Looney Times
Is the world finally coming to grips with the wrongs I endured as a child growing up in the 1970s?
I came of age before 24-hour cable news channels sensationalized childhood abductions and made every parent in America terrified that their kid was likely to become the next victim.
We ‘70s kids were in constant physical danger - real danger.
We built wood ramps that we jumped our Spyder bikes off of - without any thought of a helmet or elbow pads.
We roamed freely anywhere we wanted all day long and had to navigate the outside world without a single adult chaperoning our every move.
Somehow, I survived growing up without losing a single arm or leg. But now, more than 40 years later, I’m wondering if my young psyche was permanently traumatized by television cartoons.
Every Sunday morning, we religiously watched Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Sylvester, Tweety, Yosemite Sam and many more.
There was no shortage of life-and-death conflict and psychological tension in those Looney Toons.
Sylvester the cat was always scheming to eat Tweety Bird, but the clever little bird foiled him every time.
Wile E. Coyote was obsessed with catching and eating the Roadrunner, but the Roadrunner was always several steps ahead of his diabolical plans.
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Copyright 2021 Tom Purcell, All Rights Reserved. Credit: Cagle.com
