movies/tv Swearing in kids cartoons, should it really a big deal anymore?

[TheMisterManGuy 344]

It seems with each passing year, western cartoons for kids are getting edgier and edgier in content. This brings us to the big question, should kids cartoon tackle swearing. They can tackle things like death, blood, and more recently, homosexuality, but for some reason can't say the word damn. Personally, I think kids can handle mild ones like damn, hell, crap and ass. It's not like they don't hear these words everyday around the house, let alone use them. Still, the stronger words should probably stay out like B****, S***, etc. When I was 9, I used damn and hell, and my parents had no problem with it.

[Sceethe 704]

the kids are gonna learn these words eventually anyway.

Most kids just understand that they are not allowed to use them when adults are around.

[Justin_Case001 4,907]

They're all just arbitrary words to me, anyway.  I could say that the word gerfluegen is profane and inappropriate for children.  (I just made it up.)  But of course, if some words aren't profane, then much of entertainment loses is comedic value.  Kids just need to be raised to be mature and know how to handle these things.  I have a friend who grew up with no language restrictions in his house.  F-bombs were dropped all over the place from when he and siblings were born.  But his parents were great people, and he grew up to be a very mature and polite person.  He only uses profanity in private.  That's all you have to do, really.  Proper parenting.

 

But I've overheard little elementary school children talking like a Tenacious D song.  That's kind of sad.

 

Personally, and possibly much to the chagrin of some folks in this community, I would love to see an adult cut of FIM.  Just the same episodes, but replace all the "What in the wide world of Equestria..." with "What in the holy f*ck...", etc.  That would be so funny.

 

I mean, just look!

[VitalSpark 1,830]

It depends on what age group the cartoon is aimed at I suppose. Something aimed at older children and teens should certainly be able to get away with mild swearing. Something like My Little Pony, which has two-year-olds watching it, not so much.

Edited April 22, 2015 by Vital Spark

[Yoshi89 5,293]

I learned how to swear from my parents who used the soap in the mouth treatment when I was growing up. They still don't like it when I swear but that's their problem, not mine. Having said that, I don't mind if some children's cartoons slip in a curse word or two, considering kids are going to learn them anyway. Cartoons aimed at younger children shouldn't have them, obviously.

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

They're all just arbitrary words to me, anyway. I could say that the word gerfluegen is profane and inappropriate for children. (I just made it up.) But of course, if some words aren't profane, then much of entertainment loses is comedic value. Kids just need to be raised to be mature and know how to handle these things. I have a friend who grew up with no language restrictions in his house. F-bombs were dropped all over the place from when he and siblings were born. But his parents were great people, and he grew up to be a very mature and polite person. He only uses profanity in private. That's all you have to do, really. Proper parenting.

 

But I've overheard little elementary school children talking like a Tenacious D song. That's kind of sad.

 

Personally, and possibly much to the chagrin of some folks in this community, I would love to see an adult cut of FIM. Just the same episodes, but replace all the "What in the wide world of Equestria..." with "What in the holy f*ck...", etc. That would be so funny.

 

I mean, just look!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITr90v7UaNg

Lol I totally agree, that shit is fucking hilarious.

[Megas 27,889]

From what I remember, Hey Arnold, Rocko's Modern Life, and Regular Show has gotten away with saying things like "crap" or "hell" a couple of times.

 

That said, light swearing would be okay for something like Regular Show, but would never fly for something like FiM

[碇 シンジン 27,437]

I dont think swearing should be accepted in kids shows.These shows are lighthearted and happy shows and I think that swearing has no place in shows aimed to kids. 

 

It is a bad example to young people and it implies that swearing is totally ok. In my point of view swearing is not ok but it somehow has gotten into common language of people. Kids will get to know these words in other sources but I dont think that source should be lighthearted  kids show that aims to drive good morals into kids.

