#1 Control any and all impulses, especially selfish ones. Have you ever been bullied at school or even at home? Have you ever gotten into a fight with said bully? What was the reason behind it? And how often did it land you in trouble with your piers? Well, on the internet, it's more or less the same thing, except the last question is amplified. If you've been trolled, it may or may not have been easy to hit that Caps Lock key and type obscenities or, even worse, derogatory slurs in the prompt box. Of course, that's pretty problematic in its own regard, but the bigger problem is that this is your first instinct. The problem with first instincts is that morality often winds up being sacrificed for the sake of your own benefit. That's a problem because proper netiquette is as important as regular everyday in the community etiquette. Typing with all-caps is often seen as yelling, and can make you just as arrogant as the person you're talking to. I've been trolled time and again myself, and each time, I just hit the block button. Easier and better. A lot of people don't see this, though because they behave just as badly as the troll does, which could get both parties suspended. So stop and think before you act, and learn that sometimes, it's better that you don't act at all.

#2 Do constructive criticism, not just listen to it. Ok, I may sound a bit hypocritical at this point in time because, let's face it, my work is not the best, and improvement may be a bit slow. But sometimes learning curves can take a long time to go down the whole way. And if I delete an image or two, I may feel like I owe an explanation. It's almost as if I'm giving myself constructive criticism. However, there's one thing to understand; if the person you're critiquing isn't willing to take your thoughts into account, then you may have lost, all things considered. So you may be a bit surprised when someone decides to critique you. Constructive criticism, while a helpful tool, is only helpful if the person is not only willing to listen, but is open-minded and able to apply the logic. If you only do one, but not the other, you aren't exactly learning anything. Everything just goes in one ear and out the other, and at best, your efforts will feel even more half-assed than they were before. So don't just listen to constructive critique, mind what they say and apply it if they have a point.

#3 Learn to separate opinions from facts. Have you noticed that a lot of internet users have become more and more biased in recent years? And have you noticed that they have become more and more likely to become vocal about their beliefs? Yeah, not good. They just let their opinions take over everything and common sense be damned. This way of logic has resulted in channels like PragerU, which is dedicated to shunning anything that goes against what they believe King James says. Even if the topic was based in fact, it feels rather obsequious, and the people who praise it may not be that much better. So keep facts as facts, and don't try to shoehorn your political or religious beliefs where they don't really belong. Doing that makes you feel egotistical, manipulative, and insincere.

#4 Be wary as to who your friends are and what they want from you. "Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold." How many times have you heard that song? It sounds like a nice message doesn't it? Well, it doesn't actually work when you really think about it. Sometimes the people you trust the most will be the ones who betray you first. At first, the person you view sounds innocuous, with no hint at anything suspicious. But time changes everything and everyone, and the people you trusted may have moved on. While some of them may have done better things, others may have turned to substance abuse or criminal activity. This reason alone is the reason as to why I don't do commissions, because it feels one-sided, all things considered, and it feels like I'm doing them for their benefits. I'd rather watch people if they fall under 3 categories: One, their content looks nice enough, two, they feel like someone I can converse with, or three, they are open-minded enough to warrant improvement. However, if they do something that is rather suspicious or they just pester me for no reason, I may have to cut ties with them. Which leads me to my next point.

#5 Not everyone is going to like what you do. Believe me when I say that this is something I had to learn the hard way. Sometimes you want to add someone to your watch group and when they decide to take one good look at your account, they block you? Why? Was it because of your beliefs? Was it because you're a potential troublemaker? Or maybe they just make you out to be boring? Well, you may not know, but they probably would. But no matter the case, you should respect other peoples tastes and boundaries, even your own. You may hold yourself in very high regard, but others may not think the same. Even if you're in the majority, there still may be some voices that say otherwise.

#6 Don't aim too low or too high. I prefer art and video sites over regular blog sites. Do you want to know why? Not only do they spark my interest more, but if you're really good at what you're doing, it doesn't feel like you're throwing your life away. However, it can be easy to waste away when you're just as aimless and reckless as your fellow watchers. What's more, some people use whatever qualities to make themselves look and sound more important than they actually are. As a result, only a few internet users know how to make themselves stronger, while at the same time, keeping themselves humble. Setting goals is very important if you wish for a substantial life, but what is often not being told is that sometimes, you may need to change those goals to get what you truly want in life. Aim straight, but be ready to change position if need be.

#7 Don't base everything on numbers. One thing I constantly have to emphasize is that not everything should be based on how many views you could rack up. Something that may be trendy for just a few moments may eventually get replaced with some other thing in the zeitgeist. But, regardless, what you get is what you get. and even if you do change somewhat, nothing really changes. My works only get a hundred or so views at best and, I have to admit, some of them were a little naïve. But one who looks at my gallery, from where I started to where I am today, may know that I've come a long way, even if the numbers don't change. Honestly, I'm more than satisfied with that because I know that fame and fortune aren't everything. So don't be surprised with your average count. It may be for the best after all.

#8 Don't imitate others just so that you can better yourself. Whenever someone says that less people should use social media, they often point to things like depression or comparing oneself to others as the biggest reason. Honestly, I'm not so certain. The biggest problem with social media, as far as I'm concerned, is that we want to be noticed by as many people as possible. One downside to this methodology is that it often results with these viewers hanging out with the wrong crowd. As a result, they often parrot things that they don't actually believe, and do things that, had they learned how to steer clear from them. It's always the worst possible qualities that we pick up from people, especially if we're too open or close-minded. You might be thinking that you might be doing yourself a favor by picking up these traits, but you'd only be lying to yourself. The world produces enough death threats and hate groups as it is. But you're not going to make anything better by just reapeating other people's words or actions. Not only will this land you in trouble with the staff, if not the law, but this isn't the true path to success. So be wary of who you interact with, because you may regret everything.

#9 Don't let one apple spoil the whole barrel. I know I sound rather hypocritical with this rule, but let's face it, these sites aren't the best. Every so often, you may need to deal with things like hackers or bad reception. So if worse comes to worse, you may have to rely on alternatives for a while. Other times, you wind up getting suspended or even banned, and they may encourage others to do the same. Even though I'm someone who believes proper manners are paramount, it sounds stupid to be kind to someone who won't return the favor at all. Reciprocity is really important to creating and maintaining healthy relationships. On the other hand, toxic people do exist and regardless as to whether you're on the internet or the real world, you can be a victim if you hang out with the wrong crowd. Even worse is that depending on what the action is, you can be punished for being a victim. That's why it's important to stand up for yourself, so that you can break away from the vicious cycle of victimhood, and maybe even prevent it.

