I believe in the Disney magic. I like the parks. I like the merch. I like the movies. I like how the normal stereotypes are bent just a bit in each film. Each story is full of (family) drama; and to get to a sweet ending, we watch characters trick and tear each other apart with mistrust, deceit, and greed. Beauty and Brawn always conquer love. Monsters always disappear. Loose interpretation of Life. Disney is always ahead of the latest technological advance in films & animation, which make the corny movies exciting, visually powerful -for the young, romantic at heart.
Dr. Bogad's slide deck on Disney Princesses and how the brand has affected pop culture, economy and media ideology asks for of analysis on how it produces pleasure and respond to what kind of world it imagine for us? Does princess culture expand imaginations or does it limit possibilities? my daughter was born at the end of 2000 & one of the things that excited me about shopping for her was that there was Disney Princess stuff to decorate her room with. Just about all of her first day of pre-school stuff was from the collection: bag, Sippy cup, rainboots. Then as I had another daughter and Disney Princesses gained color and strength, we had to visit the Magic Kingdom to see them in person. Seeing both a Japanese Mulan & Black Jasmine, princesses in their own houses was awesome!!
Well, one daughter went through her teens wearing black, waist-long, curly hair & wouldn't be caught dead in purple or pink. Now 22; she dresses as chic as she can, does things for herself. Calls "Daddy" for what she can't.
The other is 14. Prefers slipping into her father's worn jeans & wrinkled neck t-shirts & old torn Nikes than to go shopping. But rather sit and read than wash & dry her hair.
I get sleepy watching any Disney. So, the Disney allure has worn off.
Christensen says that Disney's "secret education" hypnotizes young people in Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us.
I agree that children will always be influenced by who/what they listen to or watch most because to some degree adults don't fear that their children are in danger learning from the media images or portrayals. There wouldn't be as many TVs or tablets out there if it were a true discontentment. As the Dorfman statement in Christensen's piece, "There has also been a tendency to avoid scrutinizing these mass media products too closely, to avoid asking the sort of hard questions that can yield disquieting answers" (177). Parents want to go with the flow and look "good" for their willingness to process mainstream media with their children. They definitely don't want to be the "bad guys" and disassociate themselves or their children from what's popular. So, there's no thought into what harm what looks "cute" can cause.
Bold people would ponder just as the student, Justine that "The idea of nit being completely responsible for how I feel about things today is scary."
The idea of showing notions of stereotypes through cartoons from its precipice is really good, softens the guide of discussions on race and power. As she says that sometimes the "stereotypes are so blatant" is true, the older the cartoons, for sure; but even still today with the Disney cartoons.
We don't yet get to see ethnic people be the leading stars of cartoons or movies as we are desperate to see. However, tides are changing, Netflix international movie picks has a great starting point to wave the persuasion. Yet, as Christensen noted, "If race of the character is the only thing changing, injustices may still remain." Dale!
References
Bogad, L. (2020). Digital media literacy media as ideology reading Disney.Disney Slide Deck (loom.com)
Marshall, Elizabeth, and Özlem Sensoy. (2016). “Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us.” Rethinking Popular Culture and Media, Rethingking Schools, Milwaukee, WI.
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