Care Bears : Society’s lessons in caring

This article is going to focus on a different era than I usually reference. The eighties. Here we are in the tenties decade, and is it just me or do a lot of people in today’s society shun the values and morals that were once cherished in communities? Either way, I believe it is an appropriate time to refresh the greatness of the Care Bears, not only as a great retro television show; but also as a reminder of the qualities that from my perspective, appear much dishonoured today. It frequently seems like life is full of people with Sour Sam-like characteristics.



Fortunately, Sour Sam’s plan to ruin Thanksgiving with his crabby apple pies – failed. But there are definitely others who are succeeding with not-so-nice schemes. This article is a celebration of the “lessons in caring” aired with television episodes of the Nelvana series. An honorable mention is also due to the Dic Entertainment episodes and it is important to note that this article only covers a selection of the "lessons in caring" not each and every one.



The concept of people being responsible with their own trash should be reasonably straightforward. Unfortunately, for a large portion of those in the United States today; littering is made a priority instead of being clean and tidy. I’m not saying absolutely everybody made sure to put their waste in the trash during the eighties, but care for the environment has appeared beyond disappointing in recent times. A little extra effort can go a long way.



Having a healthy competitive spirit is one thing, but when the scores of contests create serious enemies outside of the game, things have gone too far. Too often for my liking, I’ve seen serious grudges being formed between parties because of the results of a petty competition. Even fatal occurrences have happened from such events. This would surely come as a shock to some people in society, but sports and the alike were originally intended for enjoyment and leisure, not to turn people into winners and losers and certainly not to cause violent fights. People can still be competitive without making the situation ugly.



In a place filled with greed and selfishness, it should be no wonder why societies have so many problems. If everyone learned to accept their fair share, it should make a big positive difference in communities. There is a reason greed is considered to be the deadliest of the seven sins…



And how often can you see something like that in today’s communities? Certainly not as much as you could have in the second half of the eighties. The disrespect and disregard for adults is atrocious in many of the younger generation today. Many of today’s children are so selfish; they will only ever go the extra distance if they expect something in return. What used to be considered a reality is now considered more of a fantasy today.



This last footage is actually the very reason I decided to make this article in the first place. Honesty really is the best policy but we live in a place of liars. People tell lies for various reasons. Making a list of all the reasons people would tell lies would be virtually never-ending. But again, lying is yet another reason societies are corrupt. There are many well-known sayings that support the importance of honesty such as “Truth hurts, but it doesn’t kill. Lying pleases, but it doesn’t heal.”



Many people think they are being clever when they are able to lie, but it means that for one reason or another, they refuse to manage telling the truth. Just because Dr. Fright may have scared a few souls, doesn’t mean people should be scared about telling the truth. Let’s face it. There are people who avoid telling the truth because they are scared to own up to sometimes even insignificant realities. It is no wonder that several claim that we live in a “world gone mad”. Lies can cause severe division in societies, and it is often worse than when someone admits to a seemingly painful truth. It can also damage the spirit of communities as a whole, as well as the reputation of the liar. People should think about that the next time they think it is smart to disregard the concept of telling the truth.



In conclusion, I don't think anyone could have predicted that an American Greetings greeting cards theme created in the early 1980s would eventually give rise to an entire long-lasting franchise that today holds the very definition of life morals. I miss a time where I enjoyed a community that was more considerate, friendlier, healthier competitors in leisure activities, selfless and caring and of course, honest.

"And that's the truth" - Lotsa Heart Elephant, Order on the Court, 1986