#10 Learn the importance of reciprocity. Yep, this is the big one. Every single entry (and every single journal I've made up to this point) has led to this. But let me elucidate as to why it's so important. It's bad enough when people are glued to their phones, not paying attention to where there going, but have you imagined what most of them are doing on those devices? If they're not playing games or texting lewd photos, they're being full on mean. You wouldn't think so, but we now seem to live in an age where polite people at best get pushed further and further into the background, while the most popular people get by simply by being rude. It's almost as if good morals and etiquette are turning into forms of rebellion. But what most people forget about morality is that works best when it's shared with others. Think about it this way, we say please when we want something, thank you when we recieve something, and you're welcome when we acknowledge the appreciation. Sounds right? Well, this is what reciprocation is; when someone shows gratitude to you, you show it right back. If you don't do this, it'd feel empty and hypocritical.

If I were to ask you what your favorite Nickelodeon show is, chances are your first response is Spongebob Squarepants. At the very least, it would be in the running. There's no denying that it was a runaway hit when it debuted in 1999. You remember the characters, the humor, the memes. It was almost as though it can do no wrong, becoming more popular than any other show made during its heyday. But it may have been to good to last. For about 5 or 6 years, Spongebob it did seem to still have its sea legs. But then... something... happened. There came an era of decline. Where once it happy and bright, it now feels like it was meant for a different show entirely. The characters now behaved differently than what they originally did. The humor goes for shock value more than anything else. Even though this is Nickelodeon's signature show, for about a decade, it was treated as though it was nothing. What in the deep blue sea went wrong?



Well, to answer that question, we need to go back to the man who created all this, Stephen Hillenburg. Hillenberg was an animator and marine biologist who started his creation in a local newspaper comic called Spongeboy Ahoy! Soon after this, he took up a position in Nickelodeon studios (then called Games Animation Inc.) as part of the team of another Nickelodeon show, Rocko's Modern Life. While it wan't Nick's most popular show, it was popular enough to further Hillenburg's career as an animator and lead into Spongebob being greenlit and broadcasted. The premiere was the highest viewed of any family show up until that point (second only to Power Rangers.) And like many other successful Nick shows before it, it even got its own movie, which was also wildly successful. However, things take a sudden turn here. After the movie's release, Hillenburg wanted the show to be over right then and there. The reason? He was worried that his show would inevitably jump the shark. (No pun intended, of course.) The irony was that Nick wanted yet another season because, again, the movie was that big a blockbuster. So who could carry the show now that the first showrunner was gone?



Enter Paul Tibbit. Tibbit was already well known in show staff for being multi-talented; from storyboards to voice acting and was already a co-producer. But after season 3, he finally got to be what he always dreamed of, the main showrunner. You'd think that being the new showrunner he may be treat his franchise with the utmost relevance, more than his predecessor. But that's not what happened. Instead, he went mad with power and the show suffered greatly as a result.



The most obvious change would be the characters. Where once they had defining and lovable personalities that set them apart from their contemporaries, now they all behave very strangly. Patrick, who was once goofy but lovable, now seemed to blur the line between stupidity and arrogance. He even says that likes to "mix it up" every now and then, meaning that he loves to play mid games. Mr. Krabs was already obssessed with cash when he started off, but now he was even greedier than he already was, even going so far to say that he values it over his customers. Squidward has undergone something weird. Most of the modern episodes may as well take place from his perspective, and even then, given the fact that he can be very vain sometimes, it can come across as projection. The modern episodes are said to be the point where Squidward started his sympathetic side, but the problem is that it creates a very strange trade-off. Where once he was more vocal about whatever he undergoes, he has unfortunately turned into a pathetic loser who just puts up with it, unable to really voice his concerns. To be clear, though, there was an episode where he took up karate class with Sandy and even went so far as to get physical with Spongebob. See, if were up to me to be a showrunner for this show, I think that making Squidward more likely to dish out violence would probably make the show better during this time. And given the fact that squids and octopuses sometimes don't play nice, especially when it comes to food, maybe such aspects need to be taken into consideration. Slapstick is one of those genres where safety can go right out the window and everyone gets on the receiving end eventually.



However, no other character saw more drastic change than Spongebob himself. The main thing to remember about Spongebob is that even though he can be naive and a poor character judge, he means well all the same. He puts his trust into people because not only can he do the right thing, but also encourages them to do likewise. It's this level of empathy and reciprocation that makes him a beloved character. But when after Stephen Hillenberg left, all that seems to have replaced with narcissism and a rather uncaring attitude, a polar opposite of what he once was. Like where was this personality all of a sudden? The only character who didn't see too much change overall is Gary, and in some episodes, especially during this time, he can have even worse than Squidward. One particular episode has him in Patrick's care, and the starfish treats him like a tyrannical king over a serf doomed to be executed. In a way, this mirrors who Tibbet was, a terrible man who doesn't care that much about quality or quantity of episodes and injects his narcissism into most, if not all of his characters.



The writing of the show wasn't much better, since it feels like it's trying to emulate the humor of Ren & Stimpy more than being pure Spongebob material. Nickelodeon is well-known for being gross on occasion, and Spongebob is no expection. However, the Tibbet is particularly disgusting, even by Nickelodeon standards. You have episodes like where Spongebob gets a splinter and not once does it flinch away its equivalent of a zit, especially when it's finally taken out. What is that white coming out? Pus? Blood? Sperm? Who's to say? All that we need to know is that it's so unnecessary. Like any form of comedy, toilet humor needs a body (so to speak) in order to be considered humorous. However, for too often, there is no body; all you get is someone farting at random in lieu of an actual joke. To further complicate matters, Nickelodeon is the brand that originated gross-out jokes in children's media. Back in the day, it still had a body, which lessened the gross aspect. However, even if it wasn't inappropriate for children to see, it's pretty inappropriate when you consider the context (or more importantly, the lack thereof). So seeing our sponge friend enact these digusting habits comes off as jarring.



To top it all off, even though it didn't directly get other Nickelodeon shows cancelled, it is cited as a reason as to why. A standard child's cartoon lasts about 3 or 4 years. But Spongebob has gone on for over 25 years and counting, and yet many Nick shows during this time were lucky if they could go beyond 1 or 2 seasons. A good reason as to why this is the case is that, again, Spongebob had that big a premiere. Even if the show that came during this time was more popular than Spongebob, it would still end incomplete due to lower ad revenue. It was especially bad during the Tibbet era, as most Nick shows had terrible quality and got cancelled very quickly. It became a never ending game of King of the Mountain, with one show so determined to stay on top that it took out other shows with one blow. While shows like The Loud House and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles look like they could take the crown, Nick would always stick to that one show because it cements their image as the #1 kids's network and usurp the Kid's Choice Awards because that's rigged enough as it is.



