Are we children that don't want to grow up?

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2004-01-08 09:36pm

OK, there are plenty of forum members here are teenagers but there's also a rather large group of older, married, parents, etc that contribute here. The question is whether we older members are kids that don't want to grow up and whether this is a phenomenon unique to our generation?

There is a growing segment of the population, Gen Xers mostly that seem to still like cartoons, read comics, enjoy sci fi and fantasy films, etc. Kids back in the 50's with Flash Gordon and GI Joe and those that grew up reading Sci Fi and Tales to Astonish in the 30's grew up and sort of let go of the things they loved in the past. Yet our generation seems to not want to let go of Star Wars, Trek, LOTR, B-5, what have you. We act more like grown up teens or kids than adults in the form of our parents or people from previous generations.

This is starting to leak in modern culture as cartoons seemed to be geared more to adults than kids. There are so many inside jokes, jokes geared towards us that go right over our kids' heads. Watching modern Disney movies compared to the classic Disney films is like night and day in this regard.

Thoughts?

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2004-01-08 09:44pm

I`m 37 i still like sci-fi fantasy and comic books,its not a question of "growing up" i know people in their 70s who still like sci-fi.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » 2004-01-08 09:46pm

Generation X was the first generation to have modern entertainment from the earliest parts of childhood. Our parents may not have even had a TV until they were older (my dad was born in 1943, and his family didn't have a TV until he was almost 9), but I can't ever remember not being able to watch TV.

Also, we were the first generation to truly embrace computers. I still remember when the Atari 2600 first came out, and my dad would force me to play Pac-man, just so he and his friends could watch me play and "oooh" and "aaaah" at my skills. It was crazy.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » 2004-01-08 09:47pm

And yes, I have absolutely no intention of ever "growing up". I take care of my responsibilities, but I'm still just a big kid.

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2004-01-08 09:50pm

Astute observations, Stravo. I think your thoughts hold some truth.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2004-01-08 09:51pm

In the modeling forums I frequent, I'm actually a young pup compared to most members. Yet here, I'm nearly the oldest.
If enthusiasm for building plastic models could be accepted as an anology for your examples (don't see why not, most of the old codgers I mentioned started building in the 40's and 50's), I don't see that we're so unique.

But I also agree with the growing popularity of adult oriented cartoons, but there are earlier precedents for that, as well. (Wait 'til Your Father Gets Home, anyone?)

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2004-01-08 10:00pm

Much truth to your words.

I know at heart I really follow the Toys R Us kid song in many ways.

The Morrigan · Post by **The Morrigan** » 2004-01-08 10:06pm

[shrugs]

Don't know if it's exactly unique to our generation. My 53-year old mum is mad about LOTR & Harry Potter. Also, I understand Jim Henson originally concieved the Muppets as a way of bringing puppetry to an adult audience.

There does seem to be a lot of targeting of media that are traditionally being aimed towards childern at adults but don't see this as necessarily representing a regression to childhood so much as creative artists exploring new media. The concept can also cut both ways as media/concepts which have traditionally been associated with adults to become popular with & eventually be targetted at children. Eg: Fairy tales, Godzilla. Maybe someone else can think of some better examples.

It's probably also a personality thing. I have friends who scoff at my fascination with comic books, fantasy etc.

Alex Moon · Post by **Alex Moon** » 2004-01-08 10:31pm

I think that it has to do with the fact that many of our grandparents had to deal with hardships that removed any time for interests such as comics and scifi. Modern society however has allow the baby boomers as well as their children to grow up while never having to loose many of the things that interested them as children. We didn't have a great depression or a world war to deal with. Generations before that were forced to grow up quickly and life as an adult would have left little time or resources for collector's edition Transformer models, or special edition DVD's of 70's sci-fi shows.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2004-01-08 10:38pm

Is giving up things we love really a part of the "maturing Process"? I would say that growing up, in the modern sense, is the ability to keep our childish things and still get shit done.

I will be a 44 year old biologist, but god damn it I will still be able to sit down and play D&D with my University students.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-01-09 01:06am

Stravo wrote:OK, there are plenty of forum members here are teenagers but there's also a rather large group of older, married, parents, etc that contribute here. The question is whether we older members are kids that don't want to grow up and whether this is a phenomenon unique to our generation?

There is a growing segment of the population, Gen Xers mostly that seem to still like cartoons, read comics, enjoy sci fi and fantasy films, etc. Kids back in the 50's with Flash Gordon and GI Joe and those that grew up reading Sci Fi and Tales to Astonish in the 30's grew up and sort of let go of the things they loved in the past. Yet our generation seems to not want to let go of Star Wars, Trek, LOTR, B-5, what have you. We act more like grown up teens or kids than adults in the form of our parents or people from previous generations.

No, we don't. The difference between a boy and a man is not the type of entertainment that the man enjoys or the erudite sophistication of his hobbies. It is his acceptance of responsibility. The man willingly takes on the responsibilities of work, fatherhood, and productive membership in society, while the boy does not.

The fact that a man might choose to watch Transformers does not make him immature; there are countless immature 30something "men" out there who listen to properly "sophisticated" music, watch properly "sophisticated" movies, yet refuse to accept any personal responsibility in their lives. They are the ones who refuse to grow up.

Lord Poe · Post by **Lord Poe** » 2004-01-09 02:19am

I'll be 39 this month, and I have more in common with my 17 year old nephew than I do with my sister! Last week, we sat in his room watching Star Wars fan films on TheForce.net, and Kevin Smith's "The Flying Car". We go to the LA comic book convention when we can, watch and trade the same horror movie DVDs, etc.

