Talking Point #4

Linda Christensen; "Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us"

Author's Argument:
Christensen argues that the media is a big reason as to why there are many unknowns and myths that are yet to be solved. They show and hide what they want the world to see and learn.

Quotes:
1. "If I want my students to wrestle with the social text of novels, news, or history books, they need the tools to critique media that encourages or legitimate social inequality."
In order for Christensen's students to take on the "garbage" as she would call it put out by the media they need to be taught the knowledge so that they can take them on. As we said in class that we need to have more than one tool in our toolbox and cannot only have a hammer. In order for someone to take on any kind of task they need to be taught the ways on how to "battle" in a sense. As a student goes through school they will learn certain skills and abilities that they can use for the rest of their lives. As soon as the student finds something that they love and enjoy they will going into it. In this case, the students need to learn how to bash the media before they can actually bash the media.

2. "No one wants to admit that they've been 'handled' by the media."
Christensen states that the media can handle people. This also makes me think about how the media is also a "puppet master" in a way because they show the latest trends and show the last outbreaks that might of occurred in the United States and even the world. When someone sees the actions or styles that the "stars" are wearing or doing other people will want to act or dress in the same way as the stars. This goes back to Carlson when he stated that people act the same way as other people act and they are not able to branch out and be their own person. The media is a way of life and without the media the people of the world would not be able to know the information that they know without them. Even though the media will be the death of us it is still a great way of communication.

3. "Many who watched cartoons before we start our study say they can no longer enjoy them. Now instead of seeing a bunch of ducks in clothes, they see the racism, sexism, and violence that swim under the surface of the stories."
Many of us if not all of us have at one point in our lives sat down on a Saturday morning and watched cartoons. As we grow older we think that we are "getting to old to watch cartoons." The thing that many of us do not see the true meaning of some of these cartoons. The creators put these cartoons out with an intention of pleasing the children and making television enjoyable for them. As these grow up and begin to learn more and more, if they return to the cartoons of their youth they are able to see some of the messages that are being displayed in these episodes of "our favorite cartoons."

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
After reading this I can now see some of the secret messages that are hidden in cartoons and how the creators of these shows try to hide them, but if an adult views this show they are able to see the "hidden message." When I was younger I use to watch cartoons almost every Saturday morning and never really thought that it was anything more than just "enjoyable television." After reading Christensen's article my attitude towards cartoons has shifted. I knew that there were cartoons that depicted issues of racism or sexism, but I did not know after researching that there was as much as there was. Cartoons are to be enjoyable for everyone from children to adults, but if the children see the message that is being sent then they might think that the message is acceptable. When the message is racism or sexism, that is one message that is not appropriate for children to be learning.