Wasko's Rant

Any aware person can see the truth behind Wasko's words in "Challenging Disney Myths," and the intelligent person would understand many of the myths she points out in her article, but this does not have to detract from the fun and love that surrounds Disney and its products. Like any story over time, details change and ordinarily simple statements turn into extreme exaggerations. This transformation is no different than the details surrounding the rise of Walt Disney the man, and I do not believe he can be criticized for the progression of his name because he possessed no knowledge of how immensely his actions would project onto the world stage. Wasko never touched on a key point that I believe to be extremely pertinent to the discussion of credit claiming, and how Disney's name arose as the predominant actor in the rise of the empire. This point is simply that Walt Disney shares the same name as his company, and thus the two would naturally be connected, and the magic and fervor that would come to be associated with Disney world would also emblazon the life of the man after whom the empire was named.
     Wasko also mentions a few key irregularities between Disney's personal life and the messages the company seems to put forth to its audience. She implies that Disney is a hypocrite, and a money-making mogul who only seeks to take advantage of small portions of his life to sympathize with the greater American public, but I see this as a harsh judgement of a man who quite possibly could have wished those portions of his life played a larger role. Disney's unstable situation at home growing up could have encouraged him to want to push family ideals, also indicative of his rural sympathies, which tend to rely on family more so than city life, which can be quite individualistic.
     The biggest issue I raise with Wasko is that while all of this might be factually correct, it does not mean we cannot partake in the joy that surrounds the Disney empire. For some, the disagreement with Disney's values may drive them away from anything that has the Disney label attached to it, but for many such as myself, Disney is actually extremely enjoyable. Of course Disney is a money-making institution, and how can we expect any entertainment corporation to be wholly philanthropic? Disney is an intelligent company who tries to maximize their audience, but if they bring fun in doing so, then I fail to see where the problems with Disney lie. As the Modern Age extends, our nation changes and so does Disney in its efforts to diversify its films and continue to make childhood fun and magical like it should be. Disney has shown tendencies to identify with traditional American values because that is where public opinion was oriented, and so that is where Disney made an audience. In recent years, public opinion has begun to swing and change, and so will Disney.