So there is this guy named Lukas Shayo....who writes about comic books for a living and who has decided that the legendary (IMHO) comic strip Calvin and Hobbes has...well...just not aged well.
Toxic! That sounds bad.
Five bucks says the author of this piece has been in therapy since he was 14.
Please tell that this is not true, youg'uns. For, if it is, we are doomed.
The horror......the horror.
On the bright side, Miss Wormwood didn't insist on Calvin participating in her/his/xer personal psychodramas based upon her possibly numerous and even contradictory genders and sexual preferences. So there is that.
Remember when I bet five bucks that this author has been in therapy since age 14? I'm changing this to age 9.
Oh, FFS.
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Calvin and Hobbes is often considered a timeless comic strip. Any reader can still enjoy the strip the way Bill Watterson initially intended. The characters, setting, and circumstances always feel like something that could easily be replicated today.
There are some elements, however, that have not aged perfectly. After all, the strip ran from 1985 to 1995. Some of the relationships are too toxic for a modern setting, and some details simply have not added up for the modern age. In fact, some advances in science or changes in cultural perception have rendered some strips relatively incomprehensible.
Toxic! That sounds bad.
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Calvin's parents are often busy taking care of the house or working, leaving Calvin with few opportunities for emotional support. There are times when his parents step in like when Calvin failed to save the baby raccoon but he is more often left to work through problems himself. It is a lot of pressure for a little boy and would not be considered socially acceptable parenting today.
Five bucks says the author of this piece has been in therapy since he was 14.
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The fact that Calvin's parents have no GPS tracker on him, despite Calvin constantly roaming around the town, is unrealistic in the modern world.
Please tell that this is not true, youg'uns. For, if it is, we are doomed.
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At times, Calvin's parents elected to leave him with a young teenager named Rosalyn. Their relationship did improve over the course of Calvin's time with her, but Rosalyn's behavior was initially extremely inappropriate. In the modern world, Rosalyn would be severely criticized for her actions.
After all, Rosalyn regularly threatens Calvin for even the slightest offense. Staying up late or playing too loudly often led to threats of violence or a punishment of solitary confinement.
The horror......the horror.
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Bullying is a serious problem in modern schools, but no one does anything about it in Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin's bully, Moe, regularly threatens to beat him senseless, but no authority figure intervenes or cares. Calvin is often left to his own devices. Even his parents never comment on Moe's actions.
In the modern world, students would receive instant support in the face of bullying, especially if the bully is physically hurting them or stealing from them. Since Miss Wormwood never realized the issue or attempted to help him, Calvin was failed by his school. It would not be viewed in such a comedic way today.
On the bright side, Miss Wormwood didn't insist on Calvin participating in her/his/xer personal psychodramas based upon her possibly numerous and even contradictory genders and sexual preferences. So there is that.
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Today, parents are chastised for not encouraging their children to socially engage with other students from a young age. Calvin's parents, however, rarely encourage him to speak with other 6-year-olds. Calvin's dad often tries to convince him to go outside, but he generally has him wander alone.
At his age, Calvin should be building his social skills with other children, rather than his imaginary tiger. He should also be spending much more time with his parents. The poor parenting in Calvin and Hobbes has not aged well, given that developing child-rearing theories encourage socialization and parental involvement.
Remember when I bet five bucks that this author has been in therapy since age 14? I'm changing this to age 9.
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Most notably, Calvin is generally extremely sexist.
Oh, FFS.
