Reporter Writing About Adult Toy (Muppet Toy?) Collectors

[Yva Minstrel]

I never said I thought she was being offensive, I just think that she might have a limited view about who collects toys. I mean, it's one thing to just ask about toy collections, that's normal for magazines/newpapers, but to limit things to thinking older people with mid-life crisis are the majority of toy collectors really shows she has no idea what toy collecting is about IMHO...It's not offensive, just sort of sad that that is what a lot of people think

I wasn't targeting anyone with my comments, and if that is what came across, I apologize profusely.

However, I am merely saying that sometimes people ask other people questions about their hobbies and interests because of them being interested. It doesn't mean they want to make others out to be nut-cases, but they may simply want to know something about it, so they don't have any room to stereotype.

I know that sometimes, human nature says that others are judging them. It could merely be a curiousity issue and nothing more. I won't write someone off just because of the wording. It may not have been meant in that way at all.

The deal is, everyone here probably knows that at times their words can be misconstrued. The written word is sometimes very hard for people to decipher. So what do we do? Get mad because other people don't undesrtand us or chose to make a difference. Approach them and basically tell them straight up that not all toy collectors are like Dark Helmet from the film 'Spaceballs' and we are normal people with normal lives.

The only way that we can get beyond stereotyping anything is to broaden our minds about whatever it is we don't understand and ask questions.

If I can help someone to understand the things that I enjoy, then I will gladly share my experiences with them. I'm not ashamed that I collect teddy bears. I know of ladies who are twice my age who collect them as well. I have heard stories of people in other places who have paid hordes of money for a 100 year old teddy bear. Do I judge them for that? No, but I sure do wish I had that much money to toss about.

But again, nothing I said was an attack on anyone here, it was just me stating my opinion.

 

[wwfpooh]

the majority of toy collectors really shows she has no idea what toy collecting is about IMHO

And that's why she's conducting this interview so she could get more out of it & understand why people collect toys.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I don't know anymore about this than what I included in my original post, but I think it's safe to assume that it will be a fair and balanced article. The CSM is well-respected paper that's been published for over 100 years focused on quality journalism. They've won six or seven Pulitzer Prizes over the years.

As wwfpooh already pointed out, good journalism is all about asking questions and presenting different sides of an issue without bias or pretense, something that unfortunately we're less and less used to these days.

 

[Redsonga]

If I had known about it sooner than a day before I could have passed the info along to the pony collecting community and gotten her hundreds of replies

 

[wwfpooh]

She probably wants to know what guides people to collect toys, even despite being into calender-listed adulthood. XD

 

[tomahawk]

I responded and she e-mailed me back yesterday. I got an interview that lasted about 20 minutes. I'm sending her some photos this weekend. I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

[Yva Minstrel]

I emailed her today, and am presently sending pictures. She sent me some questions and I already answered them. Very objective questions, IMO.

Yes definitely keep us posted.

 

[wwfpooh]

Do indeed keep us posted.

 

[Redsonga]

She probably wants to know what guides people to collect toys, even despite being into calender-listed adulthood. XD

Well, of course, but really, she should give us more notice than a day..Like I said, I could have at least gotten fifty people easily

 

[frogboy4]

"...sales of all kinds of adult-oriented play stuff...are doing well. Why is this? What does this tell us about ourselves? Are "boomers" in a delayed childhood? I would like to talk to adults who still "play with dolls" as well as experts who have given some thought as to the meaning of it all."

I believe a writer should know how to make the best use of words and meaning and the Christian Science Monitor is well known enough to have top writers. It is the statement above that leads me to believe this particular writer has a slant. I don't agree with it and won't be participating, but I find it encouraging that others are reaching out. It is apparent that she knows very little about the subject. I hope that by meeting some extraordinary collectors she changes her stereotypical perspective so succinctly described in her own words.

I do wonder who these "experts" are. Are men in white coats gonna take my 12 inch Beaker away?