Monsters University and Disability

A look at Monsters University, and Mike's journey as an allegory for living with a disability
My throat: If u don't drink water you'll get hoarse by the end of the recording
Me: Gotcha
Me: Doesn't drink water
My throat: Gets hoarse
Me: pikachu-face.jpg
Patreon: / cushfuddledvideos
CREDITS
FOOTAGE
Monsters University
Toy Story 4
Henrietta Bulkowski (www.henriettabulkowski.com/)
Finding Dory
MUSIC
Monsters Inc. OST - Randy Newman
Monsters University OST - Randy Newman
Stop! - Against Me!

[@ew4316]

The right way to represent disability is to make the characters accept their weaknesses and learn to utilize their strengths, as opposed to overcoming those weaknesses.

[@sarroumarbeu6810]

Or literally making the disabilities look amazing/quirky/beautiful... It totally makes the struggles invisible

[@flintstonesgummies1662]

@@sarroumarbeu6810 are you joking or being serious.

[@HK47_115]

@@flintstonesgummies1662 he's probably just making fun of how Hollywood writers go about me cuz I'm movies. They could do that, but why would they do that when they can go to the easier route and still make their big cash bonus? I mean it's freaking Hollywood, if Pixar was to come out tomorrow and say that they were specifically going to make a film about autistic people. I was autistic even though I understand Pixar puts heart and effort into their films, which still look at it as a crash pad cuz at the end of the date do I really expect him to give a fuck about my condition? They're just making a movie to make money. At the end of the day that's all Hollywood give a fuck about, so should ever be a surprise that they have asked your stories especially about this evil people?

[@kstar1489]

@@flintstonesgummies1662 ?

[@jamesestrella5911]

It's better to do both, if you can manage it.

[@toast2139]

it’s like the quote by Albert Einstein, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”

[@chickadeestevenson5440]

mudskippers would like to know your location

[@Alexandra-xk3gu]

Rosalie Stevenson Gods don’t count.

[@arthurbruel5545]

Yeah, Einstein never said that.

[@VM-zo7it]

@@arthurbruel5545 yes he did

[@VM-zo7it]

@Keaton Harris literally Google it.

[@emcustard]

I was disappointed in Gabby Gabby's ending because I FULLY expected a family with a Deaf child to come into the store and buy her.

[@neksnek2032]

That would be actually perfect

[@evakonopka121]

@@neksnek2032 is ur username a Danny Gonzalez reference?

[@neksnek2032]

@@evakonopka121 yeah lol. Glad to see a cultured greg in the comments :)

[@IronDJW]

That would have been literally so perfect

[@bedsidearts]

Me too

[@pikachuisshook5535]

Last generation as parents: "You can do everything you want if you apply yourself" Parents that watched Monsters' University: "You can't do everything you want, but you can do something you love"

[@littlemoth4956]

I think both messages are flawed. Don’t settle for something less if you want to achieve something simply because it is difficult.

[@kono5933]

​@@littlemoth4956unless you're an egotist, 'something you love' is never 'something less'

[@zartexkrontaculys1097]

​@@kono5933I am an egotist, thank you I'd like to see some representation in media now

[@jadegreenleaf781]

@@zartexkrontaculys1097 dr house, barney stinson, johnny bravo, bender, eric cartman, miss piggy, tony stark, dr strange, sherlock, to name a few

[@zartexkrontaculys1097]

@@jadegreenleaf781 I mean in well written media

[@Alexis-vv5bk]

Stop. Imma cry. The idea that you're still a valued person despite not achieving your dreams is something more people need to hear.

[@_lexi]

i did cry and it needs to be SCREAMED so the people in the back can hear it!

[@faultyblender3590]

@@_lexi The next step is getting everyone to believe it.

[@redrooster3420]

I'm a disabled person who has become housebound/bedbound over the years due to the severity of my chronic illnesses. Since falling ill in my early 20s, I could no longer accomplish so many of even the most basic things I could do as a child, and in these last few years especially, I've really had to teach myself that there is inherent value within myself. I strongly agree that we need more messages like that in media because there are so many people (including me) that can't reach their dreams for whatever reason, and we don't deserve to feel like we are unworthy of happiness. We deserve to see ourselves represented in media, finding ways to thrive that don't always just rely upon us "defying" our disabilities/circumstances. We deserve to be treated as valuable too

[@adeposie]

@JOHNNY REB what makes you think that?

[@10amSanta]

You should check out the film "Frances Ha." Its message on success I found powerful.

[@Closer2Zero]

I never understood why Mike isnt seen as scary. If that thing crawled out of my closet when i was 5 I’d be scared fucking shitless

[@elizrebezilmadommdo1662]

Exactly what I was thinking. In real life, I think kids would be fairly freaked out by the way Mike looks.

[@ambre4144]

Too me, Mike looks way scarier than Sully 😭

[@kobatohanato876]

I actually would be scared of squishy

[@KashNoK]

I dunno, I was a fan of green creatures since I was little (thanks, Shrek) 5 year old me would probably scream in ecstasy.

[@vimtheprotogen2855]

@@ambre4144 that's some furry ass shit right there, but yeah, I think Sully looks really cuddly.

[@nightlyflare7558]

“I act scary Mike. But most of the time, I’m terrified” God that hits so hard

[@Noncreativevampir]

That lines stuck with me since I heard it idk y

[@caseys2698]

Probably the best line of the film. MU is underrated as heck, and I’m tired of people lumping it in with the other more mediocre Pixar sequels

[@User31662]

Take your blasphemy and leave

[@Queen_Sakura]

Honestly reminds me of my best friend/crush. He's basically admitted it to me.

[@kyleag86]

@@User31662not everyone’s religious

[@cabinetman7124]

When mike says “I did everything right. I wanted it more than anyone. And I thought - I though if I wanted it enough...” my heart just shatters into tiny pieces and I can’t,,,,, like??? Aasdfhjg

[@anonymouswitness3835]

It's too relatable for me.

[@parvapixel]

initially watching the movie i thought it was terrible, but after my second watch (senior yr of hs), that scene meant so much to me

[@inhobiswinecellar9571]

saw this movie as a ten year old when it first came out. the lake scene always stayed with me, even nine years later

[@QuantizedAxiom]

Ikr this part hit me hard when I couldn't go to my dream schools cause I just didn't have the money

[@HS-mn6jc]

I’m currently feeling this at university right now. I want to write music for a living so god damn badly but I’ve been at it for a long time and have made minimal progress. I’m pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into my attendance at this school so I can get a leg up in the industry, but I just don’t know if I’m cut out for the job. It fucking sucks as a depressed, anxiety-ridden, ADHD-struggling, (probably) autistic dude who sucks at social interaction and has never had a relationship in his life. I feel like a failure every day and it weighs heavily. I never made this connection with this movie as a kid (I was maybe 11 or 12 when it came out) but now that I’ve watched this wonderful video essay… man I’m just sobbing. It speaks to every struggle I’ve felt and am feeling right now. I hope to god that I can still achieve my dreams and I really don’t want to be that failure but I hope if it’s unavoidable that I can paint it in a more positive light.

[@d.m.515]

“Differently abled” always pissed me off. It’s massively patronizing to people who, at the end of the day, know it’s just a way to not say “disabled”

[@stargateproductions]

I agree call it like it is, disabled.

[@Andromeda9009]

Agreed, it invalidates the strength that it takes to overcome your curse.

[@Crimson_Cheetah]

I feel the same way, but at the same time I feel like the word disabled does carry a negative connotation to it. Like we are missing something, like we are incomplete, like we need to be fixed. And I can’t speak for every disabled person, but I don’t feel the need or desire to be “fixed”. I wouldn’t use the term differently abled to describe myself but I understand how some people might prefer it since for them it could lack that connotation of incompleteness.

[@Worsteverything]

The idea behind “differently abled” is that if the world were designed to be more inclusive of “disabled” people they wouldn’t technically be unable to do what they originally couldn’t in our current society. It’s also just a different perspective on disability in general.

[@elliottwatt5297]

Worsteverything I’ll respect it if another disabled person wants to be called that, but when it’s me I feel patronised. Like, there are things I cannot do.

[@hepthegreat4005]

The funny thing, Mike becomes more valuable later. He's a funny monster, which becomes more important when laughs are found to be more powerful.

[@quadpad_music]

You're right, it's sorta an acknowledgement of the social model of disability.

[@kawaiiconcept7479]

and the entire workforce suddenly has need for a monster like him. GEE what does THAT sound like? (it sounds like disabled people only having value in capitalism when they can be used)

[@ThePongles]

not only that, (I don't think it's shown implictly but) it seemed like he revolutionized the field of scaring by getting them to add a support role for the Scarers. He'll probably end up in Monster History books.

[@kylel8642]

pun

[@Ridlay_]

Yeah.

[@sneakaboo3486]

I think the idea that disability “makes you smarter” or is a gift comes from the fact that people with disabilities often have to work harder just to be accepted or pursue their dreams in a society that isn't built for us. Thinking of disability as a gift really undermines that effort. It creates an expectation that if you are disabled, you should have some natural, extraordinary talent to make up for it. I love that the movie shows that Mike is smart because he constantly studies and works for it, not because having a disability automatically makes you super skilled in That One Thing

[@pinkmonkeybird2644]

I think it has more to do with the fact that people still think that if someone faces hardship like a permanent disability, it’s a result of their sins and they deserve to suffer. They then get uncomfortable thinking that a child could be born with such a heavy burden, so they decide that the disability must come with hidden benefits to that child because god would never punish an innocent - or some similar nonsense. I don’t really understand this version of logic, but I’ve seen it repeated many times. It’s a bastardization of karma.

[@laurenj6771]

I don’t think it’s that disability makes you smarter, it’s that smarter people are more likely to to have a neurological difference that will be seen as a disability by society. Like how intelligence and ADHD just go hand in hand, they’re almost one in the same. When the brain grows super quickly during childhood in one way, it’s usually not as formed in another way. I think the only problem is that our society values socially advantaged people over intellectually advantaged people

[@pinkmonkeybird2644]

@@laurenj6771 Actually that’s verifiably false. There’s no linkage between ADHD and higher intelligence according to all current medical research. There are anatomical differences between brains of people with ADHD and those who do not have the condition, and those continue into adulthood even though people find ways to work around those challenges. It is a disability, and like most disabilities, it sucks at times and the world isn’t designed for disabled people, although it is finally becoming more welcoming. What do you mean when you say society favors “socially advantaged” people over “intellectually advantaged” people? If you just mean some people value dumb rich people over smart non wealthy people, I concede you have a point. It explains the popularity of the Kardashians, but it doesn’t have any relevance with respect to people with disabilities.

