Small step big thought

Welcome to the world of cartoons - a quintessential part of most childhood experiences and a source of entertainment for many teenagers and young adults . The power that cartoons have over young minds can never be overstated . Its impact can be understood by the sheer commercial success of clothing ,accessories , bags, school supplies and every possible article that a child uses , which contain images of popular cartoon characters . This branding also extends to products used by teens and young adults . It is therefore important to sit back and give a thought to the kind of messages that cartoons , especially those targeted at really young children give out   and here's my analysis of the messages that some of the popular cartoons may be unintentionally giving out   Let us begin with a popular one created by Walt Disney himself - Mickey Mouse . Intended to be representing the quintessential American boy next door , the character aims to extol the virtues of enterprise and smar...

I was just watching a Korean short film called the Human Form(2015) that deals with the ever so prevalent need to go under the knife to achieve a certain appearance that is not realistic and cannot be achieved in a healthy and organic way .The film pushes the concept of beauty norms to the limit, creating a dystopian world where everyone has the same surgically altered appearance. The need to look good has existed for as long as humanity itself and that probably explains why the beauty and fashion industry is so profitable .Combined with widespread reach and deep impact of social media on teens and young adults, the fashion industry has succeeded in defining the term ‘good-looking’ for the world at large. Unfortunately, this image of perfect good looks is a mirage for a majority of the population, including the main protagonist of this film, who is a young teen, who is out to achieve the impossible in whatever way that she can. If it means going under the knife, so be it! I found the...