Blog Post #5

Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us
Linda Christensen

EXTENDED COMMENTS
Response to Vicky's Blog

In her blog, Vicky, discusses how stereotypes are often thought of as television commercials and magazine photos.  After reading this article she was able to realize that she, like many others of us, was affected much earlier than before she was able to read magazines and pay attention to commercials.  Saturday morning cartoons and other "child-friendly" shows were imbedding the idea of common stereotypes.  I think she is very right about how stereotypes are imbedded in our minds at such a young age.  Most often parents try to screen their children from the common stereotypes, but fail to screen the cartoons and television shows they are exposed to.  Children are more likely to be influenced and form the basis for their thought processes from these types of shows and the images that are portrayed through them.

Vicky then discusses how our knowledge comes directly from the myths we learn as children.  This knowledge "binds" us as it becomes all the we know, and as a result in order to change this we have to "unlearn" these stereotypes.  What I found interesting about this is that we so easily "learned" this false information and these myths instead of what is the truth and realistic.  It really should be the other way around.  You would think it should be easy for us to learn the true and realistic ideas but because of television shows, magazines, and other forms of media we are conditioned for the opposite.

I found Vicky's comment for class to be very thought-provoking.  She discusses how her parents never worried about her being influenced by televisions shows because she was taught the difference between right and wrong and how to be herself.  She then goes on to say that if parents took the time to explain to their children the difference between fantasy and the truth Disney movies and cartoons would not be so "dangerous" to children.  This is a great point and idea to be considered.  Parents have a huge influence on their children and the way in which they perceive the images they are seeing.  Children can be taught to understand the difference between fictional ideas and real life experiences.


One thing I really liked from reading this article aside from the thoughts it provoked and ideas it brought up that I had never considered, was the project the teacher had her students complete.  The project was set in place to make an impact on the community or others.  In the reading it states that discussing it in class really is not provoking change.  In order to create change, these ideas and class discussions have to be put further than within the walls of the classroom.  I would be interested to know the reactions of those who received the pamphlets made by students and handed out at the PTA meetings.