Talking Points #4 on Christensen

Linda Christensen: "Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us"

Premise- This article is about:

• stereotypes
• sexism
• racism
• culture of power
• media
• gender issues
• Disney
• secret education
• children's books
• movies
• cartoons
• racial inequalities
• impressions
• myths
• minorities
• generalizations of characters

Author's Argument- Christensen argues that children are quite impressionable beings who are influenced by the media, and their actions prove this. She also argues that authors and writers of children's books and movies need to portray their characters in an unbias, socially equal way. In order to do this, Christensen believes we have to expose the myths in order to end stereotypes in the media.

Evidence:
1) "Our society's culture industry colonizes their minds and teaches them how to act, live, and dream." (126) Christensen is saying that children are highly influenced by the media, and they apply it to their everyday life.

2) "Children's cartoons, movies, and literature are perhaps the most influential genre "read" (127). This quote is stating that the media is the most influencial genre for children.

3) "Many students don't want to believe that they have been manipulated by children's media or advertising. No one wants to admit that they've been "handled" by the media. This quote explains that people want to have control of their own minds, and do not want to be tricked or manipulated into thinking what the media wants them to. (128)

4) "The newer cartoons-like Mulan, Aladdin, and Pocahontas-are subtler and take more sophistication to see through." (130) This quote reveals that stereotypes are still present in these modern Disney movies, however, they are not as obvious as previous movies.

5) "They were fueled by the opportunity to convince some parents of the long-lasting effects cartoons impose on their children, or to enlighten their peers about the roots of some of their insecurities" (137) The author gave the children a chance to make a difference by teaching them about the stereotypes in media. This experiment allowed the students to see themselves as actors in the world.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

This article was a delight to read because of the specific examples used by Christensen, such as Disney movies and how stereotypical they are. The majority of people have seen a Disney movie in their lifetime, but few actually catch on to the stereotypes shown in these family movies. I already knew that Aladdin was fairly controversial, but I never realized that Disney has given sort of a "look" to what a Disney Princess should be. There has never been a Hispanic or Africican American Disney Princess, which is surprising because Disney movies cover all different types of cultures, like Arabia and China. I liked how the students watched cartoons and took on issues in hopes to change the stereotypes. The activity allowed the students to see themselves as actors in world and open my eyes to the stereotypes in media and the affects it has on the world.