Now you may remember that I made a journal about how Disney's current showrunner is rather secular towards the Disney brand and he uses it as an excuse for his unchecked greed and egotism. This was the problem with Spongebob under Paul Tibbet's wing. If you were to replace Mr. Krabs with him or Nick's CEO at the time, the similarities will become uncanny. When deadlines and bottom lines seem to matter more than originality or quality, your work will suffer and become self-serving and self-satisfying. This is the reason why IP's eventually wear out their welcome, and will have to come to a stop eventually. Sooner or later, people will move on, and you need to respect the decision. And that's especially true if all you care about is end goals. Unlike most other franchises which had no reason for going for as long as they did, Spongebob did have a reason; that reason being a combination of disobedience, dishonesty and betrayal. Nick went behind the creator's back because they wanted to have their cake and eat it, too, and somehow they did! The worst part of all of this was that Stephen Hillenberg was to many fans, the same thing as Peter Sellers was to the Pink Panther franchise; who else would you go to see? Hillenberg was more authoritative with what was and wasn't allowed in his series, whereas Tibbet was a combination of being permissive and negligent, which was the reason why so many episodes turned out the way they did.



But in 2015, a miracle happened. A new movie came out to surpising critical acclaim, and a 9th season also came out; suddenly, people wanted to see the sponge again. Tibbet resigned from his post and left to work for DreamWorks, where his style of humor was more at home. Now there were two showrunners, and the show took on a philosophical tone unseen for at least a decade's worth of episodes. Sadly, it may have been too good to last. Stephen Hillenberg still worked on the show, but he would pass away at 61 from a disease associated with sclerosis. Then Nick did something unthinkable, they announced two spin-off shows, one would focus on Patrick, the other would be a prequel showing how the whole cast met. You'd think that with this decision, Nick would give Stephen a proper tribute. But as Kamp Koral and Sponge on the Run would prove, they would go so far as to step on people's graves just to keep its show relevant.



So Nickelodeon, if you're reading this, do yourself a favor and stop backstabbing everyone! Just because one of your franchises is such an overnight success doesn't mean that you can just sabotage it like a spoiled brat. Imagine if the Pope loved God, but hated human life with a fiery passion. That's how you are with Spongebob; you treat it as though he and his creator was nothing. All you seem to care about is ratings and image. That's the reason why your show has been floundering (no pun intended) for so long; instead of listening to one of your best creator's warnings, you've outright ignored them and decided to make them a reality. You should be ashamed of yourself for not only betraying one of your best men and your fanbase, but also because when you put your mind into it, you can show how can lack humility and respect for the dead!



Modern mainstream entertainment isn't terrible because of all those endless sequels, remakes and reboots. It's not even terrible because of big budgets that are mainly spent on CGI effects. What hurts the mainstream more than anything else is that the showrunners constantly think of themselves when they make them. Think about it; people who think of themselves are less likely to be creative than people who think for themselves. They keep thinking of the short-term rather than be more considerate of what workers and fans want. Spongebob Squarepants is a special case because it tells a cautionary tale; if your best people don't want to be involved in your project anymore and if they don't want their show to continue lest something bad happen to it, then you need to respect their wishes, for the betterment of all parties. Letting go can be difficult and you may lose you some respect from your fans, but it may be the only way you could be held up with respect in the long run. You need to learn how to move on and treat your audience as though they have the capacity to move on. It's just that the showrunners are shortsighted and lack humility, only caring about endgoals that have to be met here and now. This is the ultimate problem with franchises in the modern day. Everyone and everything is made for the here and now, without any thought about the long-term. And sometimes, it does matter who's in charge, and what they intend to do with their project.

May your bellies grow to be big and round and your navels peek out of your clothing!

Anyone knows what happened to Jetskee and why he left?

So I've heard that the one and only fox prince deactivated his account. The legend goes that some of his works depicted underage characters being inflated or wearing diapers. I tried to give him some constructive critique, but instead he decided that the best course of action was to delete his account. I don't know when or if he's coming back, considering that he let the stigma get to him...

I may not be able to post any more pictures until Monday. That's because I'm attending my sister's wedding, which means I'm staying an extended weekend at a hotel, where the wedding will take place.

Happy Halloween to all you ghouls and goblins!

There is a big difference between people who think for themselves and people who think of themselves. People who think about for themselves are much more likely to take the necessary risks for their betterment, if not the betterment of others. However, people who think about themselves aren't as likely to take risks; if anything, they're much more likely to create their own.

What type of animal works best as the pear-shaped giant for you?

It's official. We've a quarter way through the century. There certainly has been a lot of crazy things going on. Natural disasters and new diseases are getting more and more destructive. Terrorist and AI attacks are more and more common. Layoffs, homelessness and petty criminality are at an all-time high. It almost feels like it's the end of the world, doesn't it? A lot of people have wondered how and when the extinction of humanity will happen. But there seems to be one way that I think the world can come to an end. In fact, it seems to be happening right under our noses, right now, to everyone and everything in existence.



You see, we live in an age that's devoid of humility or empathy. How often were you subject to mean comments? Or how often someone try to bash you for your political stance? And even if your views did align, do you still get treated like garbage? Well, so many people live this reality, and even worse, the people who exploit them will do anything to keep them locked in victimhood. Even after these people die, (which is probably what these sickos want anyway) they show that they have no remorse for their actions.



So how does this exploitation work? Well, pick any crisis you can think of; pandemics, mass shootings or bombings, natural disasters, you get the idea. All these things are terrible to think about, especially since something like natural disasters are something that no mortal being can control. But then you get to the recovery periods, which can be their own can of worms. Some of these events have charities that have you pay money for the surviving and suffering victims. Sounds noble, right? Well, yes and no. Sometimes, charities can be anything but charitable.



If you're familiar with the mid-2000's, you may have heard about Hurricane Katrina. While there were more subtle talks about climate change, this was the one incident that brought it into the mainstream. I speak from experience, as I survived one the tropical storms that hurricanes produce once they land. While many of these charities were indeed helpful, others weren't. Some of them would use tactics like offering a weak lean-to that looks like it's going to break; other just put them out of their misery. It's almost as if these people have the power to save these people and help them prepare for better lives, but ultimately choose not to.



But mere aversion can be considered exploitation as well. Let's take a topic like the Covid pandemic. I think we can all agree that being locked in our houses for months on end was a terrible idea. And there were other practices that were questionable at best, such as questioning its origin or everyone forced to wear masks as though they were sick. However, even after the vaccine was finally invented, there's still some debate raging on as to whether it can change or whether it's even relevant again. But whatever the answer, one thing is certain. We are too divided on whether or not the coronavirus is as deadly as what it truly is. So much so that we have to stay away from people as much as possible when they do contract it, regardless if they're susceptible to die from it or not. If you're going to deny help from someone who desperately needs it, you're stepping on their grave before they have even been dug.



However, I don't think this journal would be complete without the unfortunate assassination of two political figures. I think you know who they are, but to keep it brief, one was pro-guns and the other was anti-guns. And they both got harassed for it. Most of it was something to the effect of "Serves you right." Even Jimmy Kimmel, you know, the one that popularized those mean tweets and played a basketball player with questionable makeup, got fired for his harassment. Actually, not really; he got re-hired because ABC didn't really question Kimmel for any of his actions, even though they should.



