EXTENDED COMMENTS
In Peggy Orenstein's "Cinderella Ate My Daughter", the author talks about the many ways mainstream culture (with a great amount of help from Walt Disney) and society in general tries to almost brainwash younger kids (especially young girls) into a world where not only is it very important to be materialistic but everything has to be pink and shiny.
Another brilliant student in my class, Ethan Smith, pointed out in his blog the many things that aren't usually pointed out in today's society. I think what I took away from Orenstein's book was similar to what Ethan got out of it as well. Ethan said in his post: "I believe that my sports wallpaper, power ranger toys, violent video games, and love of Hercules may have been nothing short of assigned gender roles as well as a separation from "girly" kind of things."
It made me think back to when I was younger and how my friends and I went from GI Joe to Mortal Kombat video games to rated R movies. The restricted movies was a big leap. I remember thinking that I was a pure renegade when I watched any of the "Terminator" movies. Ethan also had a great point when he mentioned what other people would have thought if he had liked a princess movie like "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" instead of a more manly "Hercules". I think this is valid since I always got treated strangely when I tell people "Beauty and the Beast" is one of my favorite films of all time. Somehow that just doesn't sit well. I later realized that all of these movies are Disney movies and in the end, Disney wins anyway.
Ethan, I completely understand where you're coming from when you mention the crimes of Disney directors. I really enjoyed the video you had in your post. It is a shame that those movies have such an undercurrent in them.
Here's a video blog with a very foul mouthed host with an opinion that I happen to share. Have a listen she has some very good points.
My Discussion Point for class would have to be if anyone else in the class room disagrees with the author of the book? Does anybody think there's nothing wrong with the way Disney makes their films? Did anybody find the video in my post funny or is she going a bit too far with the Disney stuff?
Like I said on Jose's blog, these movies are classics. They'll be around forever and I don't think eliminating them is the way to go. I don't think their goal was to feed on young girls and create stereotypes for the destruction of their self esteem. Despite the face the fact that they do create ideas in young girls heads, there is no reason why they can't make some films about the independent female who saves a man or saves the town etc...
ReplyDelete