Many carry the opinion that pop culture can be seen as a reflection of the people living in it. Bruce Forbes in his article And the Mouse Shall Lead Them: an Essay on the Disney Phenomenon as Religion argues that a weakness of the conservative critics is that they are focusing on “what Disney is doing to us” as they condemn the company’s perceived undermining of “American values”. He protest that our “popular culture both reflects and shapes us and therefore” Disney is “mirror(ing) us as well as influence(ing) us>.” Pinsky also notes that “the Disney gospel, as it has evolved in recent animated features, is not out of step with American, but is simply reflecting it.” Therefore if Disney can be seen as a reflection of us and our own values, why should we be surprised when Disney puts subliminal messages throughout their films? They are, simply, just a reflection of us.
