Hi Ria,
Your experiences with cartoons are interesting. I would like say a little, too.
I think cartoons are powerful. The confluence of narrative and simplified imagery really allows our brains to go into ”imagination” mode as we are not burdened by the millions of details we indirectly absorb in the complexity of a film or television image and we may (perhaps unconsciously) devote this excess energy and processing power into our suspension of disbelief in the reality of that with which we are presented. The visual style of comics over the years is fascinating and not least because we find in the era of the digital image that the style and impact of the still or moving cartoon image is no longer bound (as were the early cartoons) by their technological limitations and for all this freedom, there is not a proliferation of technological extravagance (- i.e. many of the most popular cartoons are still very visually simple). That the human brain can ’read’ these images and styles so swiftly and fluently is also quite fascinating - as the cartoon represents something of a ’shorthand’ or compressed ’signifier’ (semiotics). The cartoon image replicates our general (and very human) tendency to make and repeat narrative structures and in a colourful, stylish and thoroughly engaging way. I love them too and I think that in the ways that myth and legend were once the archetypes and reservoirs of cultural knowledge and wisdom - we find that the cartoon image and the cartoon animation are becoming just such repositories of myth, moral and tradition. If the cartoon-as-archetype is thoroughly cross-cultural in appreciation and popularity this perhaps shows how artificial the notions of cultural difference may actually. How well the cartoon signifies through its simple narratives and structures may show us that we all share (and can appreciate) much more of our common humanity than we may at first think or choose to believe.

Whew, that was a mouthful... ;)

Cartoon characters convey the message in easy manner and majority of people will agree that cartoons make them associated with their childhood. The cartoons enable us to view the message without giving stress to mind.

Its bad reporting and I condemn Asma Jahangir, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, for her writing against religious freedom in India. She said in the press conference that communalism seemed to be increasing in India in past one decade but what I felt during my stay in India is just opposite of her belief. We can easily ignore some minor religious clashes happened in India. No need to co-relate such incidents and putting a question mark against religious tolerance in India.

Cartoons are not only for kids. They may have therapeutic effects to some people.

Animation relives the youth in us. It gives us the excitement to see colorful creatures that make us blow our heads to fantasize.

I like cartoons that have lessons to share. The animated scenes give me the urge to watch more as the characters portray interesting persona.

Cartoons are the language which seduces us to their charm of illusions. We all like to escape from our hectic life and be like a free-spirited character that is always following his/her heart.
The political cartoons are also equally important in your life as it deconstructs our world and forces us to see logically by taking the reality to another level.

Oooh - I new I would get a chance to express this one day but Nishant - in parts of Outback Australia (up North and far away from me) a ”dude” is a reference to a camel’s penis.

*LOL*

sorry to all... I just had to share that one
:O

Australia is as subject to the plethora of Americanisms as any other country bombarded with their media products - people do say dude but it is just that in the north or perhaps in the notional ’outback’ or for i.e. western queensland, calling someone a dude may indeed get them punched in the nose...