DISNEY INC. LANDING IN JOHORE!
~from the cover of Fantagraphic holiday catalogue~
Finally, Disney Inc. found Johore soil to be just as fertile as France and Japan. Our govt. has held talks with Disney reps. on building a South East Asia`s first Dsineyland theme park in Johore. Singapore would be eating their hearts by now.
Malaysiakini featured an interesting letter on this issue. The writer defended Disneyland as a harmless family-oriented entertainment that has no intention whatsoever to displace the local culture, in fact Disney will normally adopts local context for its famed Magical Land. Oh my. I can't wait to see Mickey Mouse in songkok and samping or Snow White wearing a nice kebaya. So much for local context!
I have some problems with Disney Inc. And it has a lot to do with cultural displacement. Disney is famous for its brand of accessible fairy tales (if not politically correct) such as Cinderella or Aladdin. Despite the glowing acceptance of these animations, Disney provoke uproars from many sectors for its misrepresentation of culture be it American or foreign. I guess we can still remember the furore over how Pocahontas was shot for its lack of sensitivity in potraying native Americans and Europeans. Opting for commercially lovable romance over cultural sensitivity, Pocahontas, claimed to be the first animation based on historical fact, was totally a sell-out romantic movie.
Apparently, Disney Inc. is just like any other normal MNC doing their business. Profit before Social Responsibility. One crucial difference is that , (similarly like other media mogulsa ctually), Disney Inc. trades American brand of culture made accessible to children and families. Popular with its trademark innocence (read: innocence for sale!) , parents around the world agreed that Disney movies are good for their kids and full of moral lessons despite blatant distortion of history or cultural background as pictured in Pocahontas. This is quite scarry as Disney movies and products are allowed to penetrate every social aspect of the household and society at large with open hands by the society. With Disney producing their versions of fairy tales, local fables and folk stories are very much dull and uninventive as compared to the wild colors and catchy songs one find in those Disney animations. Like what my mentor said once, "Disney monopolize the face of imagination. Children simply quotes Cinderella or Snow White when asked about their fave fairy tales. Si Tenggang or Batu Belah Bertangkup is not that trendy lah!"
My problem with Disney Inc. is not only its intentional attempt at displacing or replacing culture, its lack of respect for human rights is another thing. As of today, Disney Inc. had been pulling off their work from any factories in the 3rd world countries that tried to denounce abuse of workers rights. Haiti in , China even California witnessed how Disney factories workers lost their jobs as Disney pulled their work and ignoring the worker`s plight for worker`s rights. In fact, in China, the death of 2 workers in a factory associated with Disney exposed the abuse of long working hours and meagre salary suffered by the workers. You can say, hey all MNCs are like that. Well, I would say that does not in any way prove Disney Inc. is a better MNC. It makes things worse coz Disney self-promote itself as a company that promotes family entertainment when all around the world, children labors are working in their sweatshops, sewing Mickey stuffed toys. Family oriented? I don't think so.
Its time I guess to demystify Disney Inc. as a family oriented fun loving entertainment producer. Just as the animated black jazz singers in Zoot suits under the label of Warner Bros look crooked compared to Mikey`s Steamboat Willie, welcoming Disney simply out of trying to boost tourism is not enough. Just like the animated black jazz singers swinging, its our own local context which will be compromised with the existence of the Disney empire. We would try to close our eyes and chanted that cultural exchange at global level is inevitable. I don't actually call this cultural exchange. I call this cultural dominance at the expense of all the funfairs in Malaysia, pasar malam, Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup, Si Tenggang and Hikayat Malim Demam. For sure, with enough dough, coz I am sure the trip to our very own Disneyland will still be a bit costly, but hands down, Mickey in samping will motivate peeps enough to splurge for those countless trips. So, my advice, since chances of this park to materialize is high, parents of Disney groupies should start saving not only for that new refrigerator but also for those numerous trips to our very own Disneyland.
And to think as a kid I dreamed of shaking hands with Prince Charming! Well...
