Atharv Dua Q1 Blog post #4: Tra-la-laaaaaaaaa!
“Tra-la-laaaaaaaaaa!” is Captain Underpants’s most-used war cry, and a catchphrase from the franchise. If Gen-Z ever has to go to war, I’m sure this cry will be the new “shot heard around the world”. However, when I first mentioned his name, what’s the first thing you thought of? The comics published in 1997? 99% of us thought it was the film and/or the series. If you go ask anyone from previous generations though, they’re all going to refer to the comic as that’s the first thought many of them will have. And why not? The comics are also legendary. It’s just a funny difference between how newer generations perceive cultural ideas.
Or not.
The issue with generational divide doesn’t appear when we disagree over which format Captain Underpants’s attire looks better in, but more so when one feels like their voice isn’t being heard anymore. In Nepal, for example, Gen-Z just proceeded to overthrow an entire government and hold elections on Discord (a gaming chat software) because they felt like their voice was being shadowed by that of the older generation. By contrast, even though a slight majority of people in Britain voted for the Brexit referendum in 2016, the majority of younger people are now against it, due to Brexit’s negative effects on the economy and shortages in healthcare; the younger generation has to live with the decision of the older one. Even at the school where Mr. Krupp (principal turned superhero in underpants with a cereal box hypnosis ring - keep up it definitely makes sense) teaches George and Harold (the protagonists of the franchise), there’s a huge divide emphasized between the students at the teachers, with the latter being portrayed as having no empathy for the students and sometimes even living at school (well it’s target audience is school children to be fair).
Perhaps the harms of the aforementioned generational divide are best displayed by the franchise, as it highlights that it can lead to monster-eating giant robots or the invention of the Turbo Toilet 2000. While I’m sure you won’t find a potentially deranged man fighting aliens outside in underpants, the effects of the generational divide not being treated correctly are real as displayed by recent political events around the world. Respecting our elders is essential, but emphasizing mutual respect for everyone, no matter the age group, may be the key to preventing Lunch Lady Aliens in the future.
Hello, Atharv! I love how you are continuing with the fun and whimsical blogs about classic childhood stories. After getting to know you better (I know I barely know you but I think I have a basic grasp on your personality), I feel that these blogs match the general vibe I get from you. I love how you insert parts of the Captain Underpants stories into your social commentary, it seems so silly and whimsical, a stark contrast to the rather serious topic of your blog. Never would I begin to consider Captain Underpants, the silly story I read in 3rd grade, as a reflection of the generational divide, and I really appreciate that you’ve brought this topic up.
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