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Cartoon films are often considered light entertainment that is only intended to invite laughter. In fact, quite a few cartoon episodes contain moral messages that can be studied from various points of view, including those of religion and psychology. One example is the episode “The Paper” from the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants. Behind the seemingly childish behavior of SpongeBob and Squidward’s temper tantrums, there are quite deep life lessons if we are willing to look further.
In this episode, Squidward finishes chewing gum and then throws away the wrapper. For Squidward, this object is just trash that no longer has any value. However, SpongeBob actually chases and forces Squidward to give him the wrapping paper, instead of throwing it away. After being forced by Spongebob, a frustrated Squidward finally forcibly handed over the paper to Spongebob while swearing that he would never ask for the paper back, no matter what happened.
What happened next was completely unexpected. SpongeBob actually enjoys playing with the piece of paper, as if it were a very valuable treasure. He laughed, imagined, and felt happy. On the other hand, Squidward is getting more and more restless. He no longer enjoyed playing the clarinet which had been his pride. His attention and thoughts continued to be focused on the paper which he previously considered useless.
Squidward then tries to get the paper back. He begs SpongeBob to return it. However, SpongeBob firmly refuses because he feels he has to uphold the oath that Squidward himself said. In fact, Squidward was willing to give up almost all of his possessions, including the clothes he was wearing, to get back that piece of paper. After successfully getting it back, it turns out that the happiness he hoped for still didn’t appear. In a state of frustration, Squidward stomps on the paper. At the end of the story, there was a surprise when Patrick came and took the paper to wrap his gum which was about to be thrown away.
This simple story can apparently be linked to various religious values which are also supported by scientific studies of human behavior.
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1. Gratitude Makes Someone Easier to Be Happy
The first value that can be learned is the importance of gratitude. Since the beginning of the story, SpongeBob has been able to find pleasure in things that other people consider trivial. On the other hand, Squidward loses his happiness because he focuses too much attention on what other people have.
In religious teachings, gratitude is one of the foundations of a good life. This message shows that happiness does not always depend on circumstances, but on the way a person views their life.
Modern psychological science supports this view. Research conducted by Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCullough shows that people who make a habit of being grateful tend to have better levels of happiness, optimism and mental health than those who continue to focus on the shortcomings of their lives.
Squidward actually has many things, such as a comfortable house, the ability to play the clarinet, and a steady job. However, he failed to enjoy everything because his mind was only focused on objects that he himself had previously thrown away. This kind of attitude also often occurs in real life when someone is more busy comparing themselves with other people than being grateful for what they have.
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2. Talent will not bring happiness if it is not appreciated
The second value relates to talent. Squidward is known to have a great love for the clarinet. Even though his musical abilities are often the subject of ridicule in the series, he still believes that music is his calling in life. However, when his mind was filled with the desire to have the piece of paper back, he lost the ability to be grateful for the talent that had been a source of pride.
In various religious teachings, talent is seen as a gift that must be nurtured and appreciated humanely and wisely. These talents should not be wasted just because someone is trapped in jealousy or excessive desire for things that are not actually important.
From a psychological perspective, concepts flowdeveloped by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explains that a person will feel deep happiness when he is able to immerse himself in activities that suit his competence and interests. However, this condition is difficult to achieve if the mind continues to be filled with anxiety, jealousy, or obsession with other things.
Squidward loses the opportunity to enjoy music because all his energy is spent thinking about paper which actually has no economic or practical value.
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3. True Happiness Does Not Come from Possessions
The third lesson is the crux of the entire episode. Since the middle of the story, Squidward is sure that if he succeeds in getting the paper back, he will feel satisfied. The reality is just the opposite. After all his sacrifices to get the paper back into his hands, he still felt empty. In fact, he vented his emotions by trampling on objects that he previously really wanted.
This phenomenon is in accordance with the concept hedonic adaptationin psychology. Humans tend to quickly get used to something new, so the happiness resulting from obtaining an object usually only lasts temporarily. After that, a person returns to looking for another object that is considered capable of providing satisfaction. Religious teachings have long reminded humans of this reality.
SpongeBob actually shows a different attitude. He is able to create happiness through imagination and gratitude for simple objects. The paper is not the source of his happiness. What makes him happy is the way he looks at the object. Instead, for Squidward, the paper turns into a symbol of uncontrollable desire. As a result, even after the desire is fulfilled, the feeling of satisfaction still does not appear.
Patrick then comes as a very interesting ending. Without knowing the long drama that had happened, he just took the paper to wrap his gum. This scene indirectly shows how many human conflicts actually arise because of placing too much value on something that is essentially very simple.
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4. The Importance of Controlling Impulses Before Making Decisions
The final value relates to the ability to control impulses. All the problems in the episode actually started from one spontaneous action. Annoyed at being forced to do so by SpongeBob, Squidward swears emotionally that he will never ask for the paper back. Speeches born out of emotional outbursts ultimately become a source of suffering for themselves.
In various religious teachings, self-control is always seen as a characteristic of wisdom. Modern neuroscience explains that impulse control is closely related to the function of the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain that plays a role in wisdom. When someone is angry, the activity of the emotional system can dominate so that the decisions taken become less rational.
This phenomenon is clearly visible to Squidward. He didn’t really think about the consequences of the oath he made. After his emotions subsided, he actually regretted his own words. In fact, he was willing to lose almost all of his wealth in order to correct the impulsive decision he had made moments before.
This lesson remains relevant today. Many family, friendship and work conflicts stem from words that come out when emotions are running high. Therefore, the ability to think for a moment before speaking is a very valuable skill.
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CLOSURE
The episode “The Paper” is probably only about eleven minutes long and is packaged as a comedy. However, if you look more closely, the story holds quite rich reflections on human life.
First, gratitude makes someone able to find happiness even from simple things. Second, talent will only be a blessing if it is enjoyed and developed without continuing to compare oneself with others. Third, true happiness does not come from owning things, but from the way a person views his life. Fourth, impulse control is very important so that a person does not regret decisions taken when they are controlled by emotions.
Perhaps this is the reason why many classic cartoons are still remembered today. Behind the seemingly simple humor, there are moral lessons that remain relevant for children and adults alike. Ironically, humans can sacrifice almost everything they have in order to pursue their own version of a “piece of paper”, then only realize after they have succeeded in getting it that what was lost from the start was not the object, but a way of looking at life.
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SOURCE
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.
Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2)377-389.
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Gratitude. APA Dictionary of Psychology.
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Impulse control. APA Dictionary of Psychology.
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