I think this quote is important because we are a society where TV, movies and music play a major part in our lives from birth. I think the entertainment industry definitely influences children as well as adults. We get clothing ideas, hairstyles, body image and social standards all from popular culture. We are told who to idolize and we emulate them. In turn, the things they value become the things we value. I am a product of this environment, and whether I chose to follow or not, the standard still exists. This means that any action I take to either fit in or not is in direct response to popular culture.
2. "Do you agree with Dorfman's position that children receive a 'secret education' in the media? Do you remember any incidents from your own childhood that support his allegations?
This question posed by Christensen to her students caused me to think of my own childhood and how cartoons influenced me. I watched a lot of TV as a kid and I remember when we first got cable it was new to everyone so you just watched as much as you could. I watched a lot of cartoons like Tom and Jerry, Popeye, and Bugs Bunny. I used to watch Heckle and Jeckle, and Woody Woodpecker which are no longer aired on TV. I look back and think about how there were definitely racist, sexist and homophobic images portrayed. Tom and Jerry used to have a southern black housemaid who used to talk in a stereotypical southern drawl. She looked like Aunt Jemima and swatted Tom with a broom. Now they overdub her voice to sound less racist. There are a number of racist Bugs Bunny episodes they no longer show on TV. They pulled Heckle and Jeckle and Woody Woodpecker off the air completely. I am not sure, but I don't think that they show Speedy Gonzalez the Mexican mouse any more either. I grew up watching these cartoons over and over again so they definitely had an impact whether I like it or not.
3. "I don't want my students to believe that change can be bought at the mall, nor do I want them thinking that the pinnacle of a woman's life is an 'I do" that supposedly leads them to a " happily ever after."
I think this is a powerful statement about what we emphasize in our society. We are taught to be consumers and that everything can be bought. From "Sex and the City" popularizing Manolos to"Cribs" making competition out of luxurious possessions, all you see are images of people buying happiness, respect and admiration. Little girls are taught to dream about 'Prince Charming' and hope that someday he will come and sweep them off their feet. The 'Princess' waiting for a 'Prince' image devalues women and sets them up for disappointment and low self-esteem. It teaches women that they are only as good as the man that wants them. Women are more then a man's counterpart and they do not need a man to make them whole or even happy. Conclusion: I found this to be an easy read. It made me think about my childhood and how I watched way too much TV. It made me think about how much it played a role in my life and how it probably affected me negatively. Images aside, I think I have a shorter attention span and I don't read as much as I should because of it. I feel like there are a lot of kids out there who are being babysat by a TV and are being fed misleading images. Although TV is a bit more PC and socially responsible, I think children need to know that entertainment and truth are very different.
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