P/S- My depression is gone I guess. Thanks to those who gave their word of advice day and night! ;)
Malaysiakini featured an interesting letter on this issue. The writer defended Disneyland as a harmless family-oriented entertainment that has no intention whatsoever to displace the local culture, in fact Disney will normally adopts local context for its famed Magical Land. Oh my. I can't wait to see Mickey Mouse in songkok and samping or Snow White wearing a nice kebaya. So much for local context!
I have some problems with Disney Inc. And it has a lot to do with cultural displacement. Disney is famous for its brand of accessible fairy tales (if not politically correct) such as Cinderella or Aladdin. Despite the glowing acceptance of these animations, Disney provoke uproars from many sectors for its misrepresentation of culture be it American or foreign. I guess we can still remember the furore over how Pocahontas was shot for its lack of sensitivity in potraying native Americans and Europeans. Opting for commercially lovable romance over cultural sensitivity, Pocahontas, claimed to be the first animation based on historical fact, was totally a sell-out romantic movie.
Apparently, Disney Inc. is just like any other normal MNC doing their business. Profit before Social Responsibility. One crucial difference is that , (similarly like other media mogulsa ctually), Disney Inc. trades American brand of culture made accessible to children and families. Popular with its trademark innocence (read: innocence for sale!) , parents around the world agreed that Disney movies are good for their kids and full of moral lessons despite blatant distortion of history or cultural background as pictured in Pocahontas. This is quite scarry as Disney movies and products are allowed to penetrate every social aspect of the household and society at large with open hands by the society. With Disney producing their versions of fairy tales, local fables and folk stories are very much dull and uninventive as compared to the wild colors and catchy songs one find in those Disney animations. Like what my mentor said once, "Disney monopolize the face of imagination. Children simply quotes Cinderella or Snow White when asked about their fave fairy tales. Si Tenggang or Batu Belah Bertangkup is not that trendy lah!"
My problem with Disney Inc. is not only its intentional attempt at displacing or replacing culture, its lack of respect for human rights is another thing. As of today, Disney Inc. had been pulling off their work from any factories in the 3rd world countries that tried to denounce abuse of workers rights. Haiti in , China even California witnessed how Disney factories workers lost their jobs as Disney pulled their work and ignoring the worker`s plight for worker`s rights. In fact, in China, the death of 2 workers in a factory associated with Disney exposed the abuse of long working hours and meagre salary suffered by the workers. You can say, hey all MNCs are like that. Well, I would say that does not in any way prove Disney Inc. is a better MNC. It makes things worse coz Disney self-promote itself as a company that promotes family entertainment when all around the world, children labors are working in their sweatshops, sewing Mickey stuffed toys. Family oriented? I don't think so.
Its time I guess to demystify Disney Inc. as a family oriented fun loving entertainment producer. Just as the animated black jazz singers in Zoot suits under the label of Warner Bros look crooked compared to Mikey`s Steamboat Willie, welcoming Disney simply out of trying to boost tourism is not enough. Just like the animated black jazz singers swinging, its our own local context which will be compromised with the existence of the Disney empire. We would try to close our eyes and chanted that cultural exchange at global level is inevitable. I don't actually call this cultural exchange. I call this cultural dominance at the expense of all the funfairs in Malaysia, pasar malam, Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup, Si Tenggang and Hikayat Malim Demam. For sure, with enough dough, coz I am sure the trip to our very own Disneyland will still be a bit costly, but hands down, Mickey in samping will motivate peeps enough to splurge for those countless trips. So, my advice, since chances of this park to materialize is high, parents of Disney groupies should start saving not only for that new refrigerator but also for those numerous trips to our very own Disneyland.
And to think as a kid I dreamed of shaking hands with Prince Charming! Well...
P/S- My depression is gone I guess. Thanks to those who gave their word of advice day and night! ;)
posted by GEE at 1:40 AM
2 Comments:
Looks like someone jumped the gun in announcing this. Oh well, if this plan falls through, we could always invite Michael Jackson over to build Neverland. At least children won't have to pay entrance fees! LOL!
Welcome Daniel!
Well, the Neverland idea will be in Holland`s NVD Party `s manifesto for election I guess. That party is infested with paedophiles. But anyway, yesterday, Disney rep. deny any interest of building their Magical Land in Malaysia. So there! :)
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