Considering the fact that violent imagery already exists at Toys R Us,why should Walter White’s inclusion be noted and flagged?
Because we can choose not to make things worse, that’s why. And as for this particular situation, it seems that TrU has a separate section for toys inappropriate for kids, and that’s where this thing lives. I’ve been proceeding as if this was mixed into the general stock of action figures. Given that, I’m done arguing against this. Too Sisyphean.
I am disappointed the candy is not caffeinated.
It doesn’t make things worse. The Breaking Bad toys aren’t violent in themselves, the only way you’d even know most of them were related to violent content is if you’d already seen the show. Add to that the fact that they’re off in their own adult-centered section of the store and they’re about the least harmless action figures in Toys R Us.
By contrast, the toys that are actually targeted toward children have all manner of scary-looking weapons and actively encourage children to enact violent scenarios with them, even if the kids aren’t familiar with the source content. If you’re gonna pick one group of toys to protest then pick the G.I. Joe / RoboCop / etc. stuff.
I say it does, you say it doesn’t. I’m right, though.
So, not a fan of the show then?
The store is called Toys-R-Us, not Toys-Only-For-Kids. They’ve had the movie-related collectibles aisle for at least the last 7 years (this is the length of time I’ve regularly been in one of their stores.) This is also the aisle where the $150 Star Wars lightsabers are stocked. If you actually walk down this aisle, you’ll get the distinct impression that the toys stocked there aren’t really meant to be played with by anyone, they’re meant to be collected by people who collect such things.
Have you lost touch with reality? Kids don’t watch Breaking Bad. They have no idea what it is. There is an aisle in Toys R Us that has sort of the fringe/collectors/adult toys. These include stuff like McFarlane toys, Walking Dead, game based figures, etc.
And a balding guy in a coat doesn’t exactly excite a kid like a Transformer, Iron Man, or Darth Vader. Oh wait, Darth Vader is a "bad character who did bad, bad things and succeeded in doing so ". I guess not in a “realistic universe”, so it’s ok.
The $20 Star Wars figures aren’t marketed to kids either.
ETA - news flash - adults buy toys. Actually, Adults buy pretty much all the toys.
ETA 2 - Not THOSE kinds of adult toys.
I would like to engage you honestly, but I’ve been dealing with a little too much adolescent libertarianism. Relevance?
I asked because I began to wonder if your heated take on this was connected to a general dislike of the show itself, irrespective of its suitability for children.
Oh. Keep wondering.
Maybe the confusion is that “breaking bad” in this context does not mean “easily shattering into choking-sized sharp pieces”…?
I need the fig of the bald guy to watch over my lab…
Edit: …And the Bryan’s response to the brouhaha was niiiice!
Don’t be a douche.
Tone argument fallacy.
I played with GI Joe but didnt end up in the military or working as a mercenary. I played with Plant of the Apes toys but didnt start a post apocalyptic primate civilization. I played with LEGO but didnt become an architect. I played with my food but didnt become a chef either.
I agree more with Brainspore than you on this issue, but this is just my favorite comment of the day.
If a toy can teach my kid sooner rather than later that there is a fine line between providing for your family, and crippling, violent narcissism, and that even a straight-laced person can, through a spiral of inertia and bad decisions, kill, devastate and alienate everyone they love, all the better.
At the other end of the spectrum, I had next to no “violent” toys. Despite (because?) that, I ended up with a weakness for nuclear weapons, and significant (for a civilian) expertise related to conventional arms.
Toys are looking so great these days.
OH no - not “violent” toys. Better pick up every stick and rock on earth, because if you leave 2 boys (and some girls) alone for too long they will turn those into weapons.
Oh brother.
The real bad shit at the toy store is the fucking princesses that teach girls how to knuckle under to the status quo. Is it better to sit your kids down in front of a Disney movie to learn that ugly and poor people can’t be trusted?
This objection to these toys is overly simplistic, and does not address any real problem.