So if you're wondering how the world would end in the next few years, I don't think it's going to be through traditional claims. All those endtime scenarios, wars, disease, climate change, even AI; all these things are actually by-products of the real, more disturbing truth. And that truth is that somewhere in the 21st century we started to treat human life (and by extent, the world we live on) in a more secular light than ever before. Think about what happens when you watch a horror movie. You'd think that a horror movie is supposed to invoke, well... horror. What do you expect when you go inside a haunted house at an amusement park? However, the vast majority of horror films are made on very shoestring budgets, and even worse, sometimes, it's not spent on anything. That's the reason why most of them keep resorting to clichés that feel fake. As for the scenes where someone meets their fate, we're supposed to feel shock and sympathy for the victim. Instead, because the acting is so unconvincing and the characters have little to no dimension, they can come across as laughable and as though they had it coming.



Sadly, this is the same way we treat human life. Sometimes, some bad things that happen in your life just cannot be reversed, even if you do build resilience. But, sometimes, there are those people that don't want those wounds to heal. While some people believe that crises can be used as a tool to build stronger backbones, others just use them as a means to control people for their own selfish ends. As such, their means just exacerbate the situation by making people docile and dehumanized. In short, they turn the people they manipulate into victims, which in turn, leads to them more and more reduced until there's nothing left, and then when they do kick the bucket, it just become more fuel for them. The hell you created on earth would be, in some ways, worse than any seen in any religion.



Which brings me to another aspect, the idea that hell is made of good intentions, or to be more precise, those intentions are only pretending to be good. You see, Noah didn't build an ark because it was going to rain for a month and a half. He built because humanity was just that cruel and the only way to save themselves was to start afresh. A lot of religious works make it perfectly clear that the end of days won't just happen on a certain day on a certain year or even become mere happenstance. If anything, it'll happen because we brought it upon ourselves. Any and all secularism and nihilism isn't just directed at deities, it's also directed towards ourselves. People resent their families and friends, become boastful about petty achievements, scam people out their money or murder them with no remorse or repentance. That sort of thing. Even worse, though, they avoid any and all karma, even when all evidence points to them. On the other hand, most of it isn't so much born out of malice as it is born out of short-term face-value thinking, but they could still be thinking of themselves or something that can only be achieved in the end. On top of that, they're teaching other people to think the same way. As a result, there tends to be a lot of mean streaks and vigilantism just to prove that they're in the right. It's this short-term end-goal thinking mixed in with a lack of humility and empathy that's going to doom us all one day because if you're more than happy to step on other people's graves for your selfish wants, don't be too surprised when death comes knocking at your door.



So, this is the way that I think the world would end. Again, we often envision many different ways our world would one day become inhabitable for human life. But ultimately, the one thing that'll end us all is that somewhere along the way, we stopped caring and let everyone know it. If we want human life to have a future, we need to treat as though it has a future, which as far as I'm concerned, hope it does. It's tragic when things that were considered good are no longer being given any sort of reverence, while things like violence, corporate and financial greed, hatred and spite, and general criminal behavior go unpunished and rarely see any form of justice. But what's even worse is that death has become a target of exploitation, showing that human life isn't being treated with reverence anymore. So if you think that a nuclear war is going to doom us all, just imagine how bad things can be when the people who are left get scammed just to get a cure for radioactivity that'll most likely never be developed.



On the other hand, I do want to end this on a more positive note, even though this isn't really a positive topic. In fact, death in and of itself is a frightening and sad thing to talk about. The phrase Memento mori (Remember that you will die) may not be the happiest thing you'll hear, but it also serves as a reminder that you should make something of your life. No one knows how long you shall live, nor whether or not there is an afterlife. But on the offchance that there is, it never helps to seek meaning in your life, rather than insult people because it makes seem more important than you really are. Sometimes, the only way your life can have meaning is to give it meaning, and save your death for when it finally happens rather than end it all because it's just too much. If anything, it'll allow those who are against you to further their agenda. So aim for whatever gives meaning to your life. It may make all the difference. Remember that life isn't about what your paying job is or whether or not you have done something that could be seen as terrible in hindsight. It's about the choices that you make and what happens as a result of them.

What popular franchise(s) would you say your world is most like?

What is a trend that you hope makes a comeback?

If you're new to my channel, you may have noticed that I tend to be a moralistic person. But do you want to know the reason why? Well, if you've watched the Jimmy Kimmel show, one of the segments is called Mean Tweets. These are targeted at celebrities, and they are pretty funny to read. However, we're getting a repeat of this segment, except there's no humor here; they're just... mean and that's it. But before we get to what's wrong with today's morality, here's a rundown of the morals I covered.

#1 Telling The Truth: It's a noble endeavor to be truthful, but don't expect it to set you free (at least in the short term). The tricky part is getting people to believe you, especially if they're close-minded and biased. The truth about the truth is that seeing things for what they truly are will help you make better decisions in your life; only then would be free.

#2 Success: Being successful isn't always based on skills. Not by themselves. What most of it is based on is luck. More than that, success isn't always the best teacher. While failure can be scary and frustrating to think about, it can prove that what you're doing is wrong, especially if it's all but inevitable.

#3 Health: There may be no more topic riddled with misinformation than the health industry. And that's because health is something we often take for granted. We often think it's about the food we eat, but it's more complicated than that. There are other factors to consider as well, such as lifestyle choices and thought processes. It doesn't help that many dieticians, both mainstream and alternative, are short-sighted and hard to take seriously, even with the best of intentions.

#4 Pandering: It seems like today's culture seem to be focused on certain groups while excluding all else. In fact, there seems to be a full-on resentment on any and all groups that aren't them. This is pandering, or at least what many think pandering is. Its true nature lies in nuance and what kind of message you wish to tell in your story. The best-known stories speak to many cultures and many people, regardless of origin. Meanwhile, stories that pander make a mockery of everyone, including the very people your aiming for.

#5 Bullying: We're under the impression that abusive people just resort to violence, but there are a lot of other ways they do it. In fact, abuse of any kind is the simultaneous enacting and withholding of power. But what's even more harmful is that we have told many solutions to the problem, but we leave out the most important part; that part being that, no matter what your method is, you must always stand your ground. Be the person who draws lines. Only then will you gain resilience.

#6 Political Power: On a similar note, too many people that tyranny of any kind is based on narcissism. Whether it be fascism, communism, or whatever "ism" you could think of. As for the people that cast their votes, they use whatever political pundits to draw attention to themselves. So when you put it that way, they stop sounding like puppets and more like they're just sycophantic. That's why when their political candidate loses or someone wants to talk about something else, they fly off the handle because they're sore losers.

