i consider disney an evil corparation thats turned out pure crap since the 90s ended.

I've always disliked Disney characters, even when I was a little girl (I'm a pensioner now). I brought up five children, hopefully without influencing them too much. None of them liked Disney characters either. On a more earthy note, there's something which makes me quite uneasy about adults dressed from head to foot as animal film characters, hugging children and bouncing them on their laps. I don't think the hatred of Disney is due to jealousy, I think it's due to some inherent, intuitive, subconscious awareness of the 'not-rightness' of the whole Disney empire and it's creepy, ominous characters........

I went to www.anomalies-unlimited.com/Disney.html Ive seen enough to permanently BAN all disney ? related film objects or words ie. Mickey mouse,donald duck, even flubber. down with pedophiles & down with walt. gooday

This article really says it all. This is one objective and open writer, and he is great at what he does. I am not surprised by the responses either. Most of the people who think Disney is all "child stuff" has some sort of complex that makes them afraid to tap into that beautiful child-like innocence, and probably insults Disney because it makes them feel better, "Not a sissy". Besides that, Disney's art and music is beautiful, timeless, and if people really listen to that beauty and actually look at the ART, they will be surprised. I think if you are going to any extreme on Disney, then you must do that with everything. Never watch any cartoons. Don't listen to any music or go to amusement parks. Who wants to live their life in a box? I don't. Life is fun, enjoy it. You don't have to agree with your friends just because you like them. Go watch a Disney movie. And actually listen to the story. They all deal with happiness, love, greed, hate, broken families, death, etc... How fairy tale is that? Don't follow the crowd... I think that Disney ROCKS at EVERYTHING they do.=]

I think you’ve got it all wrong. People don’t hate Disney because they’re jealous of its success, or because it has a hidden political agenda. People hate Disney for other reasons. 1. Disney is ubiquitous. I don’t like Disney’s movies. Many people don’t. But because the company is so large and successful, I can’t get away from them. I turn on the TV, and there’s an ad for their latest product. I go to the movies, and there’s posters and trailers. I go out to eat, and there are toys and cardboard cutouts everywhere. After a certain point of saturation, I want to say, “Look, assholes, if I’m not interested in the premise of *Finding Nemo*, spamming me everywhere I go isn’t going to help your cause.” Of course, I’m not the target audience of their product, which brings me to my next point-- 2. All their movies are the same. They’re all corny, childish, cartoonily-drawn fairy-tales that are targeted at children and families. That’s fine if children and families are the only ones who have to cope with the marketing and the hype, but the rest of us have to live with it too. Of course, Disney does do other things--if I understand correctly, it owns Miramax, which makes Quentin Tarantino movies--about as un-Disneyesque as you can get. But this article isn’t about why people hate Miramax--by and large, people don’t hate Miramax. It’s about Disney. If Disney had made *Pulp Fiction* under the name “Disney,” it probably would have horrified families who went to see a nice, clean-cut Disney movie, but on the other hand, it would have demonstrated that Disney can make things other than kiddified garbage. 3. Disney deserves to be held to a higher standard. Disney is a corporation, and its behaviour is not unusual for a corporation--but since Disney sells itself as the receptacle of all that is nice and good and loving, it leaves itself open to more thorough scrutiny than your average corporation. So when I find out that Disney theme park employees are treated badly, I feel Disney has cheated somehow. In closing, I’m wary of anyone who stands up for a person or company that is already strong and successful. You’re something of an exception, Martin, in that you speak as an animation fan who happens to like Disney’s movies and doesn’t feel that they deserved to be hated--a valid view. I might find myself on the same side of the fence as you when it comes to my defense of the “half-hour toy commercials” of the eighties that I love (*Transformers*, and so on). Eventually, your article did persuade on some points; however, those first two paragraphs came off kind of fascist, as if you were saying, “Disney’s big and strong, so I’ll stand up for them, and call everyone else a loser.” In other words, what *Mr. Show* called “Worthington’s Law”: If someone makes more money than you, he’s better than you and therefore above criticism.

Excellent article and in showing that Disney is perceived by both the "left" and the "right" as promoting the views of the other side Disney is probably right where it should be. Smack in the middle and representing the views of the silent majority.

Your ideas are naive and clearly out of touch with those in the industry. Be sure to brush your teeth after you are done kissing Disney's ass :)

Thank you for being one of the few level headed writers left in the journalism world. I appreciate your effort to examine both sides, and emphasizing that a person should make up one's mind on their own, instead of going with "popular" opinion. Many people have shamefully forgotten the point of a free market economy. Yes the Walt Disney Company has made some horrible decisions, especially the direct to video sequels. But they are a family entertainment company plain and simple. I certainly hope they will continue to be on top, and I laugh in the face of the insane fanatics who believe they have a hidden agenda.

I guess this is all part of life. In general, when you show some potential, jealous,insecure and fearful people around will start their nonsense about you. When you are one of the good ones, people still 'slash' at you. When you are successful, same thing. Make that into groups of people, it's still the same. It sounds very 'doom and gloom' but it's all about people, about the human psyche... and it happens all the time, it's life. Nice article though...

Thank you Dr. Toon for your very inciteful review on the two books about the evil empire. I am like you, I have not always agreed with all of the Honchos at Disney decisions, but I would be the first to defend those decisions. I feel that they are aiming their target audiance for the rich too much but that is their decision. The idea that they have some evil plot going can only be made in the US, but I don't believe it for an instant. I was ready to agree with the authors before reading your column but now I would have to as I said agree with you. The proof is in the pudding as the old saying goes and you can't argue with their success either, those that do have to be jealous I fear. They seem to be experts at reproducing success and that is a business decision when you boil all down too. Dale Varner