[@Anonymous-wi6ig]

Reminds me of people who assume people with autism are all supergeniuses when in reality most of us are average or dumber than average lol

[@r0cketm4n34]

this is just a stupid hollywood stereotype, propped up by people who can’t be realist

[@cooper54729]

“Having a disability doesn’t mean I’m secretly cooler or more beautiful than anybody else, it means I have a disability.” this quote sums up this video absolutely perfectly.

[@delicatedark2376]

No ones going to mention Quasimodo?! He was forced to think he was nothing but a monster. Didn’t get the girl he wanted. But was happy with who he was in the end!

[@eggverseoffficial7976]

And the thing that makes it better is that he doesn't get the girl in the end. All kids need to learn that they might not get the girl, and that's ok! As a neurodivergent lesbian, I'm still trying to learn that lesson...

[@sablestormbreak3541]

I was going to mention the fact that in one of the sequels it turns out that his Hunchback is actually a pair of wings.

[@br1teb0y]

@@eggverseoffficial7976 are you me? because I think I am you

[@parkchimmin7913]

@@sablestormbreak3541 In the movie sequel, he gets a love interest :/ it defeats the purpose of the first movie.

[@sablestormbreak3541]

@@parkchimmin7913 not what i was really going for I mentioned it because of that short movie about that Girl she mentioned in her video , and how she didn't say anything about that movie getting the whole hunchback = wing thing influence; from said sequel.

[@alexandredesouza3692]

This used to be a "meh" movie, but now, seeing it as a ln allegory, it's amazing to me.

[@_AKU_AKU_]

Who else overdosed on ketamine

[@alexandredesouza3692]

@@_AKU_AKU_ Mr. Krabs, apparently.

[@_AKU_AKU_]

@@alexandredesouza3692 yes he also has stage 5 cancer

[@itsblitz4437]

I just enjoyed the movie in general as it is set in university not often shown in animation.

[@ThatDistantShore]

Seeing this movie as an allergic reaction it's amazing to me

[@skwyd3341]

I completely agree with your analysis on the “gifted” sully, I breezed through Elementary and middle school so much so that I never learned what to do when I struggle. Because I was handed such an easy life in the beginning, I never grew the willpower necessary to push through difficult obstacles. I know nobody asked to give my life story, but it’s just so comforting knowing that people out there understand

[@olivierdubreuil-gagnon2201]

Been there as well. I had to really face myself when I got to university. That… Was not a fun realization.

[@TheSpeep]

Been there as well, add autism and adhd into the mix and... Well, I crashed during my master degree. Had a project I really wanted to make into something cool, and I just couldnt mentally work on it anymore. Talked it over with a teacher, decided my bachelors degree was enough, since a masters in game design really doesnt offer much extra value and it just wasnt worth the stress anymore. A good year later, I still want to pick up or reboot that project again at some point, but actually working up the creativity to get any decent work done is still just impossible...

[@skwyd3341]

I also struggle on the spectrum

[@TheSpeep]

@@skwyd3341 Its fun, isnt it?

[@amog8202]

Oof yeah. World took a hard turn start of high school. Not doing bad as a sophomore though.

[@jackcapellini113]

Great analysis! Something I want to point out about Sully is that he, a “gifted” Scarer, is the monster who discovers that Monsters Incorporated is exploiting children. In college, he was expected to be the school’s top Scarer, even if people’s high expectations resulted in Sully developing anxiety about letting them down. The person who he was the most anxious to fail was Dean Hardscrabble. Sully’s fear of letting others down stayed with him after college. Even after being humbled and learning about the importance of hard work, he’s still expected to be the top dog at Monsters Inc. Waternoose fills Hardscarbble’s role of being the anchor that stops Sully from being who he wants to be. From the beginning of Monsters University to the end of Monsters Inc, Sully goes from being an egotistical jock to a humbled, big-hearted individual who ends the exploitation of children. After befriending a human child, Sully develops the courage to take a stand against the societal machine, and reinvents Monsters Inc from the ground up. He does this by making its goal spreading joy among children instead of traumatizing them. It's kind of sweet when you think about it.

[@PaulPower4]

On the flip side of the coin, Mike may never get to be a scarer - but he *does* get to become MI's top comedian one day... MU has its flaws, it's certainly not as good a movie as the film it's a prequel to (let's face it, that would be difficult, MI is amazing)... but it *is* an excellent prequel.

[@JawnNawva]

I love how you connected the 2 movies!!

[@clemintyne7898]

“Mikes not scary” Bruh- if a one eyed round green goblin popped up at the foot of my bed I would be traumatized for the rest of my life.

[@kolossis8283]

True. And I could have insomnia for the rest of my life

[@muffinman7479]

Bruh. Can you imagine after monsters Inc and they resorted to laughter as their power source he does that and says eye see you. Meanwhile the little girls just traumatized. 😂

[@pissfrog]

Yeah if a big hairy dude showed up to yell at me in the middle of the night I'd just assume it's my dad again

[@onewholovesvenison5335]

I’ve always considered Mike more scary than Sully.

[@thebiggestmonkey9172]

I to am afraid of onision

[@sero.toniii]

“There’s nothing beautiful about the realization that your chosen career field or dream wasn’t built to accommodate you.” That hit hard.

[@GoldPlatedKikimora]

Indeed

[@djuannalester4743]

Me with acting

[@giovannicervantes2053]

When life closes a door you open a window

[@hugnboba]

@@djuannalester4743 me with being an instrument prodigy :,)

[@Emily_J]

Me too. I wanted to go into acting, but late hs thru college I was in the worst flare of my life, so, I couldn't join any of the plays and stuff in college, or community theater. Had to give up that dream.

[@Andyccandy]

When mike said "I did everything right. I wanted it more than anyone. And I thought if I wanted it enough.." I started to cry. I know that feeling of loving and wanting something so much and feeling like a failure because if I truly wanted something that much, I should've been good and above everyone. I should've been great, but I'm not. It was nice to see that im not particularly alone in this feeling.

[@alejandropetit6573]

Yes, I know and absolutely despise that feeling, it's even worse when not even you can truly tell if you've tried your hardest or not

[@spooktoonz]

I never even realized Monsters University could even be connected to having a disability, and I’m visually impaired. But this just makes me love the film even more now

[@walkingexistentaldread3079]

yeah, same. it came out a year before I went off to college and I always associated it with its literal meaning of how college just doesn’t work out for everyone and how crushing the expectations and goals of young adulthood are. but this actually makes a lot of sense.

[@Zeder95]

@@walkingexistentaldread3079 Same, this movie came out just at the right time in my life when I started a course of studies right after finishing school in 2013, only to later realize it was not the right thing for me and too hard and I picked a different course of studies a year later that was much better for me and that I was successful in. I always related this movie more literally to students picking a course of studies that doesn't work out for them.

[@reyrio6034]

I guess you weren’t able to see the connection

[@spooktoonz]

@@reyrio6034 was that a vision joke? If so, that’s freaking amazing and I love it.

[@ellakathryn2157]

as someone who was the “gifted” kid and is now a socially anxious lump with ADHD this hits different.

[@avag4334]

We might be the same person

[@paintedwing93]

Same man same

[@phoneguy8369]

Hey, I might have adhd but struggle with that idea because i was also a "gifted kid" who never struggled to get good grades. Now in college I'm having a rough time because I just can't concentrate...how did you get diagnosed? How did you deal with it?

[@cyclops8238]

My problem is that I can barely see at all. My eyes are slowly deteriorating due to a rare genetic disorder that makes my retinas slowly split apart. I can’t even get a license because the DMV instantly fails me it really sucks because I can’t really go live wherever I want. At this point it’s just a waiting game between a cure or living with the reality that I might one day wake up not being able to navigate my own house. But I keep pushing forward and I try to keep a smile on my face and help anybody else that I see in need.

[@galaxymew5138]

OH MY GOD YES-

[@adrianacaggese2606]

"Mike, you're not scary, not even a bit. But you're fearless." As a very VERY huge Monsters Inc fan I thought this movie was nice but this sentence singlehandedly changed my entire perspective of it. So powerful.

[@re_i_gn]

It's sad that many people downplay this prequel as forgetable and mediocre. I don't agree a bit, I love the new characters they seemlessly introduced and I especially love the message of the movie.

[@DJDipstick]

ok mae

[@adrianacaggese2606]

DJ Dipstick ok Chip

[@DJDipstick]

@@adrianacaggese2606 *gentle breakdancing*

[@marcie557]

@@re_i_gn yesss thank you! i don't understand why people would call it average and boring, i guess they hated the final resolution bc they got expelled or smthn lmao. or the fact that they got discriminated hits too close for them

[@false3695]

I love that one scene by the lake because it's just incredible, The whole movie is filled with highly saturated scenes of neon characters performing incredible acts but in this one scene the two heros sit at the edge of a dark lake shaded in muted tones of the colors we've become familiar with, We see these two at their lowest and above all else it feels real. It feels desperate and depressing and that's exactly how it should feel, Mike is realizing that he will never achieve what he wants no matter how hard he tries or how badly he wants it and there is nothing he can do to change that. For an unnecessary (pre*)equel to a kids movie it's obvious that the writers truly cared about it.

