Nicholas Meyer Blog

Nicholas Meyer It has been said that Turkey’s largest cities, like Istanbul and Antalya, are truly global cities, in that they have a unique mix of western, oriental, and Muslim cultures. Despite this eclectic group of cultural influences, there is a generally accepted way to act in professional high-class settings. The most respected members of Turkish society seem to be the upper class, such as wealthy businessmen, high ranking government employees, successful doctors, and high-level bankers. It is generally accepted that the more successful and higher class an individual is, the more western they are. This typically means they can speak another language, have some familiarity with western customs, and have international connections for their profession.  The Turkish middle and lower class are generally small business owners and service workers. These classes are much larger and are generally seen as “more Turkish”, or at the very least, seen as less western. The urban lower ...

Nicholas Meyer Male Protagonists and Disney Traditionalism Disney’s animated films have often been criticized for reinforcing or promoting traditional or conservative values. Many Disney movies feature male protagonists or supporting characters, who start the movie as morally grey or only serving his own self-interests. As the story progresses, the male protagonist’s arc pushes him away from his selfish behavior and more towards the traditional ideal male role-model. Many male characters start out as self-serving, impulsive, and arrogant. By the end of the film, they end up as more stable, ideal men, usually after a sacrifice or grand gesture of maturity and selflessness. This trope dates back to as early as Lady and the Tramp and is found in films as recent as Tangled .  Characters like Tramp, Jim Hawkins, Flynn Rider, Aladdin, and others all start in a place of self-serving freedom. Their arc is usually directly related to forming a relationship with a female character, or t...