Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us - Linda Christensen

Context/Premise:

Individuality, sexism, racism, class, one over another, society, culture, minds, act, live, dream, “how to” guide, “secret education”, children’s books, movies, media, blueprints, manipulation, stereotypes, incomplete, cartoons, “walk on words”, myths, perfection, overwhelming, discouraging, asking questions, questioning oneself and what they believed in, dreams, ignorance vs. knowledge, happiness, reality, young children, parents, speaking out, activists, rise above, educate, beauty, body types, white vs. other races, men, women, obesity, Indians, comfort, princesses, princes, materialism, wealth, power, success, poor, inequalities and “happily ever after.”

Argument:

Linda Christensen argues that the “secret education” delivered through movies, cartoons, books and other forms of media “instructs young people how to act, live, and dream” as a means of distorted second hand knowledge so that they will “accept the world as it is portrayed in those social blueprints” without questioning it; and only through the process of recognition and questioning can a person “develop their critical consciousness” and possibly take action towards acknowledging the underlying themes and manipulation in the media.

Evidence:

“The secret education delivered by children’s books and movies, instructs young people to accept the world as it is portrayed in these social blueprints.”
When watching cartoons or Disney movies it does not seem as though I am being taught rules or codes of any sort, however, I am. Through each character I am able to see how they would be treated in society and how I would want to be treated as well. Every girls wants to be the princesses and be rescued by her prince, but, does that seem fair? Why does there need to be any rescuing? Without being given a specific example of how the media manipulates its audience I would have been able to continues watching Disney films and such without ever recognizing the hidden messages. Once I became aware of how the pretty sister is always the princess with the perfect body while the ugly sisters are ugly and never get what they want in the end, I realized that this is most definitely sending a message to young people and older people as well.

One of the girls who was quoted in this document wrote in her journal about how “it can be overwhelming and discouraging to find out my whole self image has been formed mostly by others or underneath my worries about what I look like are years of being exposed to TV images of girls and their set roles given to them by TV and the media. So why dissect the dreams? Why not stay ignorant about them and be happy?”
Some people would chose to remain ignorant and just continue on in their happy little bubble, but, reality is not so simple and always throws a curve ball. Just because I know the messages being put fourth to children through the media does not necessarily mean that I will not watch the movies or shows, but rather, while watching them I will be able to recognize what is going on. I personally would rather be knowledgeable than ignorant about something, because through knowledge I can make my own opinions and choices.

“What would young children learn about women’s roles in society if they watched this film and believed it?”
Just look at all the generations of children now grown up or in the process of growing up and the answer will be right there.

“Women who aren’t white begin to feel left out and ugly because they never get to play the princess.”
Another issue which Christensen brings up has to do with the depiction of princess as strictly white women. Ursula in The Little Mermaid is the smart, ugly, sea witch while Arielle, the pretty mermaid, “only wants to hook her man”, as is the case in most of the other movies as well. “People of color and poor people are either absent or servants to the rich, white pretty people. Men must be virile power or be old and the object of good natured humor. Overweight people were portrayed as buffoons and there was also the absence of mothers which mean there would be the mean ugly stepparents.”

“Princesses compete for their men against their sisters and the rest of the single women in their cities; they win because of their beauty and their fashionable attire. Leaving young women with two myths: happiness means getting a man, and transformation from wretched conditions can be achieved through consumption-in their case, through new cloths and a new hairstyle.”
Many girls that I know say “if only I was a little thinner things would be better or I wish I looked like that.” After reading this statement by Christensen it became clear that many girls learn through the ideas of princesses that being beautiful is essential to win your man, these kinds of messages are not healthy for young girls.

Lastly, Christensen states “they (her students) accept the inequalities in power and exploitative economic relationship. Their acceptance teaches me how deep the roots of these myths are planted and how much some students, in the absence of visions for a different and better world, need to believe in the fairy tale magic that will transform their lives- whether it’s a rich man or winning the lottery.”
Sometimes believing in fairy tales makes the reality of the real world less harmful. As I mentioned before, if someone wants to see how these messages put fourth by the media corrupt young children they need only ask older generations, like mine, and see how they react. After doing that, a person will be able to tell just how deeply embedded the “secret education” truly is.