Recently reproduced in theaters, The Lion King is a movie that the average child who grew up in the 90s Disney era can recall almost from memory. The movie is almost unanimously held in high esteem by adults and children alike. The Lion King even sees praise from critics of the Disney model as a whole–and there is something to be said about this. It seems as if every new Disney movie communicates distasteful lessons to the audience, often targeted at children. One such example is the recent Toy Story 4, which communicates a general message of loss of meaning in life as well as the pursuit of whims and the glorification of anarchy. Why does the movie culminate in Bo convincing Woody to abandon his sole responsibility as a toy just to purposelessly live a life of thrill and rampancy? In any case, The Lion King stands out as a beacon of principle amongst other movies, and watching it can be quite a spiritual experience.
The narrative begins with Mufasa presenting his son, Simba, to the inhabitants of the jungle as his future heir. As he raises him, Mufasa repeatedly expressed messages of balance and restraint to his son. One such maxim, in response to Simba characterizing the right of a king as to "take whatever he wants," communicated that a good king seeks to give rather than take. Mufasa further explains the importance of respecting the natural balance of the world, and asserts that a king does not own anything, but merely protects his dominion. After a scare, Mufasa explains to Simba that even he feels fear.
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