#7 Love: It's true what they say, love makes people stupid. A lot of people still believe that love is all about whom would be the most likely candidate to create a family with. The problem is that there a lot, and I mean a lot of standbys, some of which don't really work in a romantic relationship. Things like looks, liking the same things, being cut from the same cloth. The thing is love begins and ends with trust, which is the most fundamental factor of any relationship. If you can't develop trust, there's no love. Simple as that.

#8 Economics: A lot of people believe that money makes the world go round, but they still don't understand why they're so miserable with their lot of life. Economics are based on more than just financial wealth. You still need to factor in other things like the job market, housing, the buying and selling of goods, etc. Furthermore, material gain in and of itself doesn't make you unfair and greedy. Those factors are more deeply rooted in apathy towards the sources from where you get them from.

#9 History: Historical events have been one-sided and skewed in recent years. The biggest reason is that scholars, teachers, newscasters and politicians have reshaped the narratives to fit their narcissistic bias. The greatest people of the past only have their positive or negative qualities talked about in their circles. History has many, many angles, yet we only choose the one that helps the most with image. It's literally favoritism, which can lead to terrible outcomes had they been truth in them.

#10 Follow Your Dreams: As satisfying as it is to achieve goals, you have to be realistic with them. You can't expect to be great at everything. Worse still, such naiveté has resulted in the people who wished them becoming miserable and full of regrets. However, this can be averted if they understood their strong and weak points and balanced them out a bit more. Add to that, short-term goals are not permanent fixes. Thinking in the long run may require sacrifices, some of which you may be unprepared for.

So what's wrong with morality? I'm by no means a nihlist or secular, but, one of the main issues with morality and it's a recurring theme in my journals, is that there is no reciprocation. I didn't touch on things like kindness or gratitude or beauty is because they need to go both ways regardless. I wanted to touch on morals where they're directed on an individual basis and where the morals are more about making you a better contributor to society rather than make you a better person and defender of your morality. This is, for all intents and purposes, what morality is truly about, to help people make better choices and better lives. It also doesn't help that different cultures have their own morals and interpretations, which can be good for some people, but not others, especially if they have hostile interpretations.

Now, there is one moral that I think doesn't have any weak points whatsoever, and may in fact, be the most important moral that I think everyone should learn. And it's called... drumroll please... self-control. Now, there seems to be some literal-mindedness behind this one as well; some people believe that it's about something like how much food you consume or having a short fuse and a deep desire to commit violence. Well, that's partially what it means, but there's a lot more to it than that.

Do you want to know what the biggest collective fear that most people have? It's not spiders, snakes, clowns, or dolls. In fact, it has nothing to do with anything material. The worst fear that most people fear above all things is the truth about themselves. Do you ever wonder why alcoholics hide their booze in places where anyone would be least likely to look? Or why serial killers hide their victims' bodies in a crawlspace? Or why porn addicts try in vain to hide the fact that they have aroused genitals? It's because that have sworn their flawed selves to secrecy. Secrets are something else that has been treated as though it's a common good. And it is, but to an extent, a good thing to learn. It's just that far too often, we keep the wrong things secret. As a result, it leaves a desire to pursue short-term goals for their own sake, and make face value assumptions about every facet of life, even those you're very familiar with. This, in turn, leads to things like depression, anxiety, wrath, or revenge. In extreme cases, it could potentially lead to a life of crime or even suicidal ideations.

So where does self-control come into the picture? Well, look no further than the classic phrase "The first step is admitting you have a problem." Potential is a funny thing; we only see one side of result before making creating an actual conclusion. Worse, though, we try to prove our premature judgments correct, be they positive or negative. With society, it's the same exact thing. We preemptively tell ourselves that our positive aspects are the only thing that matters, and that our negative aspects should be ignored. On the other side of the coin, when someone is given negative feedback for any reason, they try to fudge facts in hopes that their bias will be the correct one. Sadly, too much attention to one aspect while being negligent of the other, is a terrible idea. This is the reason why we need to learn self-control, because our inner demons want us to think of yourself, not for yourself.

Perhaps the worst part about it all is that we think about the end goal more than we do the goal itself. By misplacing our focus, we often wind up skipping some crucial parts necessary to achieve the goal the way want it to. In turn, we achieve little to no satisfaction. Think about what happens when a student tries to cheat on a test, or when an athlete takes steroids. Are they really thinking of the test they’re taking or the sport they’re playing? Probably not. The only thing on their mind is scoring some big points by any means necessary. This is perhaps the biggest problem with society; they only think of the end goal, and they’ll only accept you if you meet that end goal. Sometimes there’s only way to achieve your goals or solve your problems is not over or under, but straight through. Again, this is the reason why we need to learn self-control, because it can clear and redirect focus to where it should be.

The thing about self-control is that sometimes, you function better when there is a middle ground. No matter which way the see-saw of life tilts, you won’t be at your best unless you stand in the area where the fulcrum is. Not only does the fulcrum keep it anchored to the ground, but it’s also the part of the seesaw that sees the least amount of change when it moves. Standing here also keeps your opinions and decision-making in check as well. It’s not a question as to whether or not the see-saw is straight and level, but more a question of whether or not you’re able to remain stable while it moves.

And what about self-respect and humility? Well, that also plays into the self-control aspect as well. Every so often, I come across someone who always posts something about how sucky their life is, or how much they want to exercise their deep-seated hatred of anyone who isn’t them. While they may sound like opposites, what they really are is two sides of the same coin. Either way, these people are thinking of themselves. And when you think of yourself, be it in a positive or negative way, you put yourself at a disadvantage. Sometimes, you can be your very own distraction, and as mentioned, image makes you weak, and oftentimes, dangerous. As you can imagine, most flamewars don’t start because of something that’s really of concern. Most of the time, these debates are over something rather trivial and unimportant, like whether or not you’d like to be engaged to a fictional character. Everyone who joins in the argument is just as delusional and self-absorbed as the person who merely started it. Sometimes, the only way to win an argument and be saner about it is to not partake in it. But maybe you’ll be able to win more people over if you controlled whatever impulses you have, and try not to butter people up for attention. Being humble and mindful of what your actions and feelings are can get you further than just mistaking constructive criticism for insults.

So that’s the conclusion of this series. Again, it’s always a pity when morality goes against what’s supposed to be improvement in one’s life and make them more like themselves. That’s the rub when you live in general society; depending on who’s in charge, they think of you as a teammate or a mirror. And sometimes, they may abandon you when they no longer think of you as important. Sometimes the only person you can trust to make the right decision is yourself. And if you do learn to control your inner demons before they start to control you, it might become that much clearer. But first, you may need to understand what your inner demons actually are. It may the bravest, noblest, most moralistic thing you could ever do.

Sorry if I haven't kept up with other people's trades. Sometimes I feel like I need a reminder of what I need to draw from other people because I sometimes forget things. So if you're up for trades this time, let me know so that I can find a way to jot it down somewhere.

