Magical Influence
Monday, June 11, 2007
This may stray from the usual post, but recently, a few issues have come up centering around the cultural and political influence of Disney that have made me take a closer look at the power companies, such as Walt Disney Company, have in todays society.
People are quick to set their children down in front of a TV, pop in a cartoon and think nothing of it. While most are concerned with screening for violence, sex, drugs and other content in film that is deemed "inappropriate" for children, one group of Brigham Young University researchers have focused their attention on films produced by Disney, looking particularly at their depiction of elderly characters. The results of their recent study show the majority of elderly characters were villains and more than a quarter showed signs of decreased health - hunching, sagging, missing teeth, rough voices, etc. Because there is limited interaction among youth and elderly in todays society, films like these are becoming as influential as schools, parents, and religious institutions in shaping the thoughts and opinions of children; sending them out into the world with a misguided image of the elderly. We do not need to go out and edit every film, rather, it is time we think about creating a stronger relationship between todays youth and elderly, so their depictions in film carry little meaning and influence.
For more facts and information on the study, read Jennifer Viegas' article for Discovery News: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/06/11/disney_hum.html?category=animals&guid=20070611120030
The other issue stems from recent conflict between Disney and the City of Anaheim, California regarding the proposal of new affordable housing (for a comedic look, watch the clip above). Disney, the largest employer in Anaheim, has carried much clout over political decision making in its 52 years in Southern California, but when the city approved plans for the construction of 1500 apartments over a mile from their attraction, 225 of which were subsidized units, their objections did not get the response they were used to. With the City standing its ground, Disney is now suing the City of Anaheim to see this housing does not get built. While the new housing would mean an affordable and local place to live for many of Disneyland's low-wage earning employees, it appears Disney doesn't want to risk ruining the character of their landscape.
For more, read Fred A. Bernstein's article in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/20/business/yourmoney/20natreal.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=64067c7a448281a4&ex=1181707200
posted by Troy at
11:59 AM
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