Maybe this is something I worry about more than I should, but I think a lot about the kinds of shows my kids watch. Because that stuff does influence them. For the parents out there, I had an idea to start a thread where we can list kids shows that are solid choices for us as leftist parents. I'm not expecting some cartoon characters to start discussing dialectical materialism. But I'm thinking shows that highlight values like empathy, community, etc. I would also include shows that simply avoid a lot of capitalist bullshit or cop worship (hard to avoid that one in kids shows, surprisingly). Also, we can use this thread to list shows we think kids should avoid.
Some of them that I came up with:
Mister Rogers Neighborhood - Fred Rodgers, while I don't think he was explicitly a leftist, really did seem to focus on really good things. Might be hard to get kids interested in a show that looks as old as this one, but it's honestly pretty great.
The Joy of Painting - Just a chill dude painting landscapes. Wouldn't think of this as a kids show but my kids loves it. I have friends with kids who say the same thing, too.
Eleanor Wonders Why - I like this one because the titular character observes the world around her and then wants to use science to explain what's going on. Just like our boy Karl Marx!
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood - In general I think PBS does a good job in most their shows of not promoting capitalism or bourgeois values. Daniel lives in a neighborhood that doesn't have the obligatory "good cop" in it, which is good enough for me. Overall seems solid.
Bluey - this show is pretty great, I love it. However, keep in there's one episode that's devoted entirely to troop bootlicking (really gross for a kids show), so just skip that one and you're good.
Doc McStuffins - this show is ok but I'm recommending it because the lead character is POC, and even in 2021 I'm kinda surprised by how many shows still feel they need a white lead character with POC characters off to the side.
And a show I'd recommend against is Paw Patrol, I think for obvious reasons. I'll stop here and then add more in the comments as I think of them. Please share yours!
My mother insists the reason I’m a leftist is because she let me watch Captain Planet and the Planeteers so much as a child. I’m not particularly confident that has aged well though.
When I think of the shows I really loved, they tended to be history or art based. Horrible Histories seems like a good bet based on that.
EDIT thinking more, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra seem good ideas too. I also remember Recess being surprisingly left wing when I rewatched it, but I was a heroin addict at the time and don’t remember it well so I could be over estimating that.
legend of korra is liberal brainworms made into a show. Anyway all I now from captain planet is the "throw him out, he's got aids!" scene.
Yeah I never watched Korra, I was thinking it would be similar to ATLA. Nevermind that one then.
Honestly that scene and Jeff Goldblum voicing a character obsessed with money who has a large nose and a rats tail whose name is something to do with Vermin is what makes me suspect Captain Planet likely hasn't aged very well at all. But as a child, it definitely introduced me to ideas that I think set me up to be open to leftism.
Also if you want to really laugh look up the episode on the The Troubles. The IRA and the loyalists are trying to nuke Belfast and everything is solved because one guy from each side open a bakery together that I swear is Queer coded.
LoK is really fun if you want to see liberals set up an entire world of strawmen to push their ideology against and still somehow lose. It's also really just a slog and has a bunch of weird changes and failings considering how well they did on AtLA.