Unlearning the myths that bind us

Unlearning the myths that bind us
By: Linda Christensen

PREMISES:
“Secret education”
Books
Children
Movies
Dominance
Cartoons
Stereotypes
Race
Gender
Television
Knowledge
Acceptance
Media
Princess
Disney
Life
Money
Luxuries

AUTHOR’S ARGUMENT
Christensen argues that children are influenced by the portrayals of characters in books, movies and cartoons. She believes that these portrayals are often biased and only present one race or gender as better. She wants parents and young students to be aware of this “secret education” and to think with an open mind about different races genders and classes.

EVIDENCE
1. “Childrens cartoons, movies, and literature are perhaps the most influential by genre ‘read’. Young people, unprotected by any intellectual armor, hear or watch these stories again and again, often from the warmth of their mothers or fathers lap.” This is a great argument parents rarely deny children to watch Disney movies or cartoons and they are learning throughout all of these if parents aren’t aware of the “secret education” the children are being taught about the dominance of one type of a race, gender, and class over and over again. Children are sp influenced by this genre of happily ever after.
2. Our society's culture industry colonizes their minds and teaches them how to act, live, and dream." Everyone wants that happily ever after and it just shows how influenced we are and we don’t even know it. I know when I was little I always wanted a princess a dress or a princess crown sure I still want one now. And parents buy them for their children. We are all influenced and we have no clue until it’s pointed out to us.
3. “‘When reading children’s books, we aren’t just reading cute little stories, we are discovering the tools in which a young society is manipulated.’” After reading this article I can see where we are so manipulated by these movies. Children need to receive more education in this area.

POINTS TO SHARE:
This piece was a very interesting read. I enjoyed reading it because I really never thought about it before. It wasn’t very hard to read and I didn’t have to look up many if any words. A lover of Disney movies I can see where the perception of real life can be distorted of course which little or big girl doesn’t want to be a princess. I can see the dominate culture represented and that being of a higher class in most of the movies are apparent. I liked how she did the activities with the students and how they made real life projects for parents and students to become more aware of the affects. I believe this is an important lesson for us all.