Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us: Christiensen

"The impact of racism begins early. Even in our preschool years, we are exposed to misinformation about people different from ourselves. Many of us grow up in neighborhoods where we have limited opportunities to interact with people different from our own families....Consequently most of the early information we receive about "others" people racially, religiously, or socioeconomically different from ourselves- does not come as a result of firsthand experience. The secondhand information we receive has often been distorted, shaped by cultural stereotypes and left incomplete. . .Cartoon images in particular the Disney movie Peter Pan, were cited by the children as their number one source of information. At the age of three, these children had a set of sterotypes in place."pg126

"Pam and Nicole swore they would not let their children watch cartoons. David told the class of ocming home one day and finding his nephews absorbed in "Looney Tunes." I turned that TV off and took them down to the park to play. They aren't going to watch that mess while I'm around." Radiance described how she went to buy Christmas presents for her niece and nephew."Before I would have just walked into the toy store and bought them what I knew they wanted-Nintendo or Barbie. But this time I went up the clerk and said, "I want a toy that isn't sexist or racist."pg 134

"Students have also said that what they now see in cartoons they also see in advertising, on prime time TV, on the news in school. Turning off the cartoons doesn't stop the sexism and racism they can't escape, and now that they've started analyzing cartoons, they can't stop analyzing the rest of the world. And sometimes they want to stop. Once a student asked me, "Don't you eve get tired of analyzing everything?"pg 134

COMMENTS


ITS CALLED ENTERTAINMENT!

While reading this article I am not sure why but I was enfuriated, not only am i a huge supporter of Disney and most other cartoons that I have watched while growing up but it also aggravated me to know that Christiansen was changing other peoples opinions. I understand on an academic level the importance of understanding why we must question the "cartoons" as to notice the hidden messages. As adults we understand the hidden messages but as children we do not. I don't think that is fair to accuse a single source such as "cartoons" as the only reason for why we are the way we are. As in our Media presentations I've realized that there are multiple reasons why we are the way we are. In a previous class I had we took the Media in general and tore it apart so there was nothing left. We talked about the negatives and  some how talked about the food industry, I stopped eating meat for a month or so and attempted to become "vegan". Someone elses point of view on such a thing changed the way i ate, I think that is a huge symbolism as to how crazy someone can get in your head. We as a society become routined by the ways of life. In my family we eat meat and we love it, when reviewing the negatives of the food industry i was so convinced that I couldn't eat meat ever again.
Looking at the cartoon Cinderalla on a different approach, children watch it and see the simple things in life. They enjoy the colors the visual stimulation they get from watching cartoons, it keeps them content. When children watch cartoons they are not saying in their head "Wow look at the way Cinderella is so WHITE, and look how shes being portrayed poor and then turns rich"