Disney Culture | Teen Ink

Disney Culture

February 8, 2011
By Anonymous

I believe that Disney is ruining the world. Every boy and girl in the world, especially girls, grows up under the influence of Disney’s universal empire. Despite what it may seem, Disney truly is a worldwide superpower in any and all young children’s product markets—not just an American mega-company. This Spring Break I, along with a few other students, went to Panama. As we worked in a small rural elementary school in one of Panama’s comarcas, or reservations, I noticed an odd trend: every little school room had at least one Disney poster. What struck me was that despite the economic situation of the school—there was no clean running water and our job as volunteers was to install a new roof in the school—every room in the school, without fail, was marked by the familiar faces of Disney’s trademark characters. Apparently Disney precedes modern standards of wellbeing and survival necessities in the world today. With its astounding market size and influence Disney has immense potential to shape children’s lives. But I believe that Disney teaches lessons quite far from what one might consider to foster good character. In every Disney movie ever there is some sort of happily ever after just following some magical resolution to the main character’s problems. Disney hardly ever has its characters proficiently find ways to sort out the issues that are presented to them throughout the course of their stories. In general, Disney’s characters are never content with what they have been given in life, and are never satisfied no matter how exquisitely incredible their circumstances might be until they find their perfect happily ever after, which they inevitably do. Through all this I find that a very flawed message is being presented to the world’s children. I find that Disney teaches children that they should not be content with what they have unless their life is perfect, while simultaneously telling them that they cannot improve their lives without some magical help and essentially should not try. These messages aren’t clearly spelled out by Disney’s movies, but I believe that these messages lie hidden within every one of them. Doesn’t every girl dream of being a beautiful princess, a beautiful princess who sits around and waits to be saved by some one else, a prince perhaps, so that their lives will be fulfilled? To me this does not sound like a healthy life style, a healthy philosophy, a healthy dream. Therefore I believe that through distorted life lessons, endlessly paraded before the world’s children, Disney is ruining the world.


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This article has 8 comments.


on Feb. 21 2011 at 6:03 pm
Hawthorn BRONZE, Nowheresville, Maine
3 articles 0 photos 55 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Know Thy Enemy" Sun Tzu

Yes disney movies are fairy tales but I wish that for once they would get the details right! Read Grimm and Anderson and you will see how they have mutilated fairy tales.

on Feb. 19 2011 at 10:04 am
RemmiWrote SILVER, Goshen, New York
6 articles 9 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
Be patient<br /> Life is hard<br /> Be couragous.&lt;3Francis Hoffman RIP

i think this is a little crazy.....disney ruining and taking over the world? i think u need something else to write about cuz this is kinda insane

 


on Feb. 17 2011 at 4:39 am
MasterZone BRONZE, Toronto, Other
2 articles 0 photos 39 comments
  It's so awesome-ly pathetic how Disney and Pixar still make the best movies nowadays!

hey! said...
on Feb. 15 2011 at 12:26 pm
For real?
Did you have nothing else to right about?
Disney movies are fairy tales. They don't claim to teach children life lessons.
And who doesn't want to be a princess once in a while?

on Feb. 15 2011 at 6:42 am
singergurl12 GOLD, Jacksonville, Florida
15 articles 0 photos 190 comments

Favorite Quote:
Fairy tales are true, not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.

agreed. good article, nonetheless.

on Feb. 15 2011 at 6:34 am
Although I do agree with your main point, I just had to mention that one of their recent movies does not hold true to what you were saying in the last paragraph. The movie is called The Princess and the Frog, and in it a hard working girl from New Orleans wants to keep her father's dream alive of opening up a restaurant. She works double shifts almost everyday, just like her father did, just to earn money for the downpayment of the building she wants to use for her restaurant. A lot of stuff happens in the middle, including a (good) voodoo encounter with an old lady who tells them their needs are different from their wants, and what you've got to look for in life are your needs (love, pretty much). In the end she gets her restaurant and meets the love of her life... a prince whose parents cut him off from their money supply. :) Sorry. I just love that movie.

on Feb. 14 2011 at 10:36 pm
kfrog575 BRONZE, Santa Clara, California
1 article 0 photos 11 comments
although I don't completely agree, I think this is a thought-provoking article that is well written. good job!

anonymous101 said...
on Feb. 14 2011 at 5:54 pm
False. I completely disagree with this statement. Some of Disney's main points are "dreams really do come true" and "happiest place on earth". Saying that, these statements inspire innocent children and allows them to have crativity, passion, hope, and maybe even a safe haven. "Happiest place on earth" allows them to go back to the dreams and joy they want...whether it's personal issues, home life, or school work, it allows the children that through hard work, perseverance, and patience, "dreams really do come true."