Maybe the World Isn't Such a Bad Place After All

If we are what we eat, we are what we consume, aren't we? Consumption is not something limited to food, either. We can consume goods and services, as consumers, we can be consumed by consumption, as tuberculosis was known in times past, and we can consume the media, through television shows, the news, or music, or any other number of ways, or absorb any other number of things about the world around us.

So logically, if everything around us is what defines us, then surely that most prevalent television must have a huge role in our lives, right? At the very least, with the rise of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and even less-than-reputable sources, we don’t even need a television to have the experience of watching T.V. But let’s take a step away from Netflix and everything else for a moment, because while online streaming may be convenient, that is also it’s greatest problem. What you choose to watch online, or allow children to watch online, doesn't necessarily have to do with what actually airs on television. Sure you can watch Code Lyoko on the Internet, but most children (under 10) watching Cartoon Network today won’t have any idea what that is. Their prime-time after school viewing selection (assuming, of course, that they tune in to the actual television network) consists of shows including Uncle Grandpa, Clarence, Steven Universe, Regular Show, or The Amazing World of Gumball.

Each of these shows, then, has its own reasons for being able to stay on the air. But things included to stay popular aside, what does each of these shows leave with the viewer? When you’re consciously analyzing the shows, certain things do pop out at you more than others, don’t they? Let’s look at Steven Universe, a show I once hated but now look forward to each Thursday.

Steven Universe is the titular character of the show. He’s a young boy, half human and half Gem, and the show centers around his experiences in Beach City, a seaside town. The Gems (as far as the show has currently revealed) seem to be an alien race, and Steven faces many challenges in growing up with a foot in both worlds. As the show continues, more of the history of the Gems is revealed, as well as why Steven’s caretakers, Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst, are on Earth.

If we start with Steven’s living situation, we can see that Steven is a part of a non-nuclear family. The Gems most closely resemble human females, and as such we might say that Steven has three “mothers.” His father, from whom his human lineage comes, was once a musician, Mr. Universe. He lives in a trailer. However, contrary to the image we tend to have of fathers that don’t live with their children being dead-beats, Mr. Universe tries to take an active role in Steven’s life, trying to be a good parent despite the fact that he often makes mistakes or is unsure of what to do next. The same is also true for the Gems, who do not know how to raise a half-human boy, and work on a trial-and error basis as well. But Steven is very forgiving of both parties, and shows growth by boosting the Gems’ confidence as well when they need it. In this way the show encourages not only the acceptance of what is outside “the norm,” but also presents the new reality as changes take place in America. Families can no longer simply be defined as a father, mother, and child(ren). And even in nontraditional families, a child can grow up to be healthy and mature.

Acting as a foil to Steven is his best friend, Connie. Connie is a dark-skinned girl, and she comes from what we think of as a more traditional family: a father, a mother, and herself. However, unlike Steven, who is usually portrayed as positive and outgoing, Connie is more unsure of herself and less willing to take risks than Steven. Potentially, this could be a nod to gender roles, with the female being more timid and the necessity of being pushed out of her bounds by someone stronger than she is, and being seen but not heard, but put in a larger context probably has more to do with parenting styles. From what we know of Connie, her parents come off as authoritarian. She continually acts in fear of disobeying them, occasionally causing friction with her relationship with Steven. In one episode, where Connie’s parents want to meet Steven’s at a dinner party, Connie is concerned because of Steven’s lack of a “normal” family. She doesn't want her parents to disapprove and never be able to meet with Steven again. Steven and Connie try to run away together, only to be reprehended by their respective guardians when their plan fails and they return. Connie’s mother approves of the way the Gems “punish” Steven, and decide that maybe it’s alright for Steven and Connie to continue their friendship after all.

From this we can take note of a number of things. Firstly, that having a traditional family isn't necessarily the key to developing well emotionally, as Connie is never fully truthful with her parents regarding Steven. Secondly, we see a reversal of traditional gender roles, as Connie’s mother is consistently portrayed as the one in charge. Thirdly, we see the value in not condemning others. Even though it was through her approval of the Gems’ “punishment” of Steven that Connie’s mother came to accept them as parents, she still found a way to begin bonding with someone very much unlike herself. Whether or not this has a positive influence on Connie’s parents remains to be seen, but Connie benefits from her friendship with Steven. She’s learning to stand up for her own opinions, and to assert herself, as well as try new things. Between Connie and Steven and Steven and his family we see an emphasis on healthy relationships.

But healthy relationships are not the only kind that exists. There is the very questionable relationship of Lars and Sadie, two adolescents/young adults who work at a doughnut shop. Sadie has a crush (of sorts, and it’s mutual, sort of) on Lars, stemming from the time he let her be Player 2 for a video game. Lars is aloof, or at least tries to be, which may account for why Sadie took it to heart that the two of them played a video game together. However, we consistently see Lars brushing Sadie off, or abusing her kindness. He faked an injury to get out of work and hang out with the people whose friend group he wants to be a part of, he leaves her to open and close the doughnut shop alone a lot of the time, he slacks off at work, and is seen getting weirded out by open displays of emotion. At one point, Sadie calls him out it, and Lars expresses remorse, leaving the impression that not only is he salvageable, but that treating others the way he does is wrong. Steven too has called out Lars on his behavior. However, Lars hasn't always been the way he is now, and in childhood used to be friends with Ronald, a person he now shuns. In a flashback to this time we saw that Lars is afraid of being the object of ridicule. He stopped being friends with Ronald after Ronald wanted to send a picture of paranormal activity where Lars could be seen in a bad light to the media. So now we see Lars as wanting to hang out with the “cool kids” and reject others before he is rejected. In this way we might say that the reason why Lars and Sadie can’t have a healthy relationship is because they have yet to resolve their own personal problems, and say that it is just as necessary to have a strong sense of self as it is to be able to get along with others.

Overall, Steven Universe leaves one with a positive impression of acceptance and change, both of society and of yourself. It emphasizes the need for healthy relationships, and for the most part leaves you feeling as though there is always hope for the future, for even when an episode ends on a bad note, it never ends with the feeling that things must stay that way.