Wazzup Pilipinas!
The discussion below is an interesting idea. And I agree, for the most part. But, in a way, it kind of illustrates a portion of my problem with a lot of Disney movies.
I want (male or female) children to slay dragons, exchange immortality, wish the genie free, and challenge powers that be... because it's the right thing to do. I want kids to learn that you help people because people need your help. Not just because you really like the person you're helping.
Read on below and enjoy, and please share your thoughts.
"The day will come that you're gonna have a daughter..... and in those days, we should not let her watch all those cartoons with princesses who marry men after meeting them in just 1 day, or a teenager who gives up her voice and a pair of legs to be with her man, or a housemaid who goes partying then clumsily left a shoe for her boylet to trace.
Disgusting! Disney should be boycotted for letting young girls believe that love has certain ideals, because 95% of the time, it results in heartbreak and disillusionment when they reach their 20's. Imagine all the teenage pregnancies that can be prevented! Cartoons should empower young girls to build their own careers, or simply finish school.
Imagine if disney made cartoons that show a peasant girl rising to the ranks of aristocracy because of her intelligence, and not her beauty? Or what about a princess who devotes time and money to charity? The world doesn't really need another teenage mom. Thanks, Walt Disney."
The prince-charming and knight in shining armor was the shittiest lie ever made. But Disney have redeemed its mistakes like UP, it was totally genius since it was a childhood till death relationship or Wall-E for its android love affair and environmental awareness, and Brave because of its family oriented theme.
At school, every teacher should make it a point that every student gets to watch Spirited Away. The heroine there grows from being weak and unconfident to strong and full of conviction. And she doesn't use special skills or strength or violence to succeed, but diplomacy and a good work ethic.
This is one of the reasons, I think, why Disney stop the prince-charming theme in their animated stories... have you noticed that their rendition of Rapunzel, the guy who "saved" Rapunzel is not a prince but a bandit?
I think it's not really Disney's fault if many children could not realize the difference between fantasy fiction and real life.
It's like blaming video games for incidents of violent crime when most players turn up to be upstanding citizens rather than psychopathic murderers. There's a point for blaming comedians i.e. Vice Ganda or those chimps Jose and Wally for being a negative influence on kids, but it's the parents that are at fault for letting their children watch said shows without taking it with a grain of salt.I think chick flicks have more cultural impact on women than cartoons. They're actually less realistic than cartoons. No, you can't get past airport security without getting Tazed. No, the love letters cannot violate the time travel paradox, Neo. No, the creep you friendzoned is really a creep. No, unresolved issues will never go away just because he crossed the ocean to prove his undying love. No, commitment-phobic guy will never stick around when you get knocked up with his baby.
On the other side of the fence I've watched somewhere that if we want boys to grow up to be the kind of boy that treat women right we should make them watch princess movies.
http://www.ted.com/talks/colin_stokes_how_movies_teach_manhood.html
Prince Philip in sleeping beauty would slay dragons for his love, Hercules would exchange immortality for meg, after painting himself bigger than he is to impress a date (guys do that now and then), Aladdin mans up in the end keeps his promise and wishes genie free, not become a prince again. Beast was a jerk to begin with hence the curse.
But the guys in the princess movies don't tell the women to go make a sandwich, go away because they're not needed, and they dare challenge powers that be for the woman they love.
I think it could also be just a matter of parents' explaining to their children that many stories in books, films, and cartoons are just exaggerations and do not happen exactly in real life.
Please know that if you'll base those Disney princesses and the setting, the location the culture of that country.. there's nothing wrong with it. I find it so absurd to blame the poor cartoon films really. Be a responsible parent. Instill good moral and character to your child, something that will "keep ringing in their ear when they're about to do something stupid especially on their teenage years" My mom have done that well. Bet you can too.
Personally, I wouldn't mind if they saw those princess films, although I have to warn them that being a princess means to get involved with diplomacy.
But yeah, if they came across a time that they ask why reality is not the same as those films, then it's time for me to be the responsible parent and teach them the good and the bad of real life. And I would also shamelessly segue that they can fall in love with girls too.
It's easy to slap kids with reality check than getting them recover from depression or being cynical. You should trust your kid's judgement. Do not deprive them with information but guide them instead.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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