The Disneyfication of Gen Y
By: The Isthmus
Tags: Childhood, New Media, Disney

Nostalgia; a sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past.

When I remember my childhood my mind often wanders right back to summers spent at Mooloolaba beach, the smell of my grandparents house and even the taste of my mothers famous cheesecake. Our childhood is a period for which many of us hold fond memories of and find ourselves often longing for. Something that we often remember clearly, and which often is a shared memory, is our favourite childhood television show or movie. From Playschool, Humphrey B Bear, to Mr Squiggle, often our childhood media consumption is something we hold on to dearly. Queue Walt Disney. A complete empire that is built on childhood dreams, imagination and memories.

For many Disney VCR’s were on repeat, their princess gowns were our costumes of choice, and their books, our favourite. Disney is somewhat a childhood rite of passage. But eventually as we grow up, the princesses, the prince charmings and the happily ever afters get left behind. Just like all childhood memories, times and things change.

Which is why I’m somewhat surprised by the amount of Gen Y focused Disney content that is currently trending online. It seems that many of us, haven’t left the Disney days behind, but instead are still enthusiastic fans.

There are literally thousands of memes, Tumblr blogs, Pinterest boards, fan art pieces, tattoos and Youtube covers that are all dedicated to Disney. There are even Disney themed weddings and parties. And of course with all trends, there are those who will try and capitalize on it all. Saturday Night Live created their own ‘The Real Housewives of Disney’ skit and Buzzfeed has countless articles and quizzes based on Disney. All of this Disney content is made by, or for, Gen Y’s. So where has this nostalgic trend come from?

http://youtu.be/b-2fnZfK9Lg

Mathew Rosza sums up this media nostalgia perfectly;

“Nostalgia has always appealed to those who have grown past childhood because it reminds of when one experienced everything with the enthusiasm of a newcomer to life. Instead of viewing the world through a nostalgic tint, younger people experience the world as a series of exciting promises often made by their fictional heroes’ lives. We remember the films and shows of our childhood as if somehow the characters who raised us implicitly foreshadowed what we would achieve when we too became adults and began our adventures.”

Looking at nostalgia from a psychological point of view the NY Times reports that nostalgia has been found to counteract loneliness, boredom and anxiety, as well as making people more generous to strangers and more tolerant of outsiders. Could this be the reason why gen y holds on to those Disney memories so tightly? Are we all lonely, bored or anxious?

Partly I think yes. Gen Y is now at that age where most of us are graduating from university, moving out of home and generally just trying to sort our lives out. It’s a period in our lives where we grow and we learn, but it’s also a time where we make a lot of mistakes, and are a little bit anxious about where we’re heading.

I think this is why so many of us are holding onto those childhood memories. The innocence, the lack of responsibility, and the pure simplicity of life. Disney offers audiences a story where everything is okay in the end, where everybody gets their happily ever after. Disney offers a sense of security, and I mean isn’t that something we all want.

Now this isn’t saying that older generations haven’t gone through this period; they too were once ‘20-something trying to figure it all out’. But I think for Gen Y, this nostalgia is magnified for two reasons. The first; the increasing cost of simply just living and the pressure to find employment; which have both made growing up a whole lot more stressful. And secondly, the increased access we have to these memories. You can buy literally thousands of items of Disney merchandise, as well as watch Disney originals, remakes, and numerous skits online. Reliving these childhood memories is really quite easy.

It’s interesting to see how a simple nostalgic feeling for ones childhood can actually transform into a complete social trend. I think it’s also interesting to note the influence new media has had on this trend and how it has allowed the creation of Disney content to be specifically directed at Gen Y’s.

So for all those Disney fans, I do wish you all a very Happily ever after.

Featured Images: http://www.tressugar.com/Tattooed-Disney-Princess-Art-EVVIART-35530602#photo-35530624