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Comment by Cthulhu_ | Hacker News Reader

Wasn't Paw Patrol like US pro-police propaganda? (try saying that five times in a row)

There are some amusing explanations as to how it's a fascist society:

https://thecritic.co.uk/the-fascist-state-of-paw-patrol/

"Paw Patrol is Giorgio Agamben’s nightmare, a country in which a permanent state of emergency exists, under which governments have limitless power to rule unilaterally. There is no society or even commerce in Paw Patrol, only the relentless unthinking force of the police state, ostensibly responding to a never-ending crisis. It is the most influential work of fascist art since Ezra Pound."

Also, Thomas the Tank engine apparently paints capitalism (as symbolized by the fat controller) in a too rosy light (once you see that pattern, being praised for being a 'really useful little engine" sounds positively evil).

Everything is political ... if you want it to be.

[1] https://slate.com/culture/2011/07/thomas-the-tank-engine-the...

I've seen the same argument used to paint it as Stalinist. I prefer this explanation, because it means Thomas is a Tankie Engine.

TTTE's record on electrification and addressing pollution is also iffy https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/Welcome_Stafford!

Is this like Peppa Pig teaching racist because animals may be inter-species friends but never intermarry. Or the Good Dinosaur where each group can enjoy each others company, but they must go back to their kind.

I am curious why Daniel Tiger’s creators decided to incorporate a monarchy in that society.

Kids like princes and princesses, I would guess. It's a theme that goes way back in children's literature.

Probably because it's reusing existing characters from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, and they didn't change it.

I tried looking into why Mr Roger's Neighborhood had a monarchy (since the show is based upon that) but all I could find was references to him as an authority figure who cared about his people.

Given how intentional he was, I'm sure there's got to be an explanation for why he selected that. Unless it was just because it's the kingdom of make-believe, and hence has a king.

I think at the time, fantasy fiction was really popular. Stuff like King Arthur, Merlin, etc... 1963 was the release date for Disney's Sword in the Stone 4-5 years before Mr. Roger's Neighborhood in 1968. I imagine kings, queens, knights, and dragons were a common trope that children would be familiar with. Using a Mayor or Governor would require a lot more explaining for children to understand his role and have more political undertones. It also kind of made the land of make believe a little more fantastical.

Because Queen Sara Saturday and King Friday the XIII were from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, specifically the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, and that's where Daniel Tiger originated.

A funny piece, but oh boy that author sure has some Opinions they had to squeeze in there.

Paw Patrol is Canadian, so it's unlikely to be US pro-police propaganda. You might be mixing in details from this Onion article:

https://www.theonion.com/paw-patrol-writers-defend-episode-w...

It was briefly a touch point for the insane edges on either side of the spectrum that need to log off twitter a bit more often. The ultra-right was convinced liberal cancel culture was going to take it away from our kids. The ultra left saw it as a symbol of the police state. Meanwhile, most people don't give the show a second thought unless they have an 8 year old.

It's wild to see horse shoe theory play out over something so silly.

That was essentially a fictitious talking point used to demonstrate how out of touch defund police protesters were. No one was actually saying it.

It sure watches like it.

I thought Mayor Humdinger, in the feature-length movie, was a swipe at Trump.

The whole point of Paw Patrol is to make an amusing show for kids, and to make money selling merchandise. The whole reason why they keep making more of it is because it sells. The only agenda is to make money. (Which I happily spend.)

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