What would be the best genres for your characters and the universe that you create?

Once upon a time, a man created a mouse and became a huge success. He then created animated films, and his success only grew. Even after his death, it still managed to turn around and make a profit. Fast forward to the current years and you may realize that something strange has happened. Its legacy seems to be tarnished by something. Where once it was focused on animation, now it's turned to properties that weren't originally theirs, and their animations now feel like afterthoughts. At the end of the day, we have to ask, "Disney, what happened to you?"

Now, Disney has long been criticized for a lot of things. Chief among them being too obsessed with their corporate image. But if you thought that Disney was greedy back in the day, imagine how it is now. Everything that comes out from them is either a live-action remake, or produced via Marvel or Lucasfilm. Meanwhile, their animation department... If it isn't a sequel attached to a recent entry, then it's done in the creepy CalArts style. You know, that bean-shaped mouth that when their teeth pop out, it looks like the face of someone who's going to slit your throat if you so much as lock eyes. It's almost as if Disney doesn't have enough... well, Disney in it. If that isn't greedy, I don't know what is.

All this seems to come from one man, Bob Iger. Iger is the kind of person who has no love for the Disney brand, and unfortunately, it shows. The thing about Disney is that it used to treat its animated classics as though they were special. So special, in fact, that they would release their movies every few years under special titles. So if you wanted to see your favorite movie on a different medium, well, you're going to have to wait until the next decade rolls around. Now, that "specialness" no longer applies, and their releases don't help matters, either. Sure, they may be remastered, but they seem to lack special features. But then again, a lot of physical media has little to no special features at all, making the experience no more than a window. But as far as Iger's concerned, he's not so much the kind of guy who double dips his chips as he's more likely to spit into the salsa.

Let's look at the first and most obvious problem, the live-action remakes. Whoever thought that they were a good idea was out of their minds. Every time I hear of another beloved animated classic being remade for live-action, I can't help but wonder "Who is this for?" Actually, scratch that; the question should be, "What is this for?" It can't be for Disney fans because they prefer animated films, anyway. And it can't be for the average moviegoer either, because there's nothing immersive about the story or characters or even the world they inhabit. If anything, they come off as a combination of bland and pretentious. Even worse is that it comes at the expense of their animated films; not even Pixar is safe.

Meanwhile, there's another aspect to cover: Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In many respects, this may be even more detrimental than the remakes. Marvel and Star Wars are brands, that much we can agree on. But so is Disney. A rule of thumb of owning a brand is not to switch over to another one just because it's more profitable, especially if it wasn't originally yours. After the aquisition of Marvel and LucasFilms, things started off innocuous, but then became rushed and greedy. Marvel in particular has 37 entries in its franchise, not counting TV shows, of which there are already too many of those. What hurts the movies, on the other hand, was that at the start of the franchise, it did show promise and payoff. But then, something... happened. I don't know what to be honest. Somewhere along the way, it just piled on movie after movie after movie, resulting in less time to think about quality, let alone their implications. In turn, many of these new heroes have developed a mean streak that no one in their universe questions. Even worse is that there's no buildup for the action scenes themselves. All it boils down to is yap, yap, yap and fight, fight, fight, without any time for quiet or stillness. Again, there's no way to develop interest if this the way you choose to go. The worst part of all this, however, is that these new entries seem to step on Stan Lee's grave. Whenever someone who's integral to your franchise passes on, you should probably take it into consideration. But with all these new entries, it feels like there's no love or respect for Stan Lee or Jack Kirby at all.

As for Star Wars, it's a brand that should've died a long time ago. To the best of my knowledge, the only good entries happen to be episodes III-VII. Other than that, the best way to describe the prequel trilogy is something like, "Well, at least it's better than the sequel trilogy," whereas the sequel trilogy gets the reception of "Well, at least it's better than the holiday special." But as I mentioned, the best sequels build on what's already established and the new stuff comes afterward. However, with Star Wars, it's always a case of "introduce a new planet and alien race to go along with it," rather than keep the focus on the central characters and plot points. While there are no new films on the slate, as I know of, there seems to be a bunch of TV shows made alongside it, and like Marvel, there's just way too much with the only good one focusing on a bounty hunter a la Boba Fett. And the less said of the Dial of Destiny, the better.

Not helping matters is that their ideologies seem to be very one-sided. Your typical "woke" story goes something like this: a straight, Caucasian Christian man is depicted as stupid, if not full-on evil. Meanwhile, the protagonist is someone who doesn't fit that description at all. Their main goal, to kill off the man. Yes, that's the main plot, not a storyline that's told on the side. So remember, kids, diversity isn't about accepting people who aren't you, it's about killing off anyone who isn't you in the slightest sense of the word.

But perhaps the worst thing about Bob Iger was that he did something that I don't think any movie executive should ever do. Remember last year when Mufasa came out? Well, it came out around the same time that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 did, and that movie had much better reviews. But Iger got competitive and tried to tell to watch his live-action remake because his film was much more important. How dare that other movie get better reviews? Oh, sure his movie made more money, but only because he tried to fib and cheat.

It's true what they say; you either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain. Ironically, Bob Iger's villainy comes from the fact that he thinks action heroes and special effects are far more important than what his studio is truly good at. It's like summer blockbusters, or at the very least something akin to them, is in more high demand than they actually are. Even though their competition seems to be doing a little better, that's not really saying much when there's an over-reliance on style over substance. On second thought, there isn't really much style anymore, either. Everything feels rather gloomy and meant to be taken on a surface level. You think that being stuck in the past is bad? Just wait until a studio gets hyper-focused on what can be achieved in the present and the short term.

The irony is that Disney started off as story of success, despite whatever struggles Walt had. But Iger's Disney should serve as a warning that left in the wrong hands, a once revered company will soon stop treating their buyers like actual people and start being dependent on self-indulgent cash-grabs that won't even be seen by their target demographic. As it stands, Disney isn't even focusing on its own brand, in large part due to all those acquisitions, many of which feel out of place in Disney's umbrella. What's worse, even though Disney owns Marvel and LucasFilms, for some odd reason, it feels like it's the other way around. Everything they produced through their name or inspired by them. That's the thing about corporations, everything that they produce just has to go their way, even if it means it has to be at the expense of the creators or buyers. I haven't watched any films from the 2020's and to be quite honest, I'm a bit reluctant to. Everything that Hollywood produces now feels less like passion projects and more like egostroking and making a mockery of everyone, even those that it caters to. Disney is no different to this problem, and that really says something.

So, in summary, the biggest problem Disney has is that it's currently undergoing an identity crisis and seems to take shortcuts to stay relevant and make money rather than focus on quality. Again, the only good films seem to be their animated films, but today, they feel like something that would be akin to a comic book film. If a movie like Zootopia 2 proves to be a good film, I may consider watching it. Other than that, Disney needs to let go of all these acquisitions and start focusing on its own flair again. For a company that prides itself on making memories, the most likely thing that people are going to remember about it now is how greedy and prejudiced it has gotten in recent years. I used to love Disney, but I feel a bit mixed now.

