Monday, April 4, 2011

Disney: good or evil?

Day #18: A picture of your favorite place you have traveled.

Well I went to Austria when I was a junior in high school for about 10 days, and it was GORGEOUS. The most beautiful place I have ever been. But I don't think I was there long enough to say it is my favorite place. I think it has potential. I'm not sure I'll have the chance to make it back someday, but I hope so.

I guess you could say my favorite place that I've traveled to is a place I've been quite a few times... it's not very far away...

DISNEYLAND.



A lot of people say that when the grow up, going to Disneyland loses its magic. Not true at all for me. I love Disneyland. It is an obsession. I think about it just about everyday. I can't wait to take my kids there someday. 

At the same time, though, I hate Disneyland. In an episode of Mad Men the ad men said that the best way to sell a product is to appeal to human emotion by way of nostalgia. I don't like feeling that Disney has so much control over everyone, not just our kids. 

Disney made 38 billion dollars in 2010. 38 BILLION! Can you even think about how much money that is? They appeal to young parents who want to make Disney a part of their lives. They appeal to young children who want to be just like their favorite princess or super hero. They appeal to grandparents who want to see their cute little grandchildren dressed as Snow White. They appeal to women in their early twenties who do not have kids yet but for some reason can't let go of the magic of my childhood. 

There has been an outrageous spike in clothing sales for Disney in the last few years. They have started selling clothes to infants, which should bring in billions more for the company. The parks are incredibly expensive, as well as the food and merchandise. But I never seem to mind paying for anything inside the park. It's Disneyland! How often do I get to go? 

Webster defines nostalgia as "a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition." 

Disney has hit that emotion SPOT ON. My childhood was full of amazing Disney movies and songs. I am just one of the millions of people who will continue to allow them to bamboozle me. 

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