[@fathiyyah3198]

I think its a prequel but I agree with u wholeheartedly

[@jjstarz7383]

I AGREE SO HARD

[@gabirmol]

I really feel a connection with Sullys character. I grew up “gifted” and “talented.” I have an above average iq and an ability to quickly process and understand information. But that meant I never learned how to study, how to work consistently, and how to deal with failure. I would work till 3am, sobbing over some geometry homework I just couldn’t figure out. I’d spend three times as long studying for a test than my friends because I didn’t know how to study efficiently. And I did it all in secret. I was scared that if people found out I wasn’t as smart, as confident or as “gifted” as they thought that I was a failure. Now I have lasting anxiety and negative associations with many events in my life because of it. Also, kids are awful. They poke and prod at you and nit pick everything about you. So every little mistake was brought to my attention. Anyways, I’m rambling. Stay safe reader ❤️ Edit: spelling

[@lilystegall844]

Absolutely relatable. When I was younger, they took the “academically and intellectually gifted” to their own “class” twice a week to make paper airplanes and marshmallow forts (me being one of them). The only thing it taught me was that the education system relishes in the reinforcement of social hierarchy’s related to the students perception of their own and others academic talent. It’s sickening. Hope you’re having a nice day!

[@iananderson4754]

Same.

[@lasajnae9626]

Ever since the COVID pandemic, I turned from a smart kid to a teenage burnout. It made me sad thinking about 'instead of being better because I'm growing, I became worse.' I was pretty open with the fact that I lost my talents to my family, friends and even classmates I didn't interact with very much. Being open with my feelings made me feel better now. I don't feel inhibited, I now feel free.

[@1k_A]

Its all about avoiding figuring out information at the half way and starting by the very basics of the topic instead, thats how everybody else do it. Not forcing you to suddenly decode unknow info just by over-analizying it along one n half hour.

[@dhb1148]

Holy frick that's me. Everyone always had high expectations of me in school because I was born with an above average I.Q, ability to quickly process and understand information and all that stuff, but in the end I don't know how I actually graduated in high school since I was always lazy and only caring about playing videogames and get any job that's not a normal one like law and medical stuff. Now I'm 19, unemployed, still poor like when I was a kid and wanting recognition for my intellectual competency which I do get but never feeling like it's enough.

[@QuilloManar]

Imagine if Gabby’s voice box was *still* broken when the girl tried it, but the girl went, “It’s okay, I can’t find my voice too.” And found comfort in the fact that the toy had something similar to her. Or better yet; if that girl was deaf and she just liked the toy because she felt nice to hug and looked pretty.

[@timothye.2902]

I would have loved to see her pull the voice cord, hear nothing, be confused for just half a moment, and then start playing with Gaby like she was an airplane and making the accompanying noise herself. In brings home the message MU does while also being totally 100% realistic and unforced. Kids play with toys in all sorts of ways and use them as all sorts of different objects. Toys exist to engage the imagination of a child after all.

[@epicnicknameepiclastnickna9634]

Bro yes!!!!

[@Dan-zc3ou]

That tug at my heart

[@RebornHumanoidTV]

That would have been SO. MUCH. BETTER.

[@buzzytrombone4353]

That wouldn't have worked whatsoever because what would be in it for Woody as a character? The reason why he gives Gabby his voice box to her in the first place and even dismisses her offer to give it back, is because he was originally going to give her to Bonnie, so that she could potentially take his place in the room, it's when the kid pulls his voicebox inside of Gabby's back, that he realises that he made that happen along with the other toys, it's what forms the realisation for Woody, the realisation that he can do so much more shit in the world, than being stuck in a closet. He's become what he hated three movies ago, a lost, broken toy, but much like Mike Wazowski, he's found something better because of it.

[@ThatOneLadyOverHere]

I like to relate disability to Sandy the squirrel. She is a perfectly functioning squirrel, but without her scuba suit she'll die because the society she lives in is not built for her. I don't like to think of my ADHD as a disability, I just don't function the way the society I live in was built so I need a scuba suit.

[@Shawno625]

Dont you mean sandy from spongbob a squirrel living underwater that needs a suit to breath

[@ThatOneLadyOverHere]

@@Shawno625 Yes, oops. I fixed it. Thanks. That's embarassing.

[@Shawno625]

@@ThatOneLadyOverHere your welcome

[@Psychwriteify]

A+ illustration of the social model of disability.

[@dashagarcia8853]

Yeeeeees!!! I have ADHD as well and it is a disability (though it’s downplayed by others bc it’s “not as bad” but it still impacts our daily living) and that’s okay! 💗💗💗

[@huwawej]

i remeber that this movie shocked me when i was younger "a character can't make their dreams come true?? wtf??" but with years i realized that life isn't always a fairytale and sometimes you need to find good or at least balance in what's given to you because it happens to be hard

[@Blazzee]

I was incredibly happy when she said that most of the ''gifted kids'' are highly anxious and struggle with some things developed ultra-early by non ''gifted kids''. I feel safer now

[@MaxKarmaCat]

Being in higher level classes and labeled as gifted tends to cause depression, anxiety, and/or ADHD to develop.

[@babycakelings]

@@MaxKarmaCat Small correction on an old comment. ADHD doesn't develop, those gifted kids already had ADHD and that's actually what caused them to be so great in the first place. If the find the subject matter interesting as a kid they can cling to it and appear as genies. The issue is as they get older and schoolwork gets harder it become impossible to memories without study. These kids with ADHD were never taught to study, and even once they are taught they often find it so boring they flunk out. Go from high achieves to bottom of the class within a few years without understanding why.

[@MaxKarmaCat]

@@babycakelings I have ADHD, numbskull. And either you're born with it or it develops.

[@tosmok]

good thing youre far from gifted

[@tosmok]

@@MaxKarmaCat it definitely developed in you

[@sillygooselol2757]

It would of been super cute if gabby gabby found a mute kid. Like maybe a kid was walking around the shop and tried to make gabby talk only to realize she doesn’t, just like herself. She was happy that there was a toy out their that should talk but shouldn’t. Idk just a idea

[@doodars9357]

Ohh I wish they did that now! That would’ve been adorable

[@sanalulu2172]

wow i think i just cried

[@amemelia]

I'm pretty sure Pixar are making a short about a nonverbal autistic girl on disney+ if that's any interest

[@christianali5431]

Picture this: Gabi Gabi is abandoned by the child she hoped would be there for her. After going on her adventure with Woody and Bo peep she lands near a lost kid. The kid picks her up curiously, and pulls on her string. After taking another look at her adorable face, she hugs her, promising to take care of her and be her friend. She then proceeds to go to the security guard at the carnival and communicate the fact that she can’t find her parents… In sign language. The kid that finally learned to play with Gabby Gabby and be her friend, was deaf the entire time. Turns out, she didn’t need a good voice to be loved. She just needed someone who could except her regardless of what she sounded like.

[@GABE_is_here]

ah a missed opportunity there

[@anopinion1349]

My sister has a learning disability and when she was little she found a doll at a store who was broken. The dolls body had beeds to make it soft and huggable, but the legs weren't sewn properly so all the beads whent to one leg. Making one feg fat and the other one empty. It is to this day still her favorite toy. She even costum sews clothes for her doll. That's the kinda thing i was hoping to see from toystory

[@kurinthekitty6842]

awwwwwwwwwwww

[@bogeyworman6102]

When I was a kid I was extremely lonely (had friends, but had trouble connecting with people and struggled with social norms). I'd always pick the toy I didn't think anyone else would buy so that it had a home. I remember once my dad took me to an antiquities store and there was this gorgeous doll with a beautiful hand sewn dress and blonde ringlets like mine and I carried her all around the shop and then I saw this old, stuffingless dog-looking toy with faded fur and hideous jowls... I ended up walking out with Scruffy and introducing him to his adopted daughter, Foxy lol

[@anopinion1349]

@@bogeyworman6102 that's such a beautiful story 💕

[@bogeyworman6102]

@@anopinion1349 so is yours! 💓 it just tickles me when something brings back one of these memories, full colour smell and texture. I always feel like I need to record them somehow or tell someone to keep it alive 👽💖

[@anopinion1349]

@@bogeyworman6102 yeah i totally get what you mean! Sometimes you hear something that throughs you back in time and you just jave to get it out somehow

[@JonathonSwinney2814]

In my opinion, the best representation of a disabled character is Toph from A:TLA. As someone who also struggles with the mixed bag of ASD, I really associated with her.

[@howardbaxter2514]

I’d add Sokka too since, in a way, he is disabled as he is not a bender like everyone else in the “GAang”. Both are born without abilities that they can never overcome - seeing or bending - and both are able to develop and be productive members of the team through their strengths

[@ishavedoffallmyhair]

I think Massimo in Luca was handled pretty good. He had a missing arm and he didn’t have some dramatic backstory as to why he had it, he simply just says “This is how I came into the world.” And shows by example how much stronger he’s become because of it and how it’s made him adapt to the world around him.

[@nancyhi8357]

When you're simultaneously the "Gifted kid" and ALSO the "has a disability that stops them from being able to do the thing they want to do kid"

[@ihopeicanchangethisnamelat7108]

(So I finished writing the comment, it’s kind of very long so don’t try and read it if you don’t have time or a long attention span) This is kind of me. It’s not a disability, but I have an issue with my joints that affects my legs and feet but more like my hands. I’m the ‘smart kid’ (I’m not even really smart, people just put me into that category because I’m fairly quiet and try too hard. Kind of like the gifted kid part of the video). The thing I am best at in the world is writing. As in, stories and creative writing. I want to be an author, but I’m also trying to be the smart kid, and I want to do well, but I can’t think of anything I would ever be happy doing except possibly teaching but I know I will never be able to get the qualifications for it. Anyway, I can’t really do the actual writing part of it. Because if I hand write stuff I end up having my right hand getting cramps in my wrist, and it happens after writing quickly for maybe 10 minutes. But whenever I have tests, they last for about 45 minutes, and I end up with my hand going numb and I have to stop and shake it really hard to get the muscles to loosen every few seconds. I can type okay, and I write a lot in my own time on the computer, but I can’t use a keyboard at school. So, I’m slowly getting worse in every subject that involves writing, so every subject except PE, which I was never great at in the first place, and I need to try and do well, partly because I have to do something I enjoy and I really don’t want to end up in a job that doesn’t interest me, but partly because I am terrified of losing the smart kid label. It doesn’t help that my sister is actually gifted, and she’s naturally good at learning AND she somehow actually enjoys studying, so she’s getting top marks in everything before she’s learnt most of it, and I can’t write a page long essay in under 2 hours. And then sometimes I can’t really get my thoughts into order so I end up with the piece of paper still blank, it get distracted and waste the entire time or scribble something that makes no sense and is just a bunch of words at the end. But in actual exams, because I don’t have a real disability, I just struggle in a different way to other people, I won’t get any extra time or assistance, so I need to be able to work twice as fast to cover the same amount. And the one thing I’m actually good at (writing) is also the thing I struggle to do the most, but it’s the actual act of writing words down that hurts, not coming up with stories and stuff, so they’re also echoing around my head and getting in the way of proper thoughts. But I don’t struggle in the same way kids who you think of as struggling academically do, and I don’t have any disabilities so am I still the smart kid? Or am I just the quiet kid or am I unique or what? And I have no clue how I’m going to cope with real exams, which are way too soon, or a job. I’m not even sure why I wrote this comment, but basically: yes, I can relate.

