What's wrong with Disney? The company
- sexualizes children;
- took acres of beautiful natural land and turned it into an acquisition generator, where children are taught to want things that create a desire for more things;
- They are - as the above-referenced article points out - culturally tone-deaf;
- They stereotype, and perpetuate stereotyping.
The movies are beautiful. The theme parks are fun. Some parts are educational. But then, you have to do all that counter-programming!
And of course, they have nearly destroyed any hope of a sensible set of copyright laws, with their campaigns to extend their image protections essentially forever.
I know that criticizing Disney gets you awarded the "wet blanket of the year" prize. And maybe I'm just getting querulous as I age. I'd sure like to hear counter opinion! Bring it, people :)
No, I think you're spot on.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong - my favorite princess is Sleeping Beauty - all that pink-dress-wearing, blond-haired, blue-eyed lovliness... It's like Barbie with a much happier ending than winding up with Ken (there's so much to hate about that, a whole book could be written).
But, it's a nice daydream, indeed: Good things happen to mediocre people (especially if they're pretty enough to land a prince).
But, generally, I agree. I've always preferred theme parks with more rides to theme parks with more registered characters.
And Disney is brilliant with their marketing, especially when it comes to girls. You start with the movie, where you can imagine yourself as the rescued princess; then there's the doll (and allllll her accessories) that you can play with, re-living the movie, and adding even better parts; and then there's the dress-up outfit (what girl WOULDN'T want to wear Cinderella's dress? Especially if it looks JUST LIKE the one in the movie), and of course, if you buy the dress, you HAVE to buy the crown, shoes, jewelry, etc.; and, dream come true, you can actually go to the palace, get your make-up and hair done, and then meet the REAL Cinderella. And talk about a dream job... assuming you can meet the rigorous employment standards. There's always one more step to take. And what kind of parents don't want their daughter to be a princess?
The real evil sorcerer is Disney, who subverts us through our daughters.
I will say, though, that although Pocahontas is stereotypical, and not particularly historically accurate, there's more to like about her than just about any other princess. She's not just another pretty face waiting for her prince: she doesn't just have animal-friend-sing-alongs in the woods, she's also athletic, and brave, and accepting of others.
ReplyDeleteI do like the new female characters. They have some spine.
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