There's a certain amount of truth to this one...

[patgund]

This post of ironychan ended up on Metaquotes, but I wanted to post about it directly.

"Childhood: You like 'Babar' books.

Adolescence: You're too old for books about talking elephants, but you remember them and from time to time you vaguely wonder why all the humans in them appear to be white Europeans, when elephants live in Africa and India.

Adulthood: Nostalgia compels you to pick up a 'Babar' book, at which point you realize that Babar's visit to the city and the subsequent adoption of human culture by the elephants are a metaphor for the White Man's responsibility to bring civilization to the Noble Savages. You go D:

Social Awareness: Destroying your childhood, one beloved memory at a time."

The main problem I see is - it's right.

I've been enjoying reading books I grew up with to Little Bit. What I didn't realize is that I'd find myself occasionally editing words or phrases on the fly or stopping to explain that such and such "isn't really appropriate anymore".

Kipling so far has been particularly troublesome. On the other hand the big worry I have with Paddington is telling her Paddington shouldn't be a role model in that while he means well, he doesn't think things through. *smile*

It's like "Blazing Saddles". Still considered to be a comedy legend, but some phrases and scenes make people very uncomfortable today.

Comments

[karenbynight.livejournal.com]

Yep, yep, yep. I was horrified to read an L.M. Montgomery book a couple of years ago and find a racist reference.

On the other hand, I think my consciousness about mid-century movie sexism was raised much earlier than most. Either that, or it just doesn't bother others as much. But even with years to grow to appreciate how culturally important it is, I can barely watch Casablanca. I'm totally distracted from the classic tale of self-sacrifice and redemption by the story of the woman who clearly used to be capable of managing her own life, but now needs men to make decisions for her.

[tepintzin.livejournal.com]

Last year I re-read the first couple of "Little House" books and read a couple more for the first time. On one hand, they show realistic lives of prairie women. On the other, the racism, OMG the racism. Everyone fixates on the hatred Ma has for native people but they all seem to completely miss the blackface minstrel show in (I think) "Little Town on the Prairie".

On the other hand, Laura I. Wilder did make sure to emphasize that their lives were saved during a malaria epidemic by a black doctor.

[jecook]

Call me a racistn insensitive ass, but part of why Blazing saddles is so funny is partly because of the remarks.

I have to hold with the late George Carlin- they're only words.