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Sustainable
eNews |
July 2003 |
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IWMC
World Conservation Trust |
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Finding Nemo -
Making Vegans
A "Fish
have Faces, Family Ties, & Feelings" Message
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The summer 2003 Disney/Pixar animated film is
advertised as wildly funny, and it has a few such moments. On opening
weekend in our area, all three afternoon and evening showings were sold out
before the beginning of the first one. Parents and disappointed kids were
seen sadly walking back to their cars, having stood in line for nothing,
because when they approached the window, the sad "Sold Out" news
became apparent. By the middle of the week, the lines were gone and one  could pick a convenient,
after-school time to go. The six-year-old found it somewhat entertaining,
somewhat funny in spots, and very, very loud. The graphics were impressive,
and they and the noises were pretty scary for anyone under six years old,
so keep that in mind if younger kids might be included in the theater
party.
Here are some of the messages that the film makes explicit: Fish, like
people, love their children and speak with them, protect them, play with
them, and take them to school, where they play with a diverse fish
population. Fish have faces that are actually quite human. Bad big fish eat
up smaller fish, destroying families and scaring everyone. Bad people catch
fish for aquariums, which are like jails. The fish in them wish they could
get out and go back to the friendly ocean with their families. Bad human
children unwittingly kill fish by shaking them in their plastic carry bags.
Bad people use purse seine nets to catch schools of fish, which are
terrified and try to escape out the bottom.
Some big fish are trying to be good. They have a support group to
encourage them to quit eating the poor smaller fish. The support group
mimics Alcoholics Anonymous.
Its motto is, "Fish are our friends, not our food".
When Nemo, a clown fish, manages to escape from the bad aquarium in the
dentist's office, he goes through the Sydney, Australia sewer system which
empties into the sea, where he is ultimately reunited with his father. It
is very touching to see how much they love each other. Heroes in the film
include a humpback whale, a few good (non-fish eating) sharks, a dim witted
female reef fish, a non-fish-eating pelican, and a few unfortunate aquarium
inmates. Some sea turtles and their happy turtle children add a light
touch.
If you are a vegan, and want your children to follow your example, this
film is for you. If you are not, and you want your children to enjoy
aquaria, zoos, meat, and fish as food fit for humans, then you will not
appreciate this blatantly message-laden excuse for innocent entertainment.
Finding Nemo is as agenda-driven a movie as the Disney/Pixar people could
possibly create. It is advertised as being very humorous, very light, and
fit for little children. It comes off as graphically impressive, loud and
scary, and will drive children away from choosing fish as food, or as
educational exhibits, by instilling kids with lasting guilt for consuming
or imprisoning them. Our advice regarding this film: Don't swallow this
bait. It leaves a very bitter taste. 
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