What is something you like about my Zoo Scouts?

What's your reason for your characters wearing the clothes that they do?

I don't know why, but there's this one person that always asks a pretty probing and rather creepy question. The question in question goes like this: "I'm making artwork for a client and I was wondering if you can let me draw one of your artworks for them? Don't worry, I promise you'll get credit and cash if you agree." Yeah, something tells me this person is lying about his quote-unquote "work." In fact, it's more likely that I'll lose money, and I'd be lucky if the art was painted at all. To top it all off, I don't know who this client is, which makes it even more suspect. So unless this scam artist is actually going to do some art, as well as be fair about it, I'm willing to believe that this may be a scam, created for the sole purpose of ripping people off.



So what is a scam? I don't think I need to tell you, but for the newcomers, a scam is when you use dishonest, illegal means in order to be paid. I'm not talking robbing money from a bank vault, because scams are more indirect attacks. Scams fall under the racketeering section of the legal umbrella because of their tactics which can include things like fearmongering, bribery, forgery, and other things that can get the average person thrown in prison. There are multiple types of scams, but all of them seem to share the same things, some of them may not be what you think.



You might think that scams are based entirely on money. After all, they are hoping to make some moolah from their schemes. Well, you're half-right and half-wrong. The main thing that scams are based on is manipulation. You see, the worst subject you can ever lie about isn't about someone else or their actions. The worst lies we can tell are about ourselves. By pretending to be something they're not, scam artists can lure gullible people into their trap and coerce them into victimhood. In turn, it can be difficult for victims to rebuild trust, let alone their finances. Worst case scenario, the victims would be the ones that would face jailtime, whereas the scammer would suffer no consequences at all. In other words, they're just as fabricated as the get-rich-quick schemes they make.



Here are some types of scams that you may have heard of; the infamous Nigerian prince. They claim to be someone wealthy and promise to "pay" you lots of money. Too bad you may never receive the money and you'd be forced into a life of servitude and tretchary. Another famous one is the grandfather scheme. The scammer claim to be someone's "long lost child," but they make up a story just for the moolah, and behave like spoiled brats, even if they did get what they want. The lottery scam, well, let's just say that you're more likely to be killed on the way to get a lottery ticket than your going to end up with the winning numbers.



Unfortunately, direct victims aren't the only ones affected by their actions. In fact, the biggest thing that defines a criminal mastermind is that they blur the truth for everyone. If they really wanted to, they could have someone back up their claims for them. In other words, they create liars who have the nerve to call the victims liars. Still, all scams begin and end with lies, and scammers will do anything to keep their victims locked in victimhood. This can range from things from preventing them from seeing their friends and family, forcing them into sexual conduct, getting them thrown in prison and even violence. But no matter the method, the sole purpose of any scam is control. As long as they're the ones that have it, they can get away with anything, regardless as to how terrible their actions are.



Not helping the fact is that some people with their biases aren't any help. Some people with more left-leaning ideologies tend to be a bit more sympathetic than those with lean more to the right, but they can be a little naïve when it comes to their advice. Meanwhile, the more conservative folk would tell them that it was their own fault because they're just as weak-minded as the criminal is. It's like both sides are unfortunately missing something. Something that would help either side see justice.



So how do we combat these scams? Well, blocking them does sound like a good start. After all, the best way to fight these people really is with your wallet, right? But ultimately, the one thing that I think that'll defeat them in the end is to be a better judge of character. Again, the main thing that scammers are after is to claim and, more importantly, maintain superiority. If you're gullible to fall for their trap, it may be more than just your money that may be taken away. It can be your freedom, your home, even your very life. Sometimes, the best way to fall for someone's trap is to look for signs that may be a giveaway. Things like wording, body language, presentation and desperate retentiveness should be clues that may not have your best interests in mind, let alone anyone else's. The sooner you see them for whom they truly are, the more likely we'll have justice. Besides, they may just as bad a character judge as you are.



So to summarize scams, there's a lot of misgivings, but I hope I've cleared things up with this journal. Scam artists go after what they can take away with reciprocation or empathy, and the reason as to why they rarely get what they deserve is because the don't just manipulate the victims, but the general public as well. In turn, it leads to people developing trust issues, and an inability to talk to people because they've been played with so much, that they're broken and beyond repair. That's the one thing that scammers are truly after: playing with people's trust. As long as they can deceive anyone and everyone that they can, and as long as they get away with their trickery, no one will be safe. Only by seeing these fraudsters for who they truly are can anyone get true justice.

Who is your favorite character that originated in the 90's?

The worst thing you could lie about is the same as the worst person you can lie to: yourself.

I know that I feel a bit late in saying this but, happy 4th of July!

In my previous journal about entertainment, I talked about how modern entertainment is in a state of arrested development, and how creators and consumers treat each other as though they can't move on. But one aspect that I didn't go into detail on was children's entertainment, and that's because it's another beast entirely. While most entertainment has been criticized for being unoriginal, devoid of talent, and aiming for clapter from an audience that probably wouldn't watch it anyway, children's entertainment seems to have something a bit more sinister behind it; as a matter of fact, you may just call it illegal.



But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's talk about what children's media is, or at the very least what most people think it is. Most of the time, they use highly saturated colors, strong designs, and feature characters that can be human, animal, plant, or something else entirely. Their plots, comedy and morals are simple and to the point. Everything feels upbeat, moves by very quickly, and the songs they use feels as though you sung them during circle time. However, we need to differentiate children's media from family media. Whereas children's entertainment is on a surface level with how they handle things, family entertainment has some themes that children wouldn't get or handle until they're a bit older. (I. E. parents getting divorced or the loss of a loved one) Some children may relate to some of these things and that in and of itself is why family-friendly works are more likely to get positive reviews than children's entertainment will get; they feel more mature.



However, we live in an age where everyone is addicted to screens, even parents. If you believed that TV rotted your brain, imagine getting a screen that's so small that you have to squint to see it properly. That's a recipe for disaster because of how distracting entertainment can be, and it takes time for children to build a moral compass. As mentioned, children are only familiar with what they're exposed to, and if you grew in an age filled with immediately recognizable faces, that's especially true. But the child world and the adult world may be two entirely different things, while at the same time, one and the same. That's the reason why some of us still cling to the past, because we never forget those threads. (Trust me, I speak from experience.)