[@ViktoriaMagrey]

Good to know we're not alone, then!

[@tootsm.]

My life. And now I have nothing.

[@marymurphy1429]

Mood

[@kirani111]

Sometimes the pressure keels you over. I self-sabotage a lot. But then I remember that I don’t want to live with this pressure forever and it’s okay to just live life. Even if I fail or I let myself and others down, as long as I can still live out happy moments with friends, family, and myself, it’ll all be okay in the end.

[@jacpod2046]

I always liked him saying "I did everything right. I wanted it more than anyone. And I thought- I thought that if I wanted it enough..." It reminds me of that amazing quote from Star Trek: "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not weakness. That is life."

[@arandomladywithabadsleepsc1748]

I always loved that line, I’m glad someone else recognized why it’s such a powerful one.

[@Ridlay_]

Yeahhh

[@jaythewolf7216]

that's powerful

[@leroyjenkins1249]

*Fun fact* While Mike isn't scary per se, he could have used items to help him -makeup, masks, prothesis etc. HOWEVER, this also kinda fits: The university expected monsters to NATURALLY scare kids aka out of their own nature. Similar to how many insitution still don't have proper accommodations for disabled people. Everyone just told Mike "you're not scary". Not "Let's get you stuff so you scare better". Regarding that Mike was a determined student, he'd had been a truly fine worker if someone had helped him along.

[@PinkIcedTea]

I remember when I first saw this in theaters when I was younger. Although the movie was just mildly decent and forgettable, the ending stuck in my memory for the rest of my life. Because no other kid's movie that I had ever watched let the main characters *fail* at their big dream - much less manage to still put a hopeful spin on it. It's something special I've carried in my head since then.

[@r0cketm4n34]

its because this is the one movie thats says maybe being yourself isnt enough at a time when every movie said to be yourself thats why this is memorable and kinda better

[@feliperoa5821]

@@r0cketm4n34 I don't understand the "maybe being yourself isn't enough", can you explain that please?

[@aryuhs]

@@feliperoa5821 that "just being yourself" isn't enough to achieve your dreams. you won't always get what you want by just being yourself, and that's okay. it's life, but instead of wallowing in self pity or giving up, you reroute and pursue something else that better suits who you are. "maybe being yourself isn't enough" doesn't mean that who are isn't worthy of respect, support, and acceptance in this context.

[@feliperoa5821]

@@aryuhs thanks

[@miticaBEP07]

It’s a Pixar thing they call “Rolling Stones” ending, referencing a song of theirs that says “you can’t always get what you want”. The characters tend to fail at what they’re trying to do: Mike and Sulley don’t save the scare industry, Lightning McQueen doesn’t win the Piston Cup, Carl Fredricksen never makes it to Paradise Falls and Miguel Rivera’s idol is a jerk. And yet they’re still happy.

[@tris5602]

The thing I loved most about this movie is that they got kicked out of college. The back story of Mike and Sully being college drop outs who go into the workforce and rise to the top of their field really meant a lot to me. I hadn't expelled or dropped out of college, but I did enter the workforce right after graduating high school. I knew I had no idea what I wanted to do in college, and it was the right choice, but it was always painful to have to tell people I hadn't gone, in part because there wasn't much representation of successful people who didn't go to college. It was a nice reminder.

[@queenj8886]

Agreed!

[@prisciliamellark95]

Me and my siblings loves movies, and oftentimes animation doesn't reach our hearts anymore. But when we went out of the theaters that night, we were in awe. We've watched Monster Inc. so many times before, so to find out that the successful duo Mike and Sully from M.I was actually a college drop out, and had to build their careers from the bottom, really caught us off guard. It really left a mark cause irl a lot of successful people, like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, are actually a college drop out too! It really touch the sensibility of real life, and somehow it still as memorable as it can get

[@alexanderb5726]

Yes, that was a very classy twist to the ending. Since watching the first movie you assume that someone like Sully has done "all the right things" back in school.

[@mattstyles4283]

It's literally the American Dream

[@diamoond11]

True! When we saw it on cinema with my dad, he liked that so much. He didn't finish college, and in such a similar way to Mike and Sully he got his actual job he's had for like 20 years. He was so excited about it and told us many stories about how his story in his job was.

[@justnuttedinasock2054]

i used to be “smart” and get A’s without trying hard and then life hit me like a truck and now i’m struggling to get C’s or if god blesses me a B

[@jademonass2954]

same here bif oof

[@rickjohnson1719]

Same here but i was lucky to have "college is gonna be hard as shit and this aint gonna cut it" drilled into me in highschool. It was little over exagerated but it got me in the right headspace.

[@rivalflash4569]

Big same

[@cia1542]

Maybe you burned out, or maybe you never really cared, it was just easy so you got those grades. You can't put the same energy into more challenging things, you've got to try harder, be more productive, you can still get those As sure maybe not straught As and A*s but certainly higher than what you're getting. You just have to want it a lot more. I know it's sad but what keeps me succeeding as the lazy bastard I am, is the fact it crushes me when Im barely passing or what not, so when grades come in and it's Cs and Bs I work harder cos it hits me.

[@samseery1595]

what happened to us

[@exploshaun]

My favorite part was when the strict teacher did an on the spot exam for sully and he did his usual roar, but he didn't listen to the prompt so she failed him on the spot for using the wrong scare method. Really fits the theme of a gifted child failing the moment he steps foot into college.

[@eurekamreum5458]

Oof, you didn't have to call me out like that lol

[@tosmok]

lol what? college isnt hard

[@Kimmiscene]

I almost cried when you were talking about realizing that certain career fields aren’t accommodated for you… as someone with Tourette’s, there are so many careers I probably will never be able to do. I can’t be a surgeon, I can’t fly a plane, I can’t do anything to do with precision, and most places aren’t and will never be accommodated to me… it always hits me like a truck, realizing, “oh. Even if I wanted to do that, I can’t.” I’m not allowed to learn how to drive yet, all because they don’t think I can. Even worse, there’s not an actual way to fix this. I just, won’t do those careers. I’ll eventually learn how to drive. But nothing is made for people like me.

[@ianiboy]

When I was a kid I was scared of Mike more than Sully because Sully to me looked more huggable and he was like a stuffed animal. Whereas Mike is a one eyed booger looking miniature demon.

[@jenniflower6569]

Prolly why Boo calls Sully "Kitty"

[@averagejoey2000]

I guess you're boo

[@yanagelfand4337]

Sully also acts more huggable, and Mike is just mean! If I were Boo, I would be scared of a weird thing that's mean to me, not a weird thing that's kind to me.

[@pastelcrazes882]

The problem with these kinds of representations is that they aren’t realistic. You’re telling a disabled child that they can be “fixed” - only, they can’t. A mute child is given hope that one day they will speak, which just leads to disappointment. Some disabilities can’t be treated, which is why we have to be taught to accept them instead of searching for a “cure”.

[@peterd4047]

You would love the book Brilliant Imperfection, written by Eli Clare. It's central purpose is what you just said, and the author has cerebral palsy.

[@xTwilightWolvesx]

Pastel Crazes I think that’s the point of the movie. Mike might not be suited for scaring, but he’s good at other things. A mute musician may not be able to sing, but they can absolutely play an instrument. Same occupation, different role. Just like what Mike did.

[@cece8401]

What is mute? Do you choose not to speak or are you born like that? If anyone knows more, it would be nice to get some insight.

[@Vynzent]

It's almost like you watched the video.

[@OK-lm1hj]

Uncomfortable Adolescent You’re born not able to, if you choose not to speak then it doesn’t mean you can’t

[@lahlybird895]

Funny thing, I've actually experienced both sides of this! I'm blind, but I was still considered a gifted student in elementary school back then assignments were easy and Braille wasn't that much harder but as I got older I moved into high school and the modern age advance technology and a lot of things suddenly made everything more difficult, it became a lot harder to be gifted, it became a lot harder to keep up with my school work to not fail, and it became a lot harder to exist in the system as a blind person when the world has stopped caring about blind people so I've been the gifted student who stopped being gifted and became anxious and I've been the disabled person who has to struggle against the system and fight to make their place in the world

[@r.j.penfold]

I'm sorry to hear that the system completely dropped the ball with you, that sucks.

[@lahlybird895]

@@r.j.penfold yeah, not fun Thank you though :)

[@samantha2254]

I'm sorry to hear that too, Forgive me if I'm being rude I'm just curious about how do you write comments on Social Media if cannot see them?

[@lahlybird895]

@@samantha2254 so this may come as a shock but there are in fact your other senses besides site in the world

[@r.j.penfold]

@@samantha2254 oh there's actually a blind surfer on YT named Pete and he wasn't born blind so he basically trained himself for when he would and he memorized keyboard placement and stuff. Plus I remember a friend of my dad's who had a computer that would announce what letters were pressed. And I think you could put braille on a keyboard too

[@randomfroggie]

I remember seeing this in the theatres and crying at the scene by the lake, I related to Mike so much. I put so much effort into my medical school applications and didn’t make it but saw so many of my peers sail into my dream when I had spent upwards of 15 hours a day preparing for exams. The film helped me contend with the idea that it might be okay to work in a parallel occupation, that I could still work in health and be an asset wherever I went as I struggled with my illness. Eventually I made it in on my 4th application, I am a doctor now. This year I was forced to take leave because of the same illness that held me back originally so I am currently faced with the reality I may not be able to work in clinical medicine anymore. I recently finished a master of public health and your video has helped me remember I’ll be okay no matter where I work. I am not my ‘defect’, I am a worthy human being no matter what.

