The Market Of Romantic Story Telling

Movies teach us some strange life lessons, don't they?

Aladdin: Lie to everyone and pretend you're someone you're not, so people will like you
Grease: Change your entire image, personality, and style, so that bad boy you have a crush on will like you

Although I am one of the biggest Disney fans on this earth, I'm certain that Disney movies greatly influence girls in picking their mates and making romance and fairy tales a priority. I recently read that men want women who want a marriage, not just a wedding. Disney is great for showing the romance leading up to that special day, but the credits roll and the rest of the story is left up to our imagination to come up with how they dealt with life obstacles such as: paying the bills, reproducing, how to deal with the ankle biters made from of their own genetic material. Not to mention, in the fairytale world, dragons and sword fights and talking animals take place pretty often, adding more conflict to the mix.

Are we brainwashed? All the stories end the same way every time: "happily ever after". Along with the expectations for singing birds and pitch perfect voices and perfect skin, little girls are being set up for disappointment. Is it fair that society blames Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus for influencing our youth? Blame the mermaids and the princesses and the ones that showed off their bellies way before "Hit me baby one more time".

Let me show you some examples:

Ariel: A wild free-spirited girl who didn't listen to her father and was into older men. The first time she sees Prince Eric she's naked on the beach. And then she gets married at 16, just after she betrayed her entire species of mer-people and changed everything she was for a guy.

Snow White: This lady wears way too much makeup and is very impulsive in love. She lived with seven men. And jumped onto the prince's horse after knowing him for less than 60 seconds.

Jasmine: "At least some good will come of my being forced to marry. When I am Queen, I will have the power to get rid of you". Uhh, spoiled brat! Just like Ariel, didn't listen to her father, and showed way too much skin throughout the whole movie.

Cinderella: Cinderella was insecure and didn't respect curfew. She stayed out late and used her friends for rides and to make clothes for her and ditched those same friends once she got a boyfriend.