“In juvenile literature, the adult, corroded by the trivia of everyday life blindly defends his image of youth and innocence... For the adult, in protecting his dream-image of youth, hides the fear that to penetrate it would destroy his dreams and reveal the reality it conceals.” (Dorfman 113)
The attitude that Dorfman reflects on here is one that I see pretty often in the Disney fandom. For many fans, Disney is the embodiment of childhood. They have deeply personal connections with their favorite films and characters. They use Disney as a way to escape day-to-day drudgery and reminisce about a simpler time. In moderation, that nostalgia isn’t a bad thing. I enjoy watching a Disney movie or going to the theme parks when I’m feeling down. It helps me keep going. However, this attitude becomes unhealthy when it blinds the fan to Disney’s faults. I’ve seen many fans who refuse to believe that Disney is anything but perfect and magical. They aren’t willing to criticize Disney, because their connection to it is so personal, to criticize Disney would be criticizing a part of themselves. I remember feeling this way when I was younger. I would quickly jump to Disney’s defense if I heard someone criticizing it. As I got older and started thinking about media more critically, I became more willing to acknowledge Disney’s flaws and thinking about ways they could be better. This could run the gamut from criticizing narrative problems to analyzing the way Disney represents other cultures. Nowadays, I welcome any and all critical analysis of Disney. I have learned that there's nothing wrong with being critical of something you enjoy. It makes you an educated viewer. However, not all Disney fans feel this way. The Tumblr blog Walt Disney Confessions allows fans to post anonymous thoughts about anything Disney related, and here this anti-criticism attitude can show itself, often in disturbing ways. Another Tumblr blog, Walt Disney Confessions Rage, responds to the more problematic confessions. Their responses are intelligent, eye-opening, and well worth checking out.: http://waltdisneyconfessionsrage.tumblr.com
Side note: I welcome being critical of Disney, but I will jump at your throat if you try to perpetuate a false urban legend. Baudrillard thought that Walt Disney was actually frozen and that made me want to throw things...
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