[@clickpause8732]

This reminds me of a random quote I saw online: "Your flaws don't make you unique or special. They make you flawed."

[@Jlowrey8]

They make you human. We all have flaws!

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

(* ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉｼ

[@marson1334]

gay

[@benjisaac]

ok cool but I read this at the part of the video about autism and if someone called my autism a “flaw” i would punch them in the fucking face

[@snoppyloopy5981]

Tru that

[@jacksnack8010]

Never noticed half of these characters have disabilities

[@asylumrain]

Jack Snack yeah I just liked toy story for what it was. I didn’t think anyone was “special”. I just likes the characters and what they were along with the story.

[@9nikolai]

That's what's so great about it. Instead of thinking about them as disabled, we think about them as being just a bit different.

[@ahuddleofpenguins4842]

And I think the framework of everyone being a monster helps tremendously in us viewing these characters that way. Everyone is so obviously different, there’s really no way to just fit in. Unfortunately our human society doesn’t have this luxury. That’s not to say that there are no expectations on these characters, just that in a way, they’re all disabled, and we already know that. I imagine you could make a monsters university movie about any of the characters that we only see for a second. [Whatever the old guys name was] seems to be on the second half of this journey already. Insurance(?) wasn’t right, he went to school again to find a career where his tentacles aren’t a problem. I think any character can be seen as having a ‘disability’ really. I use quotes because it brings up the question of who then is able? Obviously there are those that succeed in school, but as we saw with Sully, there are almost certainly other hindrances that are less obvious.

[@leechamberlain00]

They don't

[@imrankpan7298]

A Huddle of Penguins ugvhc

[@janedoe1570]

I haven't seen Monsters U since it came out in theaters, but from the clips you've shown, it seems like Sully has ADHD. He comes to school on his first day unprepared and this is viewed as him not caring about school (even though later scenes seem to contradict that). He did super well in high school and before and was a 'gifted' student, but struggles in college now. He feels a pressure to meet the expectations set by others (including his family), and feels like these expectations are impossible, but feels an almost life or death need to meet them lest he be exposed as the imposter he feels like he is. Like. I didn't pick up on any of this as a child because I was 1) a child and 2) hadn't been diagnosed with ADHD yet, but Sully's story feels like a carbon copy of mine. Down to forgetting to bring a pencil to class. I felt so much shame that I had to ask to borrow one because I was a Good Student and Good Students didn't just NOT bring a pencil to class. Only Bad Students do that. I think Sully ALSO being disabled, but in a way less visible way adds an extra dimension to the story. Not only does Mike find a way to do what he loves while also working with his disability, but Sully learns that asking for help doesn't make him weak or lesser than other (ie. neurotypical) monsters. I think it's especially powerful because ADHDers have a uniquely difficult time asking for help. The shame makes our struggles something that we feel like we need to hide for fear that other people will make fun of us and look down on us. Having a story with an ADHD character where they ask for help and everyone goes "well yeah! You can't do EVERYTHING by yourself" is so heartwarming. I need to watch this movie again. I only saw it once.

[@EmmaBunny88]

Fellow autistic here and you've hit the nail right on the head. At school I was bullied relentlessly due to my lack of social skills and my logical thinking; why muck around and disrupt everyone elses lessons at school when it was important to pass? I got top scores and dreamed of being a teacher. Went to college and passed all the paperwork with ease and was great at working one on one or in a small group but a room full of kids? Couldn't do it. Tried so hard to keep it together and not get overwhelmed by noise and other stuff going on but couldn't. Finished my course and ended up in hospital for surgery and over the years I've become physically disabled as well. However, I may not have the career I dreamed of, but I achieved everything I have that I didn't know I needed. I have my own house, married, worked until I became too sick and now technically work using my autism superpower with music so while I may not have got what I wanted, I've ended up with what I needed and this movie could be telling that story. Do I regret not being a teacher? Sometimes. Would I change what I have now? Not for anything. 😀

[@knucklescapricorn31]

I never occurred to me that Mike's story could be interpreted as an allegory for being disabled, so thank you so much for making this video so I could learn this new perspective. I personally loved this movie because I feel like it's important to teach kids that "if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything" isn't always true. I reckon learning that as soon as you can, will save you a lot of pain and self-loathing.

[@charliepuppy.]

but what disability does he have

[@haburoji3421]

@@charliepuppy. not being physically scary enough in a system that values being scary. Puts him at a disadvantage from the other scary (able bodied) students

[@haburoji3421]

@@charliepuppy. tis an allegory lol

[@charliepuppy.]

@@haburoji3421 ohhhh

[@coffintears5821]

Ah, if only it were that easy

[@matthewskidmore2397]

If we carry Mike's arc into Monsters Inc, when they discover laughter is more powerful than being scared through Mike and Sully's experience with Boo, Mike becomes one of the main comedians while Sully runs the factory. Mike may not have been scary but he was entertaining, and the discovery that laughter is more powerful than screaming played to his strengths and ultimately saw him live his dream, albeit in a different way to how he imagined it. As a person on the autism spectrum myself, this really speaks to me. I've personally always been academically gifted but socially inept, but it doesn't mean I should just give up. Though I feel Monsters University is one of the weaker Pixar films and definately isn't as good as Monsters Inc (which I loved as a child and still love as an adult), I still felt that message.

[@seamuswagner3458]

"Everyone's a genius. But if you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, it will live it's whole life thinking it's stupid"

[@_mossitree3_394]

@@seamuswagner3458 ...i remember reading that in the book, 'fish in a tree'. It is such a nice quote, and it truely is nice how well it matches to this.

[@HK47_115]

Ask someone off on Spectrum, I agree you shouldn't ever give up. However, don't ever expect somebody to accommodate you for your condition. Mainly for the fact that not everybody is going to understand our condition. That's number one and number two, you see people aren't obligated to accommodate you depending on the situation oh, so they don't accommodate you for a condition that they don't understand, just don't be disappointed or upset. Cuz that's kind of not fair for those ignorant on our situation and condition. At least to me.

[@kstar1489]

But what if you’re academically not gifted AND socially inept? Lmao

[@Charlie-hv3dh]

Couldn’t of put it better myself

[@Robbity]

I thought it was a super clever metaphor for classism. Sully representing rich kids whose parents paid their way into college and Mike representing students who actually worked hard to get into college. He’s treated differently because he’s lower class. Everyone loves Sully because he’s the rich kid. It’s honestly genius.

[@dkecskes2199]

So true! I noticed that in high school, and college. Especially high school, everybody kept asking me which neighborhood I lived in. We had just moved there and it took me like a month to even figure out they meant what was on the wall of the book of suburbia I lived behind. It took me another decade to figure out what they *really meant* was "if you don't also live in a mansion you aren't worth my time." But hey, if that was their criteria to their "friendship" I'm glad I was counted out.

[@Whatismusic123]

there's no classism you moron. it's a difference in talent stupid bic h

[@roxanne_]

@@dkecskes2199 bruh who tf asks which neighborhood they live in? Rich people are a different breed.

[@r0cketm4n34]

I thought of it more like just being physically gifted like being 6’3

[@bttrl8thnspncr]

Being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult really showed me why I loved this movie as a kid, so much so that I saw it 3 times in theaters. Mike wanting to be like everybody else and fit in but not understanding why he can't just be like everybody else resonated with me, I just didn't understand it yet. His monologue leading into the final act of the film broke my heart then and now

[@thechutneyfox1836]

I am so happy someone has actually acknowledged this. I hate how disabilities are represented in media and the messages and attitudes shown. It's so false and romanticized as if it's something that makes you better than everyone else

[@adoellex8000]

@@vi7089 That's Kermit the Frog

[@manifestationsofasort]

My biggest gripe is when disabled characters only exist to be inspirational. We don't have to be inspirational to exist.

[@emmabrook9691]

“Gifted kids don’t get good habits and get anxiety from that” - im in this picture and I don’t like it

[@auburned-phoenix]

Same-

[@hugnboba]

I remember being care-free about my academics and still getting into the top 10 (or even top 5 or 3) of my batch when I was elementary. Then I went to a prestigious science high school where everyone is among the top of their schools too. Surprise surprise I feel so below-average now, anxious, and grades falling like how tears run down my cheeks :,)

[@santieclaus]

@@hugnboba have a hug 👾 don’t have any boba though sorry abt that

[@remyhavoc4463]

@@hugnboba I know this is serious but your pfp just fits your comment XD

[@allijoyfly5647]

Coming back to this a year later after receiving an ADHD diagnosis (and beginning the autism diagnosis process), and I just wanted to say thank you for making this video. It is beautifully explained and completely shifted how I see Monsters University. I never really understood the message when I watched the movie as a kid, but now it stands out to me as being one of the most meaningful that I’ve ever seen in a Disney film.

[@mivera95]

this video essay is written so damn well i almost cried WTF curse u monsters university i never realised how heartwarming it was until now

[@starseeker_nails]

But not only did he become a trainer for scarers, in the first movie he essentially did achieve his original dream when he became a comedian for the kids that replaced scarers. In a way he made what he was born with work for him after years of work and ended up co founding a new type of energy that saved their city with Sully.

[@kigut7443]

a new type of energy that was significantly more powerful, sustainable, and wholesome too. environmentally clean, if the environment is considered to be a child's psyche.

[@oof-rr5nf]

@@kigut7443 :D !!!!!!!!!

[@iantaakalla8180]

Honestly, the Monsters Inc. movies are revolutionary. Not only does it have the idea of finding energy sources that benefit everyone rather than fixing a broken system that just barely worked, but Monsters University also gives the story the fact that unique thinkers are necessary to make significant leaps to make those better worlds. Mike Wazowski wasn’t a scary person at all; he was inherently goofy and better at training. But in the end he cared for a species he didn’t care about and inadvertently came up with the idea that gave the monster world better energy. It also benefitted him because he was also wittier than most as shown in Monsters Inc so being a comedian also is a good fit. Monsters Inc was already a good movie with good morals. But Monsters University made the Monsters Inc franchise revolutionary.