But even back in the day, you weren't safe from a few stinkers. Some of the characters had annoying voices or creepy designs, and in some extreme cases, teach rather mishandled or degenerate morals. (You hear that, Cailou? I'm talking to you!) Others try to replicate good quality that's popular at the time, but become lost in translation as a result. Do you remember watching Barney as a kid? Well, I do, and while I loved when I was little, which is still the target demographic, I tend to distance myself from it now. Barney is one of those shows that falls under the "complainer is always wrong" category, and sometimes comes this close to bad touch territory. In fact, Barney's first voice actor, Bob West, was sent to prison for sexual harassment. As a matter of fact, there is a surprisingly large number of shows that created by people who have committed some towards a minor, whether it be before, during or after. Pee-Wee Herman, Julia Vickerman, Dan Schnider, John K., they're all guilty, but that shouldn't change the fact that we still love their content, right? Well, what I'm going to discuss in these next few paragraphs would make these people pardonable by comparison.



Today's brainrot, as the kids say, seems to have something malicous going on. If you've used the YouTube kids app, you might think that a good majority of the content is mostly innocuous. And you may be right, to an extent, extent being the operative word. About half of the content is indeed child-friendly and educational, if not cheap-looking and poorly animated. But for the other half, yikes! They're filled with really graphic, pornographic, violent content. One video would feature Minions killing each other, another would feature Bluey getting pregnant whilst other family members have incest. I don't know if the people who made these videos made them with children in mind, but I don't think anyone in their right mind should be watching these videos. And yet they get tons of views, even more so than the content that is kid-friendly. Part of is due to how often they get advertisements, which also entails something terrible.



But if they're not being violent or perverted, they can be disturbing in another sense. If you're familiar with children, you may have heard of the terrible twos. This is the time in a child's life when they develop a rebellious side, often through anger or stubbornness. You can punish them for their actions, but it may take time for them to fully grow out of it, that is, if they ever grow out at all. Enter channels like Cocomelon, or Pinkfong, or Blippi. Like I said, the worst shows of the past don't teach us anything outside of being irksome and self-conformist. These channels have similar issues, but also have the little bonus of being way too fast. It's bad enough that attention spans are basically non-existent. But if your content has everything be a flash in the pan, it'll exacerbate those problems. What's even worse, though, that if you were to turn off the tablet or, at the very least, switch it over to something else, they activate the terrible twos, flying into a rage or becoming depressed. It makes you wonder if it was all intentional on the creator's part.



We're not done yet, though, because we need to discuss the parents. Now, this is coming from someone that wasn't allowed to watch Nickelodeon's silly shows when they were little. But it's sort of astounding that many of them condone these channels or say nothing at all. Is it because they are so popular that they don't allow any critique whatsoever? If I were to view this stuff as a kid, I'd be more scarred than I was when my first grandparent or dog died. Some children wouldn't want to associate with the famous brands because they keep associating them with these creepy videos. Giving your child an iPad can be viewed as negligent, but what's even more so is that they don't actually watch what their children watch anymore. Back in the day, parents took the ratings on movies and TV shows and video games very seriously, judging as to whether or not your child was old enough to see it without being scared or temped. Now, they just plop them in front of whatever as if to hope to see what their reaction would be. Great parenting this is not.



Now here's else something to consider, one that's even more dystopian. The mode age of children getting their iPhone is 10 years old and the people most likely to use social media are teenagers. This means that most of the people who are hooked on the internet are still, to some degree, impressionable and incomplete. Depending on which crowd they hang out with, they can develop the worst possible traits about themselves. However, we also have to contend with the screens themselves as they can be their own issue. One reason that I prefer personal computers and TV screens is that they're large and most of the time, you're sitting in front of them. However, with phones, the screen is so small that you can carry it in your pocket. Being small in size can worsen an addiction to screens, especially since you have to squint in order to see the whole thing properly. And because we use this device while out in public, it can be a distraction as well as an indirect murder weapon. Not only are these devices make you seem rude, and that can be an understatement, but if you don't watch where you're going, you can get hurt very easily. And that, too, can be an understatement.



Now, I'm going to talk about an aspect of my childhood that many people haven't experienced in theirs; while I grew up with several movies, TV shows, and games as well, but I also grew up with a subset of video games and audiobooks created for children. Back in the day and even today, you were most likely to see them in school rooms and libraries, but I had an ample amount of them at home as well. Back then, physical ownership was they only way to see anything, and they weren't meant for a widespread audience. But now, thanks to the internet, you can find some of these books turned into videos. Sure, the legal stance of copyright and fair use can be vauge and somewhat biased (to the point where even saying their names can result in fines in some cases) but I consider them a healthy alternative to the slop that children's media is today.



So what should be done? Well, it pains me to say it, but we're going to have to go back to the days when parents judged the content that our children watch. Back in the 80's and 90's parents were a bit more judgmental as to what our children watched. At first, it was a question of whether or not it may scare children. (You know, Satanic Panic and all that.) Then it became whether or not children would imitate the violent and grossly inappropriate thins they saw. Some of it was a little extreme, but at the very least we were thinking of our kid's best interests. This time around, the basis should be about the quality of the content in general. The question however, should have nothing do with children, not this time. The question this time should be, "Would anyone in their right mind view this crap, let alone create it?" It should provide a bit more common sense than what the general consensus was back in the day. Personally, I wouldn't click on those videos even if my life depended on it. The thumbnails alone seem to be a red flag. With today's brainrot, I probably wouldn't see bright visuals or hear playful songs or learn anything. In fact, the only thing I would learn from all this is that all that I hear (and see) is nothing but noise. Also, if I had children of my own one day, I'd be a bit selective with the entertainment I'd rather they be exposed to.



Before I finish, I'd like to give one more sentiment towards the phrase "cartoons are only for kids." Not only is this saying rather braindead (and I'm not even mentioning the fact that adult animated shows exist, either), but it can also be very insensitive. People who such things may as well add something like "and I hate them," because that's what they imply. Whenever people say that "A is only for B," it sounds like they hate B as well as A. Children need a balance of discipline and reverence in order to grow up properly, and being too gentle or too strict will only worsen them later down the line. On the other hand, saying that something is only for children can sound like you have some sort of animosity towards them. We need to be weary about what we say and do around young minds, because it can come across as hurtful or damaging. I'd prefer that children grow to live a happy, healthy life that lies ahead of them, rather than exposed and left alone to things that could harm their psyche.

What is a telltale sign that a fanbase is going to be toxic?

Since everyone's coming out with their inspirations to their art styles, I think I should make a list of inspirations for my art style; some of them may surprise you.



Mainstream Artists :

Arlene Klasky & Gabor Csupo

Bob Clampett

Chuck Jones

Don Bluth

Guido Silvestri

Jean Chalopin

Jim Henson

Joe Muarry

John R. Dilworth

Matt Groening

Milt Kahl

P. D. Eastman

Tex Avery

Tim Burton

William Hanna & Joseph Barbera

Wolfgang Reitherman



Internet Artists:

aldi

brunobadger

captainfurry

dutch

fanimal

gato303co

goldenrod

kitsunezero

lupine

MCsaurus

ozkangaroo

phraggle

th0mas