The main differences between Giroux and Hiassen are that:
1. Hiassen criticizes Disney's business tactics and sworn vow to secrecy. He hates Disney because Disney can do whatever it wants, whenever it wants, with little responsibility held for who or what they destroy in the process. Giroux on the other hand hates Disney for being a business-- which is simply unreasonable. Of course Disney wants to appeal to parents' pockets-- how else will they continue to be a business? You can't hate a business for it's marketing tactics. You CAN hate a business from restructuring an entire state to fit their needs.
2. Hiassen gives examples that even people who love Disney can't help but admit are extremely disturbing where as Giroux is upset about things that regular Disney consumers generally fail to notice or worry about. I mean, personally, I'm a lot more concerned with Disney digging up a lake and refilling it in order to make it blue and appealing than with them casually placing the phrase "Mozart makes babies smarter" in the movie The Incredibles. Giroux's ability to turn very minute problems into very big deals is pretty much just annoying and makes him seem bitter. Hiassen, on the other hand, appeals to people's struggle against authority. The average citizen hates to see big businesses get away with manipulation of the people and government, and that's basically why Hiassen says he's anti-Disney.
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| Bay Lake: the lake Disney causally refilled for the purpose of pictures like this-- dirty swamp water wasn't ideal. |
My personal appeal to Hiassen is that he recognizes that there are two groups of people working for Disney-- which is exactly what I mentioned in one of my earlier blog posts. There's the Insane Clown Posse and there's the script writers, actors, and mickey mouse. The latter is here for the enjoyment of children-- and he acknowledges that his hate isn't particularly towards them. Hiassen even took his son to Disney because he knows that Disney is a key part in American childhood. I appreciate that he even acknowledges that Disney is actually fun and extremely safe. He isn't in favor of the Michael Eisners, the people who sweep all bad publicity under the rug and attempt to keep Disney's image polished at all costs. He isn't in favor of the marketers of Disney who casually create a sovereign city for Disney to manipulate and control-- which actually sounds a bit psycho.
After reading the entire 'Team Rodent' book, I have developed a slight distaste for Disney as a business. "Check your privilege at the door (or state line)" basically sums up my opinion of Disney right about now. Yes, you are a multinational, multi-billion dollar corporation BUT, you aren't God. You can't rewrite history or restructure nature just because you feel like it. I understand why Hiassen's so angry with Disney. Disney did ruin Florida-- his home-- with the addition of Disney World, but, like Hiassen pointed out, Disney's business helped a LOT of other business grow as well. Disney's billion dollar company multiplied the revenue and profit of hundreds of small businesses. So while having tons of tourists might suck in terms of pollution, it also is amazing in terms of profit for the state of Florida. Hiassen just has to understand that sometimes you have to give up some things in order to gain greater benefits. Beyond that, I find Hiassen to be reasonably upset.
The most ridiculous account of Hiassen's Disney rant is that he refused to accept ANY free stuff from Disney. I mean c'mon, he could've racked up probably thousands of Disney items, and, with his hate for Disney being so strong, I doubt it would've had any bias on his writing at all. He literally would've just written "Although Disney tried their hardest to butter me up, joke's on them, I still think their hideous nature-ruining, history-changing, secrets-covering criminals." But I guess that just boils down to journalism stuff that I don't quite understand. If it was me though, I would take the stuff and probably write a ravishing review of Disney-- but that's more closely related to the fact that I don't have a personal vendetta against Disney and I do like free stuff.
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