[@degenerativewalnut9079]

I’ve been told that “Autism is a Talent”. That’s a bunch of bullshit. I considered it a burden, because it impaired most of my skills and made things 25 times harder. So that’s why most “disabled” characters grind my gears. I feel NO relation or sympathy in any sort of way. EDIT: I had no idea this would happen, thank you everyone for sharing their opinions about such matters.

[@veranarosa8500]

Same bro.

[@sarroumarbeu6810]

"haha you sound so smart... I bet you work 25h a day to learn all that"... No.. my attention span is fucked.. I'm either too focused or unable to for days..

[@squishish]

"you're so funny! i wish i was spontaneous like that" adhd makes words fall out of my mouth when I think they're halfway acceptable. If they're not I hold them in my head and they bounce around and I lose all track of our conversation until I think of a good response and an opening for it. Half of my jokes are just my honest thoughts or my brain pulling funny things out of a string of collided and unorganized thoughts that just fall out at any opportune time, presented as a joke. It's not a superpower, I wish I could shut the fuck up sometimes. Having social anxiety and constantly having to fill in conversations so they don't end because I literally can't fucking shut up is so exhausting. dk why i wrote this, thanks for reading. Anyone who reads this: You are valid, and if you struggle with being seen as "special" or "exceptional" when you're actually severely struggling or uncomfortable, I understand and I love you. We got this.

[@bobREALOG]

Yeah

[@degenerativewalnut9079]

@@bobREALOG god damn it

[@danielpeppa-pigpowers9386]

I was Sully growing up. Now I'm Mike. That and more on growing up with an undiagnosed disability

[@abigailoberhauser1420]

The first time I watched this I oddly related and didn't know why. I was diagnosed with a brain tumor and epilepsy this year. The way you explain how disability feels and how people go wrong about it is so freeing that I'm not the only one who feels this way

[@DarkEclipce]

I think this movie gets a bad rep. There's so many mature and complicated themes in this movie that so many people ignore. I personally enjoyed the movie. I had a childhood dream of going to a particular college, and I got accepted. I was still confused about what I wanted to do, and struggling with undiagnosed ADHD and social anxiety. I was seeing everyone else around me have an understanding of things that I just didn't. I couldn't pay attention in class, or keep up with assignments the way everyone else could, I felt too nervous to ask for help, or go out in public and there's nothing cute or quirky about that. Online classes have helped me significantly through the virus, but I look back to this movie and relate to Mike because he and I both have had to fight for success, and put in every ounce of effort we have only for our best to not meet the standards of others. It's a great college movie in my opinion.

[@xanderg.1070]

Castiglione agree I didn’t realize how relatable this movie was until I was 17, and the fact that I’m on the aspergner spectrum disorder this really relates to me and how I struggled to keep up with all of my classmates, even now that I’m in community college this relates to me so much. And honestly I think people should look into movies like these. This movie is the best representation of how people with disabilities struggle and how it’s not just something we can just wish away on star, I feel like people were just too focused on the fact that it was just another college movie but with Monsters Inc that they couldn’t see the movie’s hidden message

[@chucklesdeclown8819]

those videos are still valid criticism, just saying.

[@iroseart3369]

I saw this movie when I was 12 or 13 and I enjoyed it. And even now I still really appreciate the themes and animation. It's a fun film. Some beats in the movie are average, but I wouldn't say that for the most part

[@svp5thechad408]

I also have Atentional defficit but there wasn't too much problem in just keeping some things in mind like for a test, and I get a good note score (6.1/7.0), but to memorize those little things I had to study TOO MUCH and i didn't even really study because I can't, if I don't find something enough interesting, my brain just erases it, so I also can't do homework properly so yeah, this quarantine is a torture, I almost have done like 4 little works out of like 20 or more, I have too much to do but somehow doing things in home slow me down too much, and I started this year very well, with the goal of trying to do everything at the time I can do it, and I did it until the heartless China goberment had to experiment to kill their own old aged people and people with respiration issues

[@popinmo]

i droped out of high school cant even do that im 100% sure i have adhd really bad

[@awesomemantroll1088]

At the beginning of the film, Mike walks up to a classmate. He thinks that classmate was his friend, but they just turned at him like "Who's this weirdo?" Without spilling my life story, I felt that.

[@carlycrays2831]

I think we have all felt that several times. But some of us have experienced way more than others. It's not just traumatic, but annoying too.

[@brobudplays6286]

I’m someone who’s neurodivergent and considered “gifted”, I feel like Im stuck between these two worlds in a very jarring way, I struggle so much in studying partially due to my disabilities but I have been taught that I can’t acknowledge my disabilities when doing this sort of stuff and because of that I work so hard to brute force myself to work through a system that wasn’t built for me.

[@soupsoup5838]

Sully, in this movie, reminds me a lot of myself. I'm a gifted kid when it comes to all things musical - singing and playing instruments particularly. I was accepted into the royal conservatoire of Scotland and couldn't be more gleeful and proud of myself. However, when I got there and began to notice everyone else I noticed things that everyone else could do that I myself couldn't. Some kids were great at belting, others at high notes. There were a lot of things they could do that I couldn't and I began to doubt my ability. My singing faltered due to new-found anxiety and I considered quiting for the longest time. Until I was in a room with one of the girls in my level. I was listening to her sing because she wanted to improve her runs in a specific song. When I tell you I was shocked at how bad she was at runs... I was also shocked at how SHE was bad at runs. She asked me for help with perfecting it and I got nervous and said something along the lines of that I wouldn't be of any help. Still, she insisted. So I listened to the run a few times and sang it perfectly after maybe my first try at it. I was so shocked I screamed and so did she. I discovered I was amazing at runs (and still am to this day) and more people came to me asking for advice on how to do them. I wasn't aware but not many people in my level were able to do a perfect vocal run.

[@SuperWiiBros08]

I never thought of this movie that way

[@m0x331]

*Me nethier mmm it atually makes it more interesting*

[@kcrelax3330]

Same

[@8illy]

same

[@Joe-vu5yk]

@@8illy hi scrumptious feet king

[@LadyAhro]

This video made me actively interested in this movie even if outside of this lens its more of an entirely meh prequel. But due to this reading as a disabled woman who did have to give up several different career attempts, it feels interesting and meaningful.

[@ohcdoe1880]

We have Dissociative Identity Disorder and people go "Oh you're so lucky! You never have to be alone." There is so much struggle and people fail to realise that it is formed through childhood trauma. It's not fun or glamorous. You still get lonely and your body still has hidden traumas you may never find out. Its not a horror movie trope, and its not a trend. It sucks and it hurts. Thank you for the disability representation!

[@Kpba32]

What mental gymnastics do those people have to go through to say "Wow, you always have a friend beside you"

[@ohcdoe1880]

@@Kpba32 I know right haha.

[@solumlupus9018]

I realize this is an old comment, but do people with it normally refer to themselves as "we"? I always assumed it was just a movie trope.

[@ohcdoe1880]

@@solumlupus9018 If I am talking about my system or my diagnosis I say "we" but if someone doesnt know or I dont feel safe telling them I use "I". Then again is all about context. If Im talking about myself I say "I have trauma". If im talking about the system its "we have Dissociative Identity Disorder." Because I dont have DID, the body and the mind does? I dunno if that makes any sense but I hope that helps!

[@ohcdoe1880]

We have a gofundme now to get a service dog to help with our disabilty. Please read our story and consider donating ♡ www.gofundme.com/f/service-dog-for-a-system?+share-flow-1

[@chillinvillain7800]

We need more movies that show that it’s okay to fail

[@strawbodawarbo]

this movie has always been perfect in my eyes. it wasn’t the ending everyone wanted Mike to have, but it was the ending he was SUPPOSED to have

[@KaiTenSatsuma]

"Woman with severe Kiphosis who ends up having wings erupt from her back and allow her to fly" That isn't uplifting, that's going from Terrible to Horrifying, and probably painful. I mean, I get it, like, but, neither does that change her treatment before the painful episode of having wings tear from her skin, but now she also can't get any sort of a coat, and I'm sure people are still going to be dicks and staring and all that.

[@happytofu5]

also, what a let down for people with kiphosis, who won't grow any wings ever

[@steam391]

@Hannah Papernick-Yudin I think they were trying to go for an ugly duckling type of story and missing the point. Asperger's sucks. It just sucks.

[@princessmanitari4993]

@@steam391 no idea if this is gonna help you, probably not at all. But i wanna mention that we aren't the people who do it wrong. The non-autistics do it soo much worse. They give us social rules right? But when we follow those rules do the dot, people get pissed at us and call us autistic. But when we do not follow any rules, they do the exact same thing. And so it feels like we're the ones doing everything wrong while their communicating is just utter shit and they're blaming us for it. I think it's worth a thought, as i do not see autism as a negative thing. But it definetly differs per person. May you stay safe, as your mind, and have a lovely day, week, year, life.

[@DeathKitta]

It feels like the opposite of upliftng. It makes you feel even worse that you are already. Look at this person who is still special and gifted while having a disability. You have a disability too, yet you have nothing like that, what's wrong with you??

[@papasscooperiaworker3649]

@@princessmanitari4993 i don't get what you mean

[@nutkja]

As a kid I accidentally broke the arm off my favorite doll. I was so distraught and thought I would have to get rid of her. But then I realized it wasn’t that big a deal and I didn’t bother to try to fix the arm. I still have that doll, even as an adult and she remained my favorite toy throughout my childhood. Her missing an arm made no difference in my love for her.

[@junkoenoshima2756]

An old bunny I had when I was young started breaking a bit but I slept with the bunny still for a long time. I still have thar bunny to this day

[@jessiemcconnell8108]

I have a giant teddy bear that my brother tore the arm off so I took a old shirt and stitched a sling like thing was it a fix yes but the teddy bear is still missing the arm I still have it it's also one of my favorites

[@souleaterevans4589]

That's the thing about Toy Story's premise of "forgotten" fear. The fear of being forgotten is explained, but did we ever really expect that Andy or any other loving kid would throw out his favorite things in the world over a tear or something? I never once resonated with that anxiety because I had a lot of broken toys and I kept them because they still held a lot of memories. Getting a replacement would've felt like a betrayal to *my* doll or whatever it was.

