Blogpost 7: Ben 10: Bad or Good?

Since I was a kid, I've  always wanted to become a super hero.  I guess all the kids out there aspire to be one due to the movies or television shows that they watch with superhero as the main character. But, sad to say, it's just a fantasy because none of us has super powers. Well, Ben 10 may be a substitute for it. To believe that aliens do exist is a huge fallacy or just a fiction. But, what does Ben 10 do in our daily life? How does it affect our society nowadays? It is true, based on my recent topics that cartoons are very powerful nowadays, because they are happily viewed by the children under the age of seven that these future leaders may inherit or emulate the values they watch on television. Hence, we must pick what we watch. But, Ben 10 is one of the popular cartoon shows in our generation being followed by young viewers on Cartoon Network. Is Ben 10 good or bad?

Based on the first article that I've read entitled "Ben 10 and Power Rangers' cause under seven to have nightmares' survey finds", in the website dailymail.co.uk, written by Laura Clark,  there's a behavioral effect on watching shows like Power Rangers, and especially, Ben 10. She surveyed moms and school teachers who think what made their children act the way it's not supposed to be. And 70% leads to cartoon shows like Ben 10. As she quoted "Some children's television shows are so violent they give youngsters nightmares". It may sound exaggerated but some words of it were true. It is a fact that children nowadays prefer to watch sci-fi action scene and imitate it while their parents are out or without probation. This goes same as wrestling. A child fantasize himself/herself as a superhero in which the kid doesn't even understand what a real superhero is. It is not about fighting, it's about helping.

On the second article that I read entitled, "Television to blame for decline in pupil behavior", in the website theguardian.com , written by Anthea Lipsett, it  flows with the first article that I read. It tackles how kids are not supervised by parents while watching T.V. shows, such as Ben 10. She also surveyed parents who are having difficulty with their own children. She comes up with the conclusion that most kids being rude, have been the effect of watching cartoon shows. As she quoted, "It is worrying that some of the youngest pupils do not know what behavior is acceptable and when they should use it, and cannot differentiate between what they have seen on TV and real life." It is true that most of the kids can't differentiate real life to fantasy world. As much as phantasm is involved, these kids always live in illusion and will always live in this kind of world if not properly supervised by their parents in watching cartoons like Ben 10.

In the end, Ben 10 is an alien show who can save the world. Well, none of us has the capability to save many people using super powers, but, we have decisions that can save them. Cartoons will always have good and bad effect to mankind, but, it is not a hindrance to reveal it's true mystery. The bad effects are sometimes overpowering the good ones, which bring about negative impact on the children's moral values. Let this mystery be our guide that our youngster must be protected from this alarming power of Ben 10. Their good behaviors are the best weapons to fight evil forces in our society, not any fictitious superhero that they idolize.