It's more than that. Shows used to write aspirational characters. They could still be relatable, but they were something you'd strive to be, not something you already were. And certainly not "he's literally me!" for some Reddit mod who stumbled into a studio writing gig.
But that seems to be a lost skill. The lack of characters like that in kids' shows is going to be especially disastrous in the long run.
Aspirational implies a higher standard, and having standards has long since been decried as problematic. Modern writing is all about validation, so the characters are all as debased as the writers and their intended audience.
It's more than that. Shows used to write aspirational characters. They could still be relatable, but they were something you'd strive to be, not something you already were. And certainly not "he's literally me!" for some Reddit mod who stumbled into a studio writing gig.
But that seems to be a lost skill. The lack of characters like that in kids' shows is going to be especially disastrous in the long run.
Aspirational implies a higher standard, and having standards has long since been decried as problematic. Modern writing is all about validation, so the characters are all as debased as the writers and their intended audience.