[@6keypandemonium606]

When I was born, my parents gave me a stuffed teddy bear to sleep with. It was probably a few years later that our dog chewed off the teddy bear's nose, no longer looking the same. But that didn't bother me at all. The bear was still soft and comforting, sleeping with it every night. It is still my favorite stuffed animal and I plan on giving it to my firstborn son in the future. The stuffed animal may not longer be like other ones, but it is still special to me.

[@gnomed1064]

I have this littlefoot plushie, its neck and head falls because my cat used to bite it thinking it was his prey, I still love it

[@user-zr5nq4og9n]

This movie has to be one of my favorites You see I myself have Aspergers and ADHD and no matter how much I try, I CANNOT write an essay without flopping. The only essay I passed was a narrative essay and the rest of them made me want to just give up. This is getting a bit personal but I feel I need to say it. My parents are pretty strict, they expect no less As and Bs, however all I've been making this year were Cs, Ds, and Fs. I breakdown crying every time even one of my teachers mentions a bad grade, I know they're trying to help me but, I am like mike. I work on my own, never asking for help, nothing. I only ask for help when I am desperate. I feel like I am writing a pretty good essay but that all goes down the drain when my teacher tells me to rewrite the essay, or like sully tells me they got me a passing grade because I was failing. Its like trying to learn how to ride a bike, you try and try again, you keep trying and you get told that you're not doing it right. That really hurts and when it has been going on for years and years on end, it cannot be helped because you know its going to happen, again, and again. You got bruises, scrapes, cuts, broken bones. However its all worthless in the end because you cannot do it right. I am not saying you cannot do it, you've really got this. You can do what ever you can to reach your goal, but if you're like me, or mike, it'll be a bit harder. Even if you don't have to try to get through life, you'll still bumps in the road, and trust me there are ALOT of bumps. If you're being bullied and mocked, don't ignore them, tell someone. If you're being manipulated, Emotionally abused, etc. Do not just try and shrug it off and carry trauma on your back like its part of life. You got to tell someone, you got to ask for help, you've got so many people around you. Your neighbors, your parents, and even the police. Call a hotline, go to therapy, etc. You've got this buddy, don't worry your little head off, If you are like a fish climbing a tree, don't believe you're stupid, believe that you can climb that tree before you run out of air. You've got this, We've got this!

[@lukakaaiakamanu8371]

As a 17 y/o who just graduated, and had a whole bunch of life stuff happen to me, I didn't reach my goals. I'm not the person I dreamt to be. I have severe mental illnesses, I deal with them and I can't change the fact I have them, I can mearly cope with it. But even now I still cling onto what I love, onto the dream that I want. I'm still young, but as a kid who was also raised "gifted", I act calm, stoic, resolved but I am terrified.

[@Ethan-qs7fo]

I'm in the same boat, I hope that you're doing well a year later. I'm happy to be alive in the same time as you, I wish you well.

[@laurenneblett986]

This movie and the motto "C's get degrees" is what got me through my last 2 years of college while working 2 jobs and unable to read for extended periods of time due to head injury.

[@brutusisadog]

Holy shit doing school with a head injury that prevents you from reading sounds incredibly hard, huge congratulations to you for getting through that

[@bigrat4780]

honestly, call me dramatic, but the Cs get degrees thing made me tear up the first time I heard it. I'm also neurodivergent and I used to beat myself up a lot for not meeting my and others' expectations, but it made me realise that all I have to do is do my best and graduate without stressing myself out too much. it was comforting.

[@bigrat4780]

also, I'm glad you got through all that! must've been tough, but you did it ^^

[@kstar1489]

An here I’ve dropped out of college hopefully temporarily because of my anxiety, depression, and tbh lack of work ethic (though it’s hard to tell which is which sometimes).

[@cheesecakelasagna]

@@kstar1489 Are you literally me? lol. The worse thing is I'm more than two years in from being a hikikimori and I have never talked in lengths about it to a professional, nay to anyone. I'm so fucking lucky my country has the culture of not kicking out kids and my parents are still young and capable of taking me in. I wish I was told to be hardworking instead of just smart, innately. I know a lot of people who grew up frustrated when brought up being told they're smart (book-wise), only to get reality shattered when faced with actual smart and hardworking people.

[@grapz2245]

"In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto: "Anyone can cook." But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France." Anton Ego, Ratatouille Pixar does well with these kinds of messages.

[@christinasanderford5849]

Agreed- love that quote

[@nicerixis1790]

I love how this movie did explain how scared and stressed Sully was. As one of those kids who are naturally smart and pretty freaking talented, when I start to struggle it really does affect how I see myself. I used to always hold the title of an over achieving honors student, so failing or even slipping up on something really hard gets to me way more than people really know.

[@Tamales.frios_]

As someone who struggles with invisible disabilities (anxiety and depression) the scene where mike and sully fight next to the lake surprised me, every single thing mike said hit a really specific part of my soul.

[@galacticjewels7856]

Monsters Inc. is actually extremely mature. The message that sometimes no matter how hard you work for and want something, you may just not be cut out for it and it may not work how you want it to is so painfully realistic and a great message to teach kids about having a dream. It’s something I don’t se many kids movies address. Typically kids movies go for the idea that you can achieve anything you work hard for or set your mind to, which just isn’t true and this movie admits that. Also the added fact that Mike and Sully still achieved what they wanted (partially) by building themselves up instead of completing college eases the pressure put on kids by society to go to college, since usually it’s “go to college or you’ll never achieve anything”. Not only was I moved by the crushing scene where Mike realizes he just wasn’t cut out for the dream he’d aspired to his entire life made me respect the movie so much because that’s so, so real. Having dreams is a great thing but you have to also know your strengths and weaknesses. And in the end mike ended up utilizing what he was good at, as did Sully and together they complete each other and help each other do their jobs. That was another really well written thing about the movie, the way the two main characters literally complete each other and benefit off of each other’s strengths thus learning from one another’s differences. This movie doesn’t get enough praise to be honest.

[@kigut7443]

the ending of the movie actually made me feel sincerely hopeful that maybe i can succeed even though im disabled to the point where i cant even go to college. it gives me real actual hope that it's possible

[@princessmanitari4993]

My main fav thing with this movie is that it's portrays college, without needing to include sex or anything even 16+. Which is a true breathe of fresh air to me, and furthermore i agree with your entire comment and this video

[@skwyd3341]

Pretty sure everything you said was covered in the video, and now your just putting into your own words to solidify your intelligence

[@jarjar4095]

@@skwyd3341 pretty sure you’re being a dick because the internet gives you anonymity, so you feel like you don’t need to be compassionate towards other human beings.

[@skwyd3341]

Way to read me mr phycologist, just because I’m being “negative” doesn’t mean I’m a troll. trolls directly insult people just to get a rise out of people. I just happen to have a tendency to be sarcastic, and trust me if you met me irl I would act the same

[@arcanejack]

Mike becoming a scare trainer: "I guide others to a treasure I cannot possess"

[@drakejackson5480]

If u can't do teach

[@Beanie26]

Those who can’t do; teach And those that can’t teach; teach gym

[@drakejackson5480]

Red skull endgame

[@karrie3768]

@@Beanie26 Truth

[@daylite34]

I LOVED this movie. The art design for the university was stunning and the story was unique and charming. Very underrated in my opinion

[@laner9153]

it’s also nice to look at both of the “monsters” movies together! at the end of monsters inc, mike finds an entirely new way to create energy for monsters!

[@serenasongbird]

I’m also autistic and I couldn’t agree more. The whole “disability cure” thing drives me up a wall 🙄 EDIT: never gotten this many likes on a comment before, thanks guys 😳

[@itsbcha]

I'm genuinely curious about this, I can't quite understand. Would you turn down an instant cure-all? Or is it just the idea of people with disabilities being treated like a project? If you can provide any additional insight I would appreciate it!

[@itsbcha]

@@longnoseboi Thank you for sharing your perspective!

[@NameName-yj7lp]

@@itsbcha Also just the word cure is mean in this context Cure is used like, we found a *cure* to cancer or we *cured* your deadly sickness

[@ahuman5772]

@@itsbcha I would turn down a cure-all because of some reasons mentioned above, and also, I like being autistic. That's just how I am. Sure, sometimes I get really overstimulated if something is loud or sometimes even clothes touching me is extremely uncomfortable, but there are also a lot of positives. Being autistic is a part of me and personally for me I do find I a talent. The literal ways I interpret things makes programming so much easier for me.

[@lahamh]

Same. I’d rather they could cure ignorance, selfishness, narcissism etc. I only feel disabled by my autism when I’m around people who have no knowledge of it, don’t do anything at all to accommodate it and treat me like ‘you’re smart and can talk it can’t be that bad’ When I’m in my zone hyperfocussed and enjoying some of my autistic traits it’s never a problem.

[@tessy4018]

"There's nothing beautiful about the realisation that your chosen career field or dream wasn't made to accomodate people like you". I got fired two months ago for the third time in 3 years because of my symptoms and have been stuck in a loop of self-blame and self-disgust. This helped a lot. Thank you.

[@birchtree_6]

I was going to go into the air force so i could eventually be an astronaut. they don’t send ppl with mental illness up tho. So now i’m going for aerospace engineering. Sometimes it’s still crushing but what can you do

[@SpecialAgentMothman]

I never really gave the ending much thought but changing a moral from “with enough hard work you can do anything” to “you can work your ass off and still fail and THAT’S OKAY” is honestly based as hell

[@weepwoop11]

i never understood why nobody liked this movie- from the moment i saw it, it became one of my childhood favorites. i may have not been old enough to understand what the message truly was, but i remember seeing sully and mike rise through the ranks after getting kicked out of college in the end. that made me really happy because it showed me that even if things don’t go according to plan, your life doesn’t just end there. there will always be something that will help you get to a position in life that you love and enjoy, even if it wasn’t your first choice

[@serpenking]

Overall, I think the ending and overall theme of this movie is what made me remember it so fondly, when I first saw it I was utterly blindsighted by a kids movie actually saying "yeah, college doesn't work for everyone, and you can still succeed without it" and actually have the two get their position by working up, and, of course, a character actually accepting that they're unable to do something and it's /ok/.

