Inside Out, this summer’s instant Pixar classic, is getting a lot of love all over the place for what it can teach us about the importance for making space for negative emotions. But the kind of messages it is reinforcing about the world of work, well, that’s gone largely unexamined.
In this thoughtful piece on The Awl, James Douglas makes a convincing case that Pixar films preach a message of pro-capitalism and anti-organized labor. Retirement is the worst thing that can happen to someone, anyone not being productive is destined for the trashbin, and uprooting your whole family in support of your startup—which also takes up all of your time—is a completely reasonable thing for someone to do.
It’s a thought-provoking article, to say the least, whether you believe Douglas’ claims or not. Either way, it’s a neat and new look at Inside Out and yet another reason to talk about whether or not you cried when you saw it.