Disney obsessed

I admit that I am a bit biased toward Disney, but I had difficulty accepting all of Giroux’s arguments. The ultimate question he is posing is “Are Disney films good for your kids?”. My answer is that Disney films certainly aren’t bad for kids. Yes I admit that the racist messages in Disney films are unacceptable and that it upsets me that they are there in the first place. However, I can’t stress enough how many people I know who never noticed any of this as a child watching these films. I never watched The Little Mermaid or Aladdin and thought to myself that Ariel was a weak female character or that all Arab people were bad. I have been to Walt Disney World over twenty times and I’ve seen almost every major Disney film. I do not have a distorted worldview and I didn’t have one as a child either. I learned about racism and poverty etc., in school. And in my opinion, that is exactly where you should be learning about these types of things. Entertainment does not have to reflect reality. Children learn from all areas of their environment, not just media. Therefore, I think it is unfair to label Disney as somehow poisoning the minds of children with sexist and racist messages. I think its important to note that many Disney films are classic fairytales that existed before Disney ever created their own version. I also think Disney is learning from their mistakes they made 20 years ago and they have recently tried to be more inclusive. (Although the Princess and the Frog is an exception, because from what I’ve heard, it isn’t absent of stereotypes). I do believe Disney should address this issue and be more conscious of the messages that their films portray. But I also think that doing so is more for the benefit of adults watching, not the children (because they don’t know any better). Disney brings joy and happiness to people of all ages and provides a comfort that, I believe, is very unique to Disney. I go to Disney World at least once a year and I cannot explain the connection I feel with that place. In much the same way that people watch genre films to escape, Disney also offers a type of retreat. I don’t see anything wrong with giving in every once and a while to a world where every story has a happily ever after. After all… if you believe in magic, you belong. I confess, I’ve been completely enchanted.