Text: The Disneyization of Society by Alan Bryman & How Far I'll Go by Auli'i Cravalho

Guides: Kyle & Jahony

Place: The High Line

In 1999, Alan Bryman published an article diagnosing what he called the "Disneyization of Society" — how the organizing principles of the Disney theme parks had come to dominate our world. This was well before Disney became one of the premier multi-media conglomerates of the twenty-first century attention economy.

We'll pair Bryman's work with a text that's (warning!) about to be stuck in your head all week: How Far I'll Go, from the Disney blockbuster Moana. This song exemplifies the characteristically Disney-esque notion of the "call of destiny" — a neat existential vibe that serves to push the plot toward resolution. How does this story show up in our popular culture? And what role does it play in how we think about our lives?

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