Talking Ponts #4

Christensen, "Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us"

1. “When we read children’s books, we aren’t just reading cute little stories, we are discovering the tools with which a young society is manipulated.”

Books, magazines, cartoons, and movies all project images to young children. They teach children what is accepted and what is the ideal man/woman. You never see ugly princesses who are happy. They are always pretty. You never see a handsome prince who cannot get a maiden. It projects the idea that looks provide happiness. These ideas and much more are leaking into the minds of children everyday, and everyday children are adapting to these "ideals"

2. “As Tinker Bell’s obsessive vanity in Peter Pan. These seemingly innocent stories teach us to look for our faults. As Tinker Bell inspects her tiny body in a mirror only to find that her minute hips are simply too huge, she shows us how to turn the mirror into an enemy….. and this scenario is repeated in girls’ locker rooms all over the world.”

I had never considered this before, and I love Tinker Bell. It does however send off the wrong message to young girls. It makes them believe that if they are not like this then they are not pretty or are not what society wants. Even Tinker Bell thinks her hips are too big and that is a problem for her. This is why girls become anorexic, because they want to be what society expects from them. They want to be "Barbie" so to speak. Everyday one sees girls walking down the street with bleach blond hair, big boobs (fake, stuffed, etc),a fake tan, and a stomach that looks like they hadn't eaten in months. This is all because girls are projected to look like this in the media so it must be right.

3. “Both of these tales leave young women with two myths: Happiness mean getting a man, and transformation from wretched conditions can be achieved through consumtion…”

This is definitely true. Whenever I consider what the American dream is it always includes being with a man. If I'm not married it is almost as if I have failed in some way. I know that I have been with someone now for the past almost 5 years and I wonder when I will marry. It has become almost a requirement toward happiness. Cinderella was a perfect example. She was only happy once she met the prince. As far as the transformation, she was only accepted after she wore nice attire. This teaches kids that happiness is gained through materialistic items, such as clothes.

It is really sad to think that our world is like this and that society does this to us, but it is true. We are materialistic and obsess over our looks. Happiness is not built on love, but on appearances. Many times people date not because of the other person's personality, but if they are cute enough, or not embarrassing. Another quote that I liked was,“…like the absence of female characters in many of the older cartoons. When women do appear they look like Jessica Rabbit or Playboy centerfolds” Women have become toys to mold and fashion, little dolls. Of course, it is only getting worse.