Even kids movies have agendas

I wanted to take a minute to talk about how one’s philosophy is weaved into our culture through the dialog, text and speeches of popular books and movies.  Even movies we tend to think of as harmless entertainment.

I watched Toy Story with my family yesterday for at least the 15th time.  I enjoy the movie, along with most of the Disney/Pixar animated films.  What I don’t like is the underlying message in some of these movies. 

In Toy Story, for example, we see a very common Hollywood theme: the main human character is Andy, a young boy who is being raised by a single mother.  The villan happens to be Sid, a classic “white trash” delinquent who lives with both his mother and father.  In the movie, Andy’s mom is responsible, clean, and from all appearances, a caring parent.  Sid’s parents however, let him run wild - unsupervised and allow him access to things children shouldn’t have access to (gasoline, fireworks, guns, etc.)  Sid’s Dad is shown in only 1 scene, and he is asleep in his recliner in front of the television.  There is a deer head on the wall, and the theme of his house is one of a family who hunts (antlers, flying geese and ducks on the wallpaper, targets in his room, etc.)  Sid has an assortment of classic “white trash” identifiers in his room, the poster of “Megadork” (a clear rip-off of Megadeth), a copy of an “improvised interrogation notebook,”  a burnt “no smoking” sign, etc.  Sid is also obsessed with torture and violence. 

That’s all fine and good, but it is such a typical Hollywood re-occuring theme that it really gets old and frustrating to many of us.  The theme goes something like this:  The Dad is lazy and doesn’t care (or even know) what his kids are doing.  And those kids are little terrors.  The single mother is noble and kind, and her child is loving and sensitive.

Here is the problem: That’s not an accurate portrayal of reality.  IN REALITY, children from families with both Mothers and Fathers who are involved are MUCH more likely to be healthy, well-adjusted and successfull than children from single parent households.  There is no comparison.  2 parent households have dramatically fewer drop outs, suicides, instances of drug abuse, rapes, behavioral problems, teen pregnancies, etc. compared to single parent households.

Yet we are subjected to endless barrages of media designed to excuse single parenting, excuse out-of-wedlock births, and mock more traditional family structures.  All this does is contribute to the breakdowns we see in society.  We should be promoting the BEST of human behavior.  So why do you think companies like Disney don’t promote more traditional family structures?  Why don’t they promote great Dads more?  Well, Disney owns ABC, among other companies, so I will let you do your own research and come to your own conclusions about politics and chilrens movies.  You don’t see conservative values represented positively in many of these shows.  That will have to be the subject of another post…

I also understand that there are plenty of intact families that don’t do a good job raising children, and there are many single parents who do a great job.  But Hollywood’s M.O. and reality are at odds with each other.  You very rarely see a true portrayal in movies of reality.  Statistically speaking, there are FAR more intact, 2 parent families doing a great job raising their children than there are single parents doing the same. 

If there is an abuse or assault (physical or sexual) in a movie, you can bet that the Dad did it.  It’s NEVER the mother or someone else.  While in reality, it’s not the presence of a Dad that is the problem, it’s his absence.  It’s when Dads are NOT involved in their families, that there is trouble.  Research will tell you that most sexual assaults on minors are not perpetrated by Dads.  Live-in boyfriends top that list.   Biological Dads are the best DETERRANT to MANY problems (including physical and sexual abuse) children face, they are extremely rarely the cause.

I would just like to see the REAL DADS, the ones who are involved, loving, intelligent and capable be represented in our popular culture.  That is why I started Dadsworld, and that is why we have members in 12 countries now after being online for just over a year.  A lot of you have expressed that you feel the same way.