It is common knowledge that Socrates would go around pestering the people of Athens to think differently. Yet what was he hoping to achieve by this? Socrates wanted those around him to begin to think more logically and to recognize the problems in their society. In this respect, Socrates is very similar to Bill Waterson, creator of the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. William "Bill" Waterwon II was born in Washington D.C. in 1958 where he lived for the first six years of his life before moving to Ohio. Waterson first began writing writing comics at the age of eight, when he aspired to become a cartoonist akin to Charles Schulz. In 1976, he went to Kenyon College where he earned a bachelor degree in political science. On November 18th, 1885, Waterson's beloved comic strip Calvin and Hobbes made its debut. The comic was noticed quickly and was soon featured in news papers nation wide. The popularity of Calvin and Hobbes was in large part due to its address of the problems which plague American culture. These ranged from materialism to self-absorption to an obsession with the media. Waterson presented all these issues in a fairly happy light, all from the perspective of a hyper intelligent six year old boy and his stuffed tiger. This premise allows for a nuanced address of serious problems in the U.S. while remaining humorous and accessible to a younger audience. This method seems fairly effective in getting the message across as it allows audiences of all ages to understand it. Through this approach, Bill Waterson asks his readers to closely examine their lifestyle and remember that there is more to life than consumerism.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=copI0cM2e1Q
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