.> Did you ever see the film for that one? Holy. Crap. I actually miss kids movies/shows that weren't so afraid like they tend to be now, so good on Transformers for at least some of that

[ladyrandomness]

I honestly think it's easier for us to discuss harsher topics using stand-ins because we don't think of them as human. It's harder to emphasize when something doesn't have a face you can identify with, right? It's also less politically charged to give little kids a lesson on tolerance with animals instead of actual races.

ALSO, GREETINGS, QUALEPEC. I AM LADYRANDOMNESS, MOST RANDOM OF LADIES. I HAVE HEARD MUCH OF YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE ANOTHER GUIDE TO THE HORRIBLY CONFUSING WANKFEST MONSTER OF A FANDOM THAT IS TRANSFORMERS?

[qualapec]

I think that's a big part of it. But that simultaneously brings up the fact that we're supposed to identify with the characters just enough to maintain interest in the story (which is a pretty strong argument for why TF Prime has child characters as a counterpoint).

But I guess the question I'm asking is WHY is it less politically charged?

~~~

AND YAY! \o/ I haven't really dipped my toes into the fandom yet, but I can get by with a series of basic phrases and questions! (kind of like traveling in a foreign country). Also, I do fear I'm already fairly biased due to my first contacts being ghost's fanfic and TF Prime. I probably already like the Decepitcons more than I should \o/

[ladyrandomness]

It's a lot easier to raise objections and it's more controversial if you use a real life example, such as apartheid to teach tolerance rather than like, ponies and sea horses. Omfg brain ponies and sea horses what?

Oh pfffft, you are NOT the only Decepticon fangirl here. XD Admittedly I like a lot of the Autobots too. The cast is just WAY too big in this franchise to not end up with a 20 character long list of favorites. I really recommend watching Transformers: Animated and reading some of G1 comics. Or you could jump right into the fandom and lurk for a while.

[qualapec]

Ah, so you're basically saying that it's more that animals/robots/what have you, is a neutral point that doesn't target any one specific human group?

~~~

I'm definitely planning to read the comics. Some of them sound really amazing. However, I'm afraid I have to wait for my brain to come around to the idea of watching something that was animated in the 80s...

EDIT: And I freaking love "everyone has their own story" fandoms. The Dresden Files, Bleach, and Hetalia have made me partial to them.