[MischiefHowl 37]

I learned to cuss at ten in school and no matter what my family tried/threatened it didn't stop it (made it worse really yay rebellious age) Now it's just another word to me, nothing bad. I don't use it in front of elders unless they do it first or say it's fine when it slips out.

 

But I think if it's aimed for like preteens and up. Maybe a few cusses are okay like hell or the other word for 'butt'. It is the norm no matter how much people say it's bad. When someone says you can't do something. What do you do? You do it of course. Or sometimes you don't.

What I don't like though is when like four year olds yell the 'f' word at their parents. School is okay you can't help it, but when I hear very young say it I feel like its due to the parents over anything else. Unless you are a pre-teen or up, then I am against it. But this is my opinion. 

To me, it's just a common part of my language, some frown upon it, some don't. 

 

So I say a LITTLE cuss here and there in teen shows is fine. There's already innuendos, violence, and all that in cartoons. Always will be (I'm a 90's kid and seeing old shows. All the adult jokes I looked over as a kid. I was so oblivious haha)

[Passion 3,484]

I must agree with ooBrony here on some cases.

 

I can hardly see how "They will learn how to swear from other sources anyways." argument can serve as a justification for them learning them faster AND being given a direct hint that such behavior may be widely accepted in the society (when you're young TV always speaks truth, doesn't it?), when it's not.

 

I have a nephew who is ~9yo, and I see and hear from him that he sometimes barely manages to stop himself from saying a word he'd regret in my own (or his parents for this matter) presence.

I highly doubt he'd have this restraint if cartoons and TV shows encouraged him to curse around ._.

[Aleh 481]

Seems like a bad idea. Most parents would rather their kids didn't go about swearing, looks bad. 
Just because some kids swear doesn't mean we should go "lol lets just let them say whatever the fuck we want and not discipline them for it". Supposed to have some standards. Swearing kind of looses any and all taboo for kids if its on TV, and they'll just end up rude as shit.

 

Also as much as I'd find it funny to see mlp with rainbow dash saying cunt every other sentence I doubt it'd be good for kids : P Misread the last part where you said you were against use of 'stronger' swear words. My point still stands, kind of xD

Edited April 22, 2015 by Aleh

[Judgement 445]

A few cartoons from the 90s had very minor swears. (And then recently you had regular show use the term "pissed" twice and "Hell" a few times in it's first few episodes. That got changed due to complaints, I'm assuming.) A lot of kids already swear, but I don't think there should be too much swearing in cartoons to the point where it seems like the cartoons are encouraging it. There's a fine line in this case. I don't think the language should escalate beyond "Crap". I would hate to see a future where all kids cartoons are swearing. We do need to have some standard for the target age group.

[MLPFanatic34 3,235]

Honestly I learned a lot of cuss words not from cartoon shows, but from kids in high school and middle school. I didn't have a problem watching cartoons that had minor swearing in it. As for swearing today in shows, if it shows ratings that aren't for children then children shouldn't watch it.

[A Black Circle 1,586]

I dont think swearing should be accepted in kids shows.These shows are lighthearted and happy shows and I think that swearing has no place in shows aimed to kids. 

 

It is a bad example to young people and it implies that swearing is totally ok. In my point of view swearing is not ok but it somehow has gotten into common language of people. Kids will get to know these words in other sources but I dont think that source should be lighthearted  kids show that aims to drive good morals into kids.

You sure about that? (Cutie Map)

[TheMisterManGuy 344]

It depends on what age group the cartoon is aimed at I suppose. Something aimed at older children and teens should certainly be able to get away with mild swearing. Something like My Little Pony, which has two-year-olds watching it, not so much.

Yeah, it really depends on the show. It'd make sense for something like Gravity Falls or Regular Show, but shows like FiM are out of the question.

[A Black Circle 1,586]

Yeah, it really depends on the show. It'd make sense for something like Gravity Falls or Regular Show, but shows like FiM are out of the question.

