Ch’yeah, like your parents were any better-informed.
Think about it.
Here’s a list (from the zombie-like reanimated Cracked magazine) of life lessons from old 80’s cartoons. And here’s a wee sample, which I choose for no particular reason.
CARTOON: The Smurfs
LESSON: Communism works!For naysayers who point to the Former Soviet Union as proof that communism is inherently flawed, may we merely direct your attention to Smurf Village, where everyone shares everything, wears similar utilitarian clothing, battles Gargamel and his turn-Smurfs-to-gold get rich quick schemes and obeys the dictates of a bearded, red hat-wearing, benevolent authority figure. Quoth Comrade Papa: “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.” Really, he actually said that.
How it affected us as adults: Secret communist agendas ceased being dangerous, or really any adjective of consequence, years ago. The worst thing communism does these days is make Ivy League students waste a couple of years wearing ugly clothes and attending boring meetings. However, the sexual politics of Smurf Village, with its one female for every 30 guys, did go a long way towards preparing us for freshman year of college.
But wait, there’s more!
raincoaster 
Y’know they all had to share Smurfette, right?
What I learned from the Smurfs is that any outside threat can be demonized in a homogenous culture.
Those paranoid little blue bastards comitted daily assault on a cracked old man–some functional socialist behaviour that is!
Oh–and did you ever see the—I think they were called “Swoofs” in English. In French they were the “Schtroufs” (as opposed to the “Schtroumpfs”). High-toned racial charicature straight out of Amos and Andy.
I’ve heard of this smurf/communist thing before. There’s something to it – if you want to read that into it. Always saw it as an underdog kinda story. As for that He-Man cartoon you have here, that was effing hilarious! Itcould also be about white supremicists, too, which was my initial reaction.
Metro; there’s a ton of Smurf porn out there, if that’s what you’re looking for. Smurfette was a very busy girl!
I always hated the Smurfs, along with Hello Kitty. I’m just not all about the twee, happy dwarf childlike thing. Coyote, I always thought He-Man was about white supremacy, too. It’s very weird stuff, but it was fun to watch, although I must admit I watched it in the dorm at University before Letterman, rather than in the living room before my parents got up on Saturdays.
Too busy with G-Force, me. Besides, they really did lose something in the translation. I think the French Schtroumps were allowes to say things to each other that they weren’t in English.
I wouldn’t know. Transcript, please? You know where YouTube is…