Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Created | Updated Apr 17, 2002
Power Rangers is the first Americanised (I think) Japanese television show of it's type, which is to say five kids in five rainbow colours would merge into a giant robot and fight the now giant bad guy. The Power Rangers would summon their own dinosaur spirit in the form of a giant metal robot, which as always happens in the show would join with the other Rangers zoids and form a huge humanoid robot. ( A single zoid on it's own would always be defeated. )
In these and related programs the kids always understand the technology better than the adults and have 'evolved' so that they can exersize control over and friendship with the technology. The adult viewpoint is symbolised by Lord Zed who attempts to use technology for control and domination and is himself trapped and imprisoned in his own life support system. Whereas the kids are all newly evolved (or evolving), Lord Zed is the evolutionary past, a single dictator imprisoned because of his misuse of technology. The Power Rangers on the other hand, gain spiritual and moral guidance from theirs, in the form of that annoying little robot (which to me bears an uncanny resemblance to a cheerful Marvin.) and Zordon, who imparts the wisdom of the ages through his communication technology. Indeed the uncurling of the giant final robot is similar to the evolution of man standing, from his sitting ape past.
In conclusion, adults are scared of technology and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is a new paradigm for kids, that humans can co-evolve with technology to create a better future.
In these and related programs the kids always understand the technology better than the adults and have 'evolved' so that they can exersize control over and friendship with the technology. The adult viewpoint is symbolised by Lord Zed who attempts to use technology for control and domination and is himself trapped and imprisoned in his own life support system. Whereas the kids are all newly evolved (or evolving), Lord Zed is the evolutionary past, a single dictator imprisoned because of his misuse of technology. The Power Rangers on the other hand, gain spiritual and moral guidance from theirs, in the form of that annoying little robot (which to me bears an uncanny resemblance to a cheerful Marvin.) and Zordon, who imparts the wisdom of the ages through his communication technology. Indeed the uncurling of the giant final robot is similar to the evolution of man standing, from his sitting ape past.
In conclusion, adults are scared of technology and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is a new paradigm for kids, that humans can co-evolve with technology to create a better future.