Although he's into hip-hop, and I'm not!

My fiancee Rosie knows I'm a responsible adult, even though my hobbies traditionally aren't. She knows I have enough money to run out and buy that $300.00 Barnabas Collins cane that I've wanted since I was 5, but also knows my conscience can't justify that purchase right now!

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-01-09 02:56am

Actually the early cartoons were geared to adults. Re-watch some of the old Bugs Bunny cartoons and you can pick out the adult humor in it pretty easy. It was ony in the 50's and 60's that the kids took over the genre.

Post by **Kuja** » 2004-01-09 03:00am

Knife wrote:Actually the early cartoons were geared to adults. Re-watch some of the old Bugs Bunny cartoons and you can pick out the adult humor in it pretty easy. It was ony in the 50's and 60's that the kids took over the genre.

Damn, you beat me to it.

But it's still worth noting that things like the 3 Stooges were made in the same vein, and they are nowhere near mature.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-01-09 03:20am

it could also simply be that society's attitude to these types of entertainment is changing as well. back in the 70s it was looked upon as children's entertainment, but in more modern times some of the content in mediums like comic books and sci fi is very much geared towards adults, with very adult themes in them. so it may not be that we aren't refusing to grow up by hanging onto these kinds of entertainment but that the entertainment is actually growing up instead.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-01-09 03:30am

Darth_Zod wrote:it could also simply be that society's attitude to these types of entertainment is changing as well. back in the 70s it was looked upon as children's entertainment, but in more modern times some of the content in mediums like comic books and sci fi is very much geared towards adults, with very adult themes in them. so it may not be that we aren't refusing to grow up by hanging onto these kinds of entertainment but that the entertainment is actually growing up instead.

Nah, we're just reclaiming it. Those damn baby boomer ruined everything and their children (aka us) have to return everything to its original state.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-01-09 03:31am

Kuja wrote:
Knife wrote:Actually the early cartoons were geared to adults. Re-watch some of the old Bugs Bunny cartoons and you can pick out the adult humor in it pretty easy. It was ony in the 50's and 60's that the kids took over the genre.
Damn, you beat me to it.

But it's still worth noting that things like the 3 Stooges were made in the same vein, and they are nowhere near mature.

Whoo hooo, appearently by about four minutes too.

Hethrir · Post by **Hethrir** » 2004-01-09 03:31am

Stravo wrote:...The question is whether we older members are kids that don't want to grow up and whether this is a phenomenon unique to our generation?...

only 23 but I never want to grow up. Although that may be because as a kid i associated 'grown up' with grumpy :/

Post by **Lagmonster** » 2004-01-09 09:32am

Growing up has nothing to do with what you do for fun. If you take care of yourself and your folks and your community, do your part, then you are entitled to kick back and run through sprinklers shooting your friends with Nerf guns.

I was worried for the longest time that a lot of what I cherished as a kid would vanish when I hit 30; now I know this is stupid - I'm as interested now as then in toys and games and silly stuff. Granted, I have less time and energy for them, but that's normal and I don't feel I missed anything.

dworkin · Post by **dworkin** » 2004-01-09 10:18am

One factor is all the magical, labour saving devices we own that give us free time. How long does it take to prepare a meal with microwaves, pressure cookers and crock pots. How long does it take to clean up with the automated dishwaher? As for cleaning clothes have you seen the wonder chemicals and machines we use today compared to 40-50 years ago?

I have all this free time. Of course I'll want to do things with it.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2004-01-09 10:20am

Lagmonster wrote:Growing up has nothing to do with what you do for fun. If you take care of yourself and your folks and your community, do your part, then you are entitled to kick back and run through sprinklers shooting your friends with Nerf guns.

In that sense most of us could just be said "Young at heart."

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2004-01-09 10:24am

I am totally "Young at heart" I'm an AVID gamer, and I love to pwn the little 15-16-17 year old punks who think they are the 5h17 at teh G4m3g3. I;m phucking OLD SKOOL, punks! I come from the era of 2-d side scrollers that required a bit of effotr on your part! Defender, anyone?! Carnival? Remember that little gem? Pitfall!

Cartoons:

Nothing approaches The G.I. Joe and Transformers/GoBots cartoons. Nothing. Yu Gi Oh? Psh. Pokemon? Don't make me laugh. kids today don't know what being a kid is! Follow my lead! Do what I do!

Now, where *did* I put that case of toilet paper?

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-01-09 11:23am

Everyone has their own personal tastes; these tastes don't really have any bearing on their levels of maturity. Growing up in the context you're referring to is best illustrated in Peter Pan. While Peter and Wendy enjoyed many of the same things, Peter refused to accept any responsibility by going back to the real world and going to school, getting a job, et cetera.

Jaded Masses · Post by **Jaded Masses** » 2004-01-09 11:24am

Chardok wrote:
Now, where *did* I put that case of toilet paper?

Well, its already been said that responsibility makes adulthood, not the "quality of entertainment. But playing games that are irresponsible is childish- like tee-peeing a house; and I would say that playing those games makes one immature.

(No shit huh....)

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2004-01-09 11:41am

Oh, I'm not saying I still T.P. people's houses, but I *would* accept responsibility if caught, as well as accepting responsibility for the thousands of delicate, beautiful, snow white streamers swaying gently, gracefully in the early morning breeze, lit by the backdrop of the orange morning Tennessee sun, a silent tear rolling down my cheek, at the sheer artistic beauty with the melding of natures animation, and man-made artistry.

*sniff*

*Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen plays in the background*

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Are we children that don't want to grow up?

Are we children that don't want to grow up?

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