All those 80's and 90's cartoons are absolute trash when viewed though the eyes of an adult tbh.
80's? Cartoons are bad, yeah. I think 90's cartoons however was the birth of something special. They were making cartoons not only to sell toys, but to tell stories, and to speak to kids, and hell, even adults. I don't think they'd have taken off nearly as well without the success of The Simpsons. Shows like Duckman, Dr Katz, Rugrats, Doug, Batman TAS, Tiny Toons, Freakazaoid, Ren and Stimpy, Rocko, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, Daria...I think they're better than ever.
The 90's were an animation renaissance, from all shores. Especially after the 70's, which was a terrible decade for the field. I think 80's ANIME fares much better compared to American cartoons, that's for sure.
80's were excellent for the animated FILM, though, and that's the biiiiiiig caveat. But once you're talking about television? It's a wasteland.