Why Cartoons Never Die

SpongeBob just turned 25. Mickey Mouse is 95. Bugs Bunny? 84. And I’m 40. Three of these aren't just characters - they're cultural touchstones that refuse to fade away. I won’t say which are which.

Last week, while watching SpongeBob clips on YouTube, I realized something. Great cartoons work on multiple levels. As a kid, you laugh at SpongeBob's silly walk. As an adult, you catch 

Squidward's existential crisis about his dead-end job.

And here's the magic - cartoons can tackle heavy topics while keeping things light. When Mickey Mouse helped Americans smile through the Great Depression, or when SpongeBob memes help us process modern anxiety, they're doing more than entertaining. They're helping us cope.

Plus, cartoons don't age. Tom and Jerry never get wrinkles. Scooby-Doo never needs hip replacement. And if Spiderman got old, I’d freak out a bit. These character stay forever young, even as we grow old with them.

The best part? Each generation discovers these characters anew, adding their own layer of meaning. My SpongeBob isn't the same as a teenager's SpongeBob - and that's exactly why he endures.

Here's today's question: Which cartoon character has stuck with you the longest, and why?

For more commentary, visit jamesbrowntv.substack.com. On that note, I'm James Brown, and as always, be well.