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.
I attempted to read this book by author Chuck Klosterman backward to forward but it started hurting my brain so I decided to stop and do it like any other publication in the English language. Start from page 1 and move to the right. Witty, caustic and thought provoking this is a book you want to read if you believe that the status quo might, just might be wrong. At times bordering on being contrarian about most things around us it tries to zero in on the notion of what makes anything believable and certain in our minds. The fact that there is a fact itself is ironic. Something analogous to the idea that you can never predict the future because there is no future. Many books and movies have tried to play on this concept - best that I recollect (I think I am) was 'The Truman Show'. This book by Klosterman attempts to provoke the reader to at least contemplate that what they think they know may be wrong. He uses examples like concept of gravity, and how it ...
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