Anyone with very young relatives will be well acquainted with the so-called Peppa Pig and her family of porcine characters. In fact, I think most people will admit to finding the 1 hour + videos on YouTube for a bit of respite. The cartoon's vice-like grip on the attentions of children is impressive but it also raises a few questions as to whether Peppa Pig should really have long term, unescorted access to children in our own homes?
I started to question the Peppa Pig phenomena when I started to seeing ubiquitous images, merchandise and footage of these pigs in all aspects of British society. What really struck me was that using a pig is a really divisive and insidious way of driving divisions amongst children from a really young age; Muslim and Jewish children are given the choice of either embracing an animal that goes against their most cherished beliefs or being excluded from mainstream society. Children are well known for the ability to establish rapports with pretty much any animal so one has to assume the decision to use swine has been deliberate. The next logical question is, who created Peppa Pig and who funds them?
What disturbs me the most is the grotesque features which have been used to form Peppa Pig's and her family's faces. The bright, shiny pink head resembles an engorged scrotum whereas the nose at the top of the head looks like a mutilated penis. This is of course done deliberately so that adults watching Peppa Pig with their younger relatives receive the sinister messaging about genital mutilation in the age of unbridled capitalism, the movement of populations into West Europe and decreasing living standards.
I wouldn't mind, but some of us want to be able to watch TV without being continually harassed with the sinister creations of the most wicked minds.
I started to question the Peppa Pig phenomena when I started to seeing ubiquitous images, merchandise and footage of these pigs in all aspects of British society. What really struck me was that using a pig is a really divisive and insidious way of driving divisions amongst children from a really young age; Muslim and Jewish children are given the choice of either embracing an animal that goes against their most cherished beliefs or being excluded from mainstream society. Children are well known for the ability to establish rapports with pretty much any animal so one has to assume the decision to use swine has been deliberate. The next logical question is, who created Peppa Pig and who funds them?
What disturbs me the most is the grotesque features which have been used to form Peppa Pig's and her family's faces. The bright, shiny pink head resembles an engorged scrotum whereas the nose at the top of the head looks like a mutilated penis. This is of course done deliberately so that adults watching Peppa Pig with their younger relatives receive the sinister messaging about genital mutilation in the age of unbridled capitalism, the movement of populations into West Europe and decreasing living standards.
I wouldn't mind, but some of us want to be able to watch TV without being continually harassed with the sinister creations of the most wicked minds.
