Monday, February 1, 2010

& We're suppose to be independent thinkers

Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us
- Linda Christensen

After reading this articles my mind is spinning. I have a 3 year old, certain shows he is not allowed to watch already? Any ways some of the examples that are pointed out ... "tinker bell's obsessive vanity in Peter Pan" (pg. 136), i had never really thought about, now my son will not be able to watch anything, just a joke! In Christensen's article her students are sent out to research how T.V, from early ages all the way threw life, create this "idea" of how we are suppose to be, act and look like. I found it very interesting that as the students investigated and watched video's found all the flaws to each movie or cartoon. Seem with issues of this sort once you are looking for something you can't stop. One student mentions that she will not take her children to see another Walt Disney movie until a black women was playing the leading role (pg 131).

Some things that i didn't quiet understand was that, ok no black Cinderella or snow white, but when Cindy Ellie came up it didn't serve the justice the everyone was looking for, how do we or the media equal out this? How would a change be effective? Where would the change have to begin? Understandably images are being changed in today's society from the past, for example i am sure their are still homes that Dad works, Mom stay home with the kid or works part time, but she is still in charge of cooking, cleaning and the kids. So ok do we stop showing our kids these Disney films or matter of fact it would be easier to take television out of the home, and no t.v aloud = no predisposed characteristics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?=v=7LMrdcs4ucc
This is a link to black stereotypes portrayed on television. After reading the article and watching this clip, you can see how accurate Christensen was. In this clip you'll see that blacks are loud and always in big motion, hands flying, food being shoved into their mouths, dancing or playing music, the women stirring pots or filling soup bowls, ect.

--Last class we picked out a word and how to draw it ... it seemed that some of the pictures that were drawn defiantley came from what we see on television, is what our image of say the word "teenager"

--Question for in class is ... So take out the T.V, only read books that are equal, fair and gender neutral, will this make our children independent thinkers? Would this develop a generation of kids who are able to grasp a sense of who they are themselves with out watching Tinkerbell's tiny body in the mirror?

2 comments:

  1. I agree with you on the idea of the media affecting our independence. Do we let ourselves think a certain way on our own accounts? Or do we block it all out to think like the rest of society such as letting the media control us and our thoughts. The media does have a way of controlling us but I agree with you on where the line may be drawn to the extenet to which we need to still keep our independence.

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  2. as far as the protrayl of black women goes, that is very accurate. i did a project last semester on how gayness and blackness are portrayed in media and even the "progressive" shows and movies still always perpetuate the stereotype of the "angry black woman".
    very very bad iconography.

    black women are also almost always portrayed as wild animals :(

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