People Share The Worst Lessons We Can Learn From Disney Movies

Everyone loves Disney. We grew up with classics like The Lion King, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, and Alladin—and we loved them. But as adults, it can be hard to see past the glaring not-so-awesome moral lessons in some of our favorite childhood films, no matter how much you love Snow White. From sexism to unrealistic expectations about love and loss, people from around the world share their thoughts on the worst lessons we can learn from Disney movies.

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#1 Birds Will Come if You Sing

I thought that I could make small birds land on my hand if I sang to them. Obviously, I was quite short when I was six, so I took a stool into the garden and stood on it, trying to catch a sparrow. I toppled the stool and winded myself.

#2 You're Better on Your Own

#3 No Foot Size Is The Same

#4 Villains Have Goatees

You can tell someone is a villain by their facial hair.

#5 Anyone Can Be a Princess

No, there is no such thing as princesses. No, you can't grow up to be a princess... Oh, gosh darn it, Meghan Markle!

#6 Hitting Someone is Funny

Just repeatedly hit someone with a cast-iron skillet so hard that they blackout. They'll be fine, don't worry. And it's funny! Also, foxes and rabbits make the best of buddies!

#7 Cast-Iron Skillets Make Good Toys

We just talked about this in our staff meeting this morning (I’m a social worker) because we have a teen girl who was hitting her sister and eventually upgraded to using a cast-iron skillet. Some coworkers were talking about video games but I said she probably learned it from Tangled. Just an FYI, none of us actually believe video games (or Disney movies for that matter) caused this behavior. It was just staff meeting banter about some of the really challenging cases we have. The sister is fine, for those wondering.

#8 Only Those Pure of Heart Can Have Animal Friends

#9 Girls Don't Save Themselves

In Peter Pan, Wendy seemed like a perfectly capable and intelligent person; yet when she and the Lost Boys were being held captive on Captain Hook's ship, she only chastised them for losing faith that Peter would come and save them. Um, girl, you're right there, how about you get off your butt and do something? Also, she said nothing about when the mermaids were 'only trying to drown her' and Peter laughed. I woulda knocked the pixie dust out his butt.

#10 It's Okay 101 to Have 101 Dalmations

#11 Evil Can Turn Good

#12 Glass Shoes are Safe

That glass shoes are cool. Who the heck wears glass shoes!? Somebody who wants a severed Achilles’ tendon the first time they go dancing, that’s who.

#13 Only Pretty Wins

#14 The World is Divided

That the world is divided into absolute good and absolute evil. So many of our problems, as humans, come from our inability to relate to people from other cultures or different political viewpoints.

#15 Rats Make Good Cooks

#16 Royals Are the Only Government

#17 Men Always Save the Day

#18 Kiss Everyone

If you see a girl sleeping just go right up to her and start kissing.

#19 Not Listening to Your Parents Is Good

#20 Rodents Fix Everything

#21 Marriage Is the End Goal

#22 Great Things Happen Only Once You're An Orphan

#23 Good Guys Always Win

That the bad guy always loses.

#24 Don't Work for What You Want

Just keep dreaming and wishing, it will come true. I like that Princess and the Frog took that idea and added the concept of working toward your wishes and dreams, too.

#25 Fish Are Friends

#26 Just Listen to the Colors of the Wind

That if you want to learn English, all you have to do is listen to the colors of the wind.

#27 Life Always Ends Happily

That there is always a happy ending.

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#28 Pretty is the Only Way

#29 Raw Eggs for Every Meal

#30 Falling in Love at First Sight

#31 You Can Swing like Tarzan

Try surfing a tree and vines like Tarzan in your bare feet and you too can watch your palm and soles get friction burns down to the bone.

#32 Ugly People are Bad

#33 Acting Like a Brat Will Get You What You Want

I think one lesson that should not be taught from The Little Mermaid is that if you're wealthy, well taken care of and surrounded by people who love you, acting like an entitled little brat and disobeying your parents will reward you with even bigger and better things!

#34 Trust People You Don't Know

#35 You'll Be Fine If You Get Lost

#36 Life is a Musical

#37 Kiss Strangers

#38 This Is How Succession Works

#39 Evil People Look Evil

#40 Everything Works Out

#41 Love at First Sight

Love at first sight. That is a TERRIBLE thing to teach kids. And it shows. I can’t tell you how many people I know with the “He’s the love of my life! I’m going to stay with him forever no matter what!” mindset, even though it’s only been a month or two. Or people feel like they need a SO to complete their lives. It’s a toxic thing to teach people.

#42 Let Strangers into Your Home

#43 You Can Crack Melons Over Your Knee

From Aladdin, I thought melons could easily be cracked open over my knee. Some tears and a very bruised knee later, I found that this was not, in fact, a real thing.

#44 A Fork Makes the Perfect Brush

#45 Stepmoms are Evil

Stepmoms are evil. Marriage is hard, especially when one party already has a child with someone else. Cut them some slack!