The article on Myanmar's Mergui (now Myeik) Archipelago published in the Nikkei Asian Review in 2016 reminded readers that this obscure collection of islands was not entirely unfamiliar, having been featured in several popular children's adventure books. Indeed, on reflection, that seemed a worthwhile subject to research in its own right. This led in turn to the following piece, published in the online edition of the quarterly journal the Griffith Review.

When British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson quoted the poem “Mandalay” during a visit to Myanmar in early 2017, to the obvious discomfort of the British ambassador, it was a stark reminder that popular culture can sometimes intrude on worldly affairs. Johnson's reference to Kipling's well-known but rather patronising colonial-era ballad may have simply been a diplomatic gaffe, with no lasting consequences. However, there has long been a lively debate in academic circles about the possible subliminal effects of movies, television programs, songs and books. It has been argued, for example, that young children exposed to certain kinds of public entertainment can form indelible impressions of people and places that will affect their attitudes in later life.

In this regard, George Orwell's views are pertinent. In his essay “Boys’ Weeklies”, first published in 1940, he wrote that:

Orwell was writing about children's story papers like Gem (1907–39) and Magnet (1908–40). However, his comments could apply equally to juvenile literature of the kind that was read by Boris Johnson and his generation. With regard to Myanmar—still commonly known as Burma—one example stands out above all others.