As far as propounding new ideas to save the planet here is a new one. Growing up we have all had our share of toys. It was a way to experience the unknown or pretend to be something you could only dream of. Whether it was playing house with little appliances or flying to far away lands in a pretend lego space ship. But what if we stopped making toys?
As I think that not having gadgets and toys might actually make the planet a better place. Toy mania is born out of the parents desire to distance themselves from leaking, nagging and disruptive children. So stick that ipad in front of them and problem solved.
Kids used to find something to do if their creativity was truly given free reign - I too remember hanging from trees and pretending to fly only to find out that I had landed at the bottom of the guava tree with a nail in my shin. So well - take it out - get a tetanus shot and we are back in business this time chasing dragon flies so I could tie a thread on its tail. Cost - zero dollars - Happiness - priceless.
The toy buying habits continue to adulthood for kids that grow up with the plethora of toys and lead to what is known as a consumer culture. At the end of the day all things that add no utility to life are toys. From the so called revolutionary outputs from Apple to Microsoft to Sony to Nintendo; to the car, boat and cosmetics makers churning out new goodies using a brand obsolescence strategy its all toys for young and old alike.
I mean there are now clubs dedicated to painting little toy figurines that look like some characters in a medieval period fighting with gory looking weapons and wearing fancy suits for battle. Popularity of characters like Potter and Superman have long led to a boon for such allied industries. Girls want the latest Disney doll that is born out of the business of first creating a movie character then making sure its sold in all channels and manners to unsuspecting girls and boys till their parents declare bankruptcy.
Here is another essay on the subject of first names. As in birth names. Or names provided to an offspring at birth. While the developed world tends to shy away from the exotic like Refrigerator or Coca Cola for their new production there is a plethora of Jims and Johns and Bobs or Robs. Speaking of which I do not think there is a categoric decision point at the time of birth if a child will be hereafter called as Bob. I mean have not yet met a toddler called Bob or Rob for that matter. At some point though the parental instinct to mouth out multiple syllables runs out and they switch from calling the crawler Robert to simply Robbie to Rob. Now speaking of - it is strange that the name sounds like something you would not want Rob to do - i.e. Rob anyone. Then why call someone that? After all Rob Peter to Pay Paul is not exactly a maxim to live a young life? Is it? Perhaps Peter or Paul might want to have a say in it? Then there is this matter of going to the John. Why degrad...
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