It would actually make a lot of sense for Gravity Falls, as Grunkle Stan is canonically a sailor mouth, but it's never shown in-show.

[mysticalnight 56]

oh buck no! swearing in kids cartoons is just not done. keep the cursing in the edgier cartoons, weve got plenty of those around.

[ManaMinori 4,146]

I'm not on board with that idea. Just because "they'll learn it someplace else" doesn't mean that they have to be exposed to it on a show that's supposed to be teaching kids good morals and such. Not to mention swearing in general is trashy. No one takes you seriously when you swear, it's rude, unclean, and just not cool, or necessary to even learn those words and use them, as it brings about no positive effect whatsoever. So no. We need LESS swearing in kid's shows... and really, ALL shows, and movies across the board, if you ask me

[TheMisterManGuy 344]

I'm not on board with that idea. Just because "they'll learn it someplace else" doesn't mean that they have to be exposed to it on a show that's supposed to be teaching kids good morals and such. Not to mention swearing in general is trashy. No one takes you seriously when you swear, it's rude, unclean, and just not cool, or necessary to even learn those words and use them, as it brings about no positive effect whatsoever. So no. We need LESS swearing in kid's shows... and really, ALL shows, and movies across the board, if you ask me

Like I said, it depends on the words being used and the show using them. saying Bitch and Shit is out of the question and I would not want it go that far. As I said, a few damns or hells in something like Regular Show makes sense, while it would feel out of place and inappropriate in FiM.

[Blue Moon 6,342]

It's also worth mentioning that Regular Show is TV-PG, while My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is TV-Y7. I can't think of a single moment in this show that was so intense that it warranted swearing, or any jokes that would have needed profanity to be funny. So, no, I don't think they should include profanity in shows that are aimed for a younger audience such as My Little Pony. It's just not necessary, and I don't think the "they'll end up learning the words anyway" excuse should be used to justify stronger language.

 

I understand that many kids and teenagers swear very often (I personally don't; at least, not out loud), but it wouldn't hurt to try and reduce that number, and having profanity in My Little Pony wouldn't help that.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,937]

It really depends on the type of show, but honestly I would not care if it was done or not, particularly because swear words are just that, words. It is all dependent on the context in which they are used and if they are used in proper contexts, then I don't see a problem with something like 'damn' or 'hell' in a general audience show. Those words are almost harmless at this point.

 

I always found modern society's weakness to swear words to be kind of baffling.

[TheMisterManGuy 344]

@Blue Moon Actually, FiM is TV-Y, not Y7.

[The Mint Pone 2,294]

yes it should be a big deal. it an 8 year old told me to "fuck off" because he learnt it in a kids show i would not be best pleased. kids wouldnt know how to appropriately use those words.

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

Swearing in kids' cartoons shouldn't really be allowed, but at the same time, censorship should have its limits. This show fell victim to overzealous censorship not only in the Derpygate scandal, but with airings of "Party of One" on Treehouse TV in Canada silencing all implications of Pinkie's friends being "losers".

 

Pixar movies often get away with the occasional five-letter insult (idiot, moron) or "God-forsaken" (some religious types don't like that) every once in a while, but they're held to a much different standard, intellectually speaking, than kids' cartoons. If there is ever swearing in kids' cartoons, it should be in a negative context, as in SpongeBob's "Sailor Mouth" and Arthur's "Bleep", to show how overuse of the words is a strange sort of addiction which can reflect badly on the people using them. I swore a lot when I was younger and it really did reflect badly. I learned it from teenagers on the school bus.

 

This, in a way, brings me back to the point that mere reproduction of negative behaviors backfires if the commentary on it is barely visible or not there at all. If it's not handled properly, then it will look as if the show is encouraging negative behaviors rather than commenting on them. So, overall, context is everything, and this is one thing that will only work in context.

[simba86 1,541]

I don't think it is as big a deal as it used to be considering the foul language I hear kids using now, but I am still for keeping it out of the cartoons for kids.