After reading Eco's account on the ideologies behind mack believe towns and cities much like Disney, it struck me how truly disturbing and demented these places of amusement are. They are supposed to represent a fantasy a world, but the extent to which they do is troubling. Once entered, they represent not only a fantasy world, but a "fantasy" set of mind. This mind set though, does not lack the influences of capitalism and consumerism.
After growing up an avid Disney fan, and having taken many trips to Disney World, this pill is a bit hard to swallow on account of all the family memories created in "The Happiest Place on Earth". Although I do not think poorly of these memories because of this weeks readings, I do think poorly of the functioning and true purposes of such places. Although there are many memories created at such entertainment venues, there is also much money spent here; senseless money that is spent on commodities that will have little to no value in a few years after a child has grown. This is true for not just the items sold within these theme parks, but it is true for all Disney products in general. Disney and it's stories represent to so many young children around the world, a fantasy of what they picture reality to be; the typical "happily ever after" plastered in young girls heads, the noble, strong image of manhood plastered in young boys heads, and the idea that marital happiness can be decided by one look into another's eyes. These fantasies may be fun to think of; they help to grow the imagination and promote some kind of growth in children, but in turn, they reinforce false realities. Should we really allow them to create false images of real life within the minds of those who indulge in them? Does this create a healthy mindset for our society in general? It is true the Eco's piece only focuses on Disneyland and parks alike, but it speaks to a large ideology within our developed, modern culture; this being that we are always seeking a way to have a life that meets our "fantasies", and that we will play along with what is unrealistic simply to catch a glimpse of these fantasies.
I agree with you Morgan, I also feel disappointed and a little heart broken due to all the memories and experiences I lived in Disney. Even though I was born and raised in south american countries (Colombia and Ecuador) and this is the first time I've lived in the United States, Disney was a HUGE part of my childhood. Like Carmen's cousins and Hania, I also religiously watched Disney shows, memorized their lines and acted like them with my sister.
ReplyDeleteI find what you say to be very interesting: "It is true the Eco's piece only focuses on Disneyland and parks alike, but it speaks to a large ideology within our developed, modern culture; this being that we are always seeking a way to have a life that meets our "fantasies", and that we will play along with what is unrealistic simply to catch a glimpse of these fantasies."
In my opinion, the consumeristic culture that is promoted by Disney's fantastic (and unreal) life scenarios is what Disney per-se needs to survive! Without the amount of income they have managed us to robotically produce, Disney (the theme park) would probably not even be here anymore. We live in a capital-based society, there is nothing we can do to escape it (yet). Therefore, I don't want to accept that Disney's whole purpose is to promote capitalism and consumerism; I believe those are the means they have to take in order to keep functioning and in order to be able to provide what they do: entertainment, safety, fresh food and drinks, innumerable jobs, etc. Basically, they need the money and they smartly used every single tool they can (not that I agree with this, but I do understand it).
However, more than consumerism and capitalism, what concerns me the most is how this fake reality can be a future gateway to depression and drug abuse. Disney’s childhood-imposed notion of happiness creates a future un-satisfaction of reality when real life becomes boring. In “The City of Robots” Eco says: “the pleasure of imitation, as the ancients knew, is one of the most innate in the human spirit; but here we not only enjoy a perfect imitation, we also enjoy the conviction that imitation has reached its apex and afterwards reality will always be inferior to it” (p 2014). What is scary to me is that this imitation of “happiness” is much better and more satisfactory than what real life offers.
When we are young kids we enjoy the smallest, most simple things and we live happily and worry-less right? going out to my backyard was an amazing journey to me, every day. If we are exposed to such a fantastic version of life, that is what we want to experience again. We want to feel inside of that amazing world of fun, joy, and happiness; but that world doesn't exist! Our expectations are now so high (and unreal), that we reach a point when reality is BORING, routinary, monotonous… So we start getting drunk and high on drugs, in order to entertain ourselves and genuinely “have fun” once again.
Back to what you said: “we are always seeking a way to have a life that meets our "fantasies", and that we will play along with what is unrealistic simply to catch a glimpse of these fantasies.”
One of the main reasons people say why they use drugs is “to escape reality”, and when this happens: “Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions”- Oliver Wendell Holmes. Therefore, Disney is the children’s gateway drug.
(I know this is very extreme and I don't mean that every single kid that goes to Disney is going to become a drug-addict. But this is what came to my mind and what concerned me while reading this week’s articles: if we weren't overwhelmed with these fantastic alternatives for reality, we wouldn't be thirsty for them. Only because we experienced them already, we want them over and over again… Like drugs)