Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us

Linda Christensen argues that "our society's culture industry colonizes their minds and teaches them how to act,live, and dream." Christensen then discusses how even at an early age our minds are altered by fairy tales, cartoons, and toys and this even continues into adulthood when people allow the media to manipulate them. She gives examples from Disney movies, which I am a total Disney fan girl and hate hearing anything bad about the movies, but an example of this is the movie Aladdin.           

The bad guy in the movie jafar is characterized darker skinned and ethnic where as the good guys are lighter. This teaches kids a certain stereotype that ethnic people are bad. Linda Christensen argues that analyzing these things can " develop their critical consciousness...(and) move them (the students analyzing) to action." She wants students to not only critique these manipulative sources but also to become aware of the "secret education" and become aware of how powerful it really is. She teaches students strategies to become aware of this issue which is a huge step in the right direction. Once awareness take place in society a plan of action to fix the problem can take place. Christensen also gave her students the opportunity to create projects that made the students assess their everyday life. Once a person sits back and reflects on why they do things a lot of actions and influences come from the media. Lisa Christensen makes the main point to not be manipulated and allow these stereotypes to be accepted knowledge. I can connect this article to SCWAAMP and the stereotypes given above of the "whiteness" power.

Here is a video I found of some ways the media is sublimely stereotyping, if you guys have 5 minutes you should seriously watch it, I found myself reacting shocked on how these companies got away with some of these commercials!