[@user-rn3mq5tl8y]

Yeah

[@Wawagirl17]

YES, as much as I think a lot of the film is sadly in "bland prequel" territory, the lesson about "college isn't for everyone" is fantastic and bold!

[@dkecskes2199]

I agree that it is a bold statement, and one that needs to be said more. However there are a *lot* of fields where having almost *any* degree (even one barely affiliated with said field) is better that having no degree at all. Heck with hiring itself becoming automated, I bet a lot of people don't ever get their resume read by a real human at all, because it doesn't have the name of some university on it. And that's something that a lot of fields need to work on, that they are burying a lot of their talents because said talents don't pass through a university's bank first. And that's where this film shines, it illustrates that, yeah, all the MU grads do get the jobs pretty easy at Inc. Mike does have to work his nonexistent kiester off to get a foot in the door. And because he ends up finding a more potent energy source anyway, maybe Inc. was wrong to exclude him at all.

[@NekoBoyOfficial]

I initially didn't read it as a metaphor for disability, but I loved how it didn't end with the perfect wrap up. Mike had to find a different way to reach a goal similar to his original one. It's something realistic many of us do. On a side note, I personally never liked the term "neurodivergent". I feel like it sugar coats my struggle, not that I bar others from using it.

[@_lexi]

i still think its a good blanket term and i like to use it for myself personally, mostly because i lived my entire life KNOWING i was different from everyone else but not knowing WHY. i think its a fine identity and i dont think it sugar coats anything, i kinda see it as saying “someone with brown hair is a brunette,” yknow? i think it just is what it is, with a different way to say it that isnt as complex and hard to say in a conversation. you ARE different if youre neutodivergent, and thats all that its saying, i think

[@tmlawson751]

Idk I am autistic and I like the term because it clearly describes that my mind works in a contrary or alternative way than normatives

[@sambouajram9809]

@@tmlawson751 autistic is what you personally are, I think neurodivergent is meant to be the catch-all term for people with any number of conditions (mental health disorders, learning disorders, autism spectrum, etc). I like the term because it allows people to say "neurotypical"/"neurodivergent" instead of something less affirming like "normal"/"not normal"

[@Call-me-Al]

I've been using neuroatypical for myself, and I never considered that it might be bad to say I'm abnormal. My entire childhood and most of my previous adult life I was forced to attempt to perform by normal standards, and that always reflected poorly on me. Calling myself not normal without being apologetic about it, is kind of my way to rebel against the notion that I have to be normal, I guess.

[@ivifernando4488]

You made me review this movie with different eyes. I'm also on the Autistic Spectrum and it's amazing how everything Mike went through, I went through too. I was very individualistic and had a dream of being a programmer. I studied, I got a full scholarship at the best private college in my state, I graduated, but the diploma was of no use to me. I didn't like the profession. Stress killed me and my ADHD made it difficult for me to do simpler tasks than usual. At least I learned to work in a team, in a team and I believe this was the best learning experience I could have. A few years later, I discovered the Quality Analyst career and I just loved it. It was one of my favorite subjects in college and I never expected to work exclusively in that area, and my learnings from working in a team are coming in handy. You made me relearn a lesson I already knew. And I want to thank you for that.

[@wome1542]

its like when a nerd girl in a movie takes off her glasses and let down her hair and everyone sees "she was actually beautiful the whole time!"

[@ObsessiveReaderfan]

I feel like My Hero Academia had the potential to go down the same path if they'd allowed Midoriya to remain quirkless. When I first started the series I didn't know he would be handed super powers by his idol and I imagined him making a career alongside the heroes by using his analytical abilities. When the concept of the Support Department was introduced I remember thinking "Damn, if Midoriya was still quirkless that's where he would be. And he would do amazing things."

[@jessicar3291]

That was actually the original concept for the manga! (quirkless boy builds support items) It's interesting how the story changed

[@loading7496]

A lot of the fandom agrees with you, and there are so so many fics, AUs and other content about it. Search the tag "Izuku Midoriya does not have a quirk" on ao3

[@CCaster2000]

One thing I wish they do in MHA is abolish the "Hero Ranking" system that their society has. Because imagine having an amazing superpower and using it to help others to the best of your ability only for some other dude to take the #1 spot all because he has a nice smile (I'm not referring to All Might when I bring up "nice smile", I was using a random example). Endeavor became a bad husband and father all because he wanted to be #1. So of there was no ranking system, then some characters might've turned out better.

[@Morrynlupine]

It's still not perfect, but I feel Black Clover does a little better job at that if you haven't checked that out!

[@biggie395]

Honestly Deku could’ve been a master mind he actually is with his book with everyone’s powers and everything and he doesn’t need a quirk

[@darkgirl9706]

As a former gifted kid, it's so true. You're put on such a high pedestal from the start that it becomes so draining and scary. What makes it so shitty is that while everyone was praised for successes, small or big, you were EXPECTED to succeed. There was no reward for winning, you just got to stay on that pedestal. There was no 'oh you tried your hardest but got a C-...good job! You tried hard and passed!' It was always 'You better have gotten an A again.' And then if you began slipping, even a little bit, it was always YOU that was the problem. I remember getting grounded and things taken away from me because I went from an A to a B in one class and my mom thought I was the one who was slacking rather than thinking I needed help. I got punished for failing and now I'm afraid of failure. It was nice to see the gifted kid as being portrayed as having stress in the movie. It was also nice to see Sully grow confident in his abilities as a scarer. He's not a good scarer because he's 'a natural' but because he trained and I hope to be that confident one day.

[@ObitoUchiha-dr5px]

Katsuki Bakugo 😪 Edit: I only said this because it reminded me of him I wasn’t tryna compare shit. You guys gotta calm tf down 😐

[@browniepiew5094]

I never thought that I could feel so identified with a comment until now. You put into words what I never understood ... now I can express it out loud, thank you very much ♡

[@KookieDanish]

I cried when I read this comment

[@theautismrizzler]

@@ObitoUchiha-dr5px Please don’t compare a fictional character to an actual real life experience-

[@purpleemerald5299]

@@theautismrizzler *Those are literally what fictional characters are based on.*

[@eleonline6384]

It is 10:30 at night. I'm a 16 year old on vacation, and in an analysis video of Monsters University discussing the portrayal of disabilities in mainstream media, my entire existence is summarized in an off-hand comment about gifted kids... I never understood when people would look at movies or youtube videos or whatever and be like "don't call me out lol" because I was never able to fully relate to any of those things, but damn did you just hit the nail on the head man. I was gonna go to sleep but now I gotta contemplate my entire life and once again wonder if I have an anxiety disorder. Thanks./nm/lh

[@caregiver6117]

I'm on the lower support side of the spectrum, and this video resonates with me a lot. My friends spend their weekends out partying or doing activities they enjoy while I study relentlessly. I score at the top of my classes, took AP courses a year early, and even managed to land an internship with extensive masking. I push myself to achieve all that I can only to see my peers easily maintain the 4.0 GPA that I fight to maintain. I'm scared that if I do really get into medical school, crawl through residency, and eventually get a medical license; I'll realize the stimuli of the hospital will make my shifts unbearable. 😕

[@johnmobley9369]

“Do you think he’s scary” for some reason that scene always hit me hard

[@mercy8601]

It's like he really was forced into Mike's shoes, no matter what reasons he had for why Mike was so good at what he does and deserving of being treated like it, it always got beat down and made insignificant because at the end of the day he's just "not scary." A thing that Sully had probably never really thought about that much because he never struggled on coming up short with such a fundamental aspect of being a scarer, he's just always been scary. I feel like then was a true moment of empathy for him because he saw that no matter how hard he fought for him, there was seemingly nothing that could be done.

[@josephv494]

This film gave me unrealistic expectations of college when I was younger. I thought there would be these big cliques, campus drama, and big ass classrooms with huge diversity. Now I realize everyone just wants to be left alone.

[@ShaunDreclin]

Bruh what are you talking about? "When you were younger" lol it only came out **checks** .....seven years ago. Fuck.

[@trulsolsen683]

@@ShaunDreclin I was 12 when this movie came out, prime target audience for a kid's movie. Now I'm 19 and have friends my age who have already moved out and gotten stable jobs. Time flies.

[@Breezely22]

This is why I always identified with the saying, "If you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, it will live it's whole life believing itself stupid." Sometimes we just can't do something. And that's okay. We can still have value. Still contribute.

[@beanceline]

oof, that "i thought if i just wanted it enough i could do it" hits too close to home. it reminds me of how hard i wanted my last relationship to work, but it just wasnt meant to, and moving on helped me realize all the things i didnt have before. i found someone who gave me the feeling that im good the way i am, and not a second choice or 'never good enough for him'.

[@Free_Krazy]

Idk why Mike was allways seen as "Not Scary" Like if i was 6 years old and Mike walks outta my closet in the middle of the night ide probably be peeing my pants just as fast as if Sully walked in lol

[@marchforth3515]

Fred Krazé exactly lmao

[@jazzosaurus8582]

If there was a Labrador retriever that popped out of my closet and woke me up, I'd pee myself from fear. Today. And I love dogs. I would definitely pet it once I've calm down, but anything coming out of the closet while I'm sleeping is not ok.

[@shelbyinmon8654]

Bruh I screamed at my own reflection once

[@maxwellscott6401]

Huh, I'm disabled but I've never even thought about these movies like that.

[@SaltedMallows]

It's alright some people over think

[@marchforth3515]

Same, but I love watching these kinds of videos so I can see what I missed lol

[@FlibblyPibbles]

Same

[@goat5815]

Hi disabled I'm goat

[@OK-lm1hj]

Maxwell Scott Hi disabled I’m ur mom

[@TEHFOOK]

I love this video analysis. Something that I like as a message in the story is that there are paths to your goals that are not typical. Setbacks like dropping out of college does not bar you from what you want, you just have to take a different route. And in the case of Mike, he has to reframe the goal he wants into one that he can still be passionate about.

[@fencho4381]

I’m going to keep coming back to this video. It has so many valuable life lessons I need to apply to myself. So many things i needed to hear. Thank you.