Talking Points #4

“Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us” by Linda Christensen


Premise:
• Cartoons
• Media
• Society
• Inequality
• Diversity
• Stereotypes
• Discrimination
• Hidden messages
• Disney
• Women

Author’s Argument: Christensen argues that figures in the media such as cartoons need to be portrayed with “social equality.” She states that everyone should be aware of the “hidden messages” contained in the media and the issues that arise through children’s media such as Disney characters.

Evidence:
“Cartoon images, in particular the Disney movie Peter Pan, were cited by the children [in a research study] as their number one source of information. At age three, these children had a set of stereotypes in place.”

“Children’s cartoons, movies, and literature are perhaps the most influential genre “read.””

“Young people, unprotected by any intellectual armor, hear or watch these stories again and again, often from the warmth of their mother’s or father’s lap. The messages, or “secret education,” linked with the security of their homes, underscore the power these texts deliver.”

Questions/Comments/Points to Share: I really enjoyed reading this article because I found it to be very interesting. A lot of the points made are not something that you would first interpret out of a children’s movie, but I appreciate their point of view now that I see what actually goes on. I think I found this so interesting because it was relatable. These movies were all movies that our generation grew up with as children. When we were watching these movies as children, know I certainly did not think about things like “social equality” and find it interesting that those movies are still controversial in this time.