"Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us," Linda Christensen -- Revisited

In Christensen's text, Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us, she wrote about the many ways that media influences us in the way we think about ourselves and others. In this text, Christensen provides her students with texts, movies, and cartoons for them to find underlying discriminations. Many of her students were able to find many misogynistic, racist, and classist stereotypes in much of the media that was viewed, whilst incorporating gender roles for both boys and girls. Furthermore, the media that was viewed by Christensen's students, was media meant to be viewed by children. So in a nutshell, some of the most disturbing messages and "life lessons" came from some of the "innocent" media. For example, take this statement which was quoted in Christensen's text, 

"The impact of racism begins early. Even in our preschool years, we are exposed to misinformation about people different from ourselves. Many of us grow up in neighborhoods where we have limited opportunities to interact with people different from our own families... Consequently, most of the early information we receive about "others" - people racially, religiously, or socioeconomically different from ourselves - does not come as a result of firsthand experience. The secondhand information we receive has often been distorted, shaped by cultural stereotypes, and left incomplete..." (127). 

This discovery becomes even more appalling when Christensen specifically cites cartoons and fairy tales as the main outlets where we gather our preconceived notions about the world at large. This "innocent" media was in actuality a "secret education" for children, or anyone who watched. Christensen urges her students to become aware of this "secret education" because it becomes a lens in which we view the world with.

Christensen implores her students and readers to see that "innocent" media can become dictators on how to live one's life. It is as Dorfman writes, 

"[...] We are not only taught certain styles of violence, the latest fashions, and sex roles by TV, movies, magazines, and comic strips; we are also taught how to succeed, how to love, how to buy, how to conquer, how to forget the past and suppress the future. We are taught, more than anything else, how not to rebel" (128).

Thank you Erika!

 So what does this mean exactly? It means that while the media teaches us the various roles in life that that we are to follow, it is also working to homogenize society, separating and discarding the most important aspects which makes each of us special and individual. Most of us do not even see the insidious message even though it shows up in more places than just children's media. Jessica had a great example in her blog, as she talked about a class she took last semester. 

"In this course, we discussed everything Christensen did in this piece. Every week we were dissecting a show, movie, book, or advertisement and were able to see just how racist and sexist most of the things we grew up with actually are. Many times, I found myself to be pretty upset with our findings."

Her experience is backed up by Christensen who states, "students have also said that what they now see in cartoons, they also see in advertising, on prime-time TV, on the news, in school" (134). So these detrimental life lessons and messages are everywhere! You just have to look closely.


Take Mary Carter Smith's retelling of the classic Cinderella story, "Cindy Ellie, A Modern Fairy Tale". Although Smith does work to reimagine Cinderella to become more relatable

Different princess, but same idea! Thank You Lindsey L.!

to current times, and a reflection for ethnic girls, the "secret education" about gender roles stays the same: Women need to be beautiful to catch a guy, prince or not.

"Both of the Cinderellas [modern black Cindy Ellie and traditional Cinderella] compete for their men against their sisters and the rest of the single women in their cities. They "win" because of their beauty and their fashionable attire. Both of these tales leave young women with two myths: Happiness means getting a man, and transformation from wretched conditions can be achieved through consumption - in their case, through new clothes and a new hairstyle" (133). 

This also really reminds me of this 1997 Cinderella movie! Great use of interracial characters, but the story's gender roles are the same. 
Essence also brings up a great point about how young boys and men can be affected by media as well. She writes, 

"This reminds me of the SWAAMP activity. The (M) which stood for Maleness, had certain stereotypes such as; a hard worker, strong, and a good provider. We see these stereotypes portrayed in the male leads of Disney movies. The prince in Snow White was seen as the hero. He was the only one that could save the damsel in distress with a kiss. Prince Eric was seen as the hero who saved Ariel from Ursula. It not only influences young girls it also influences young boys. The media makes them think they have to be strong, fearless and throw themselves into situations whenever a woman is in trouble. It doesn't matter if she ask for your help. It is your “duty” to help her. Once you help her she will fall in love with you."

In Ashley's blog, she talks about how one of her school peers was not allowed to watch Disney movies, and how Ashley at the time thought it was odd. It is interesting to think that perhaps that Ashley's peer's mother had some information of the "secret education" of media, and chose to keep her daughter from it.


I leave you with a thought wonderfully said by Justine, one of Christensen's students,"True death equals a generation living by the rules and attitudes they never questions and producing more children who do the same" (129).