Lippi Green Reflection
This chapter explores the way in which Disney systematically socializes young minds by incorporating racialized stereotypes and inauthentic linguistic tropes throughout their films and shows. Disney has a dark history of featuring racialized caricatures and culturally appropriated themes in their films, and this persistent tradition, due to Disney’s massive role in American and global popular culture, has immense societal repercussions. The article explains that during the formative years of a child’s neuro-cognitive maturity, these on screen tropes and behaviors are incorporated into the developing unconscious, subsequently normalizing prejudice and establishing institutional racism. Examples of Disney films containing these problematic tropes given in the article include Aladdin, The Three Little Pigs, and Beauty and the Beast, but it is obvious that these tropes exist far beyond this handful of examples, and permeate all of Disney’s work. What struck me about this article is the notion that popular culture and media is so formative in our unconscious relationship with the world around us, which is an obvious assertion, yet nonetheless has terrible and widespread implications for both individuals and society at large. The article astutely points out that Disney, despite the common misconception that their work has a unique artistic quality, is merely a for profit corporation. In the glaring quote referenced on the first page the former head of Disney clearly articulates this deception when he says, “We have no obligation to make history. We have no obligation to make art. We have no obligation to make a statement. To make money is our only objective.” With this reality in mind, we as consumers need to be more conscientious about what we choose to watch and show our children. As someone who has consummated relatively little popular media, these tropes are quite apparent to me when watching Disney and other similar forms of media. This problematic dilemma is not hard to detect, and in our collective and individual anti-racist efforts be mustn’t disregard the problematic nature of Disney’s content.
