Toy Collecting is for Losers: Defending Toy Collecting
I’ve been thinking about writing an article about how toy collecting as a hobby is looked down upon by a large portion of society. Particularly, I was interested in getting the point of view of someone who thinks that there’s something wrong with toy collectors. The main problem with such an article was that I didn’t think I’d be able to find anyone who could give me this kind of unbiased opinion. It’s not like my friends and family are going to go on record to tell me that I’m an idiot. Maybe for other reasons, but not for toy collecting.
Then my article “Why I am a Toy Collector” became a minor hit. It even made it to the front page of the social networking site Digg. For those of you who don’t know what that means, I got a lot of page views that I normally don’t get. Along with these page views I also got a few nasty comments directed at me on Digg itself. It seemed that I had discovered the the article I was looking for.
There were, of course, some really stupid jokes there like this one by a user named saikhan, in reference to why I collected toys, “Because he is the real life 40 Year Old Virgin.” Wow, what a stretch that one was. I wonder how he could have even made that kind of connection? Among these poorly executed jokes, I found a real gem from a user going by the name Pikachelsea:
“A lot of the stuff this guy says can easily translate into other hobbies and shouldn’t be discounted because it’s about action figures.” (Ed. Note: From another Digg user)
And why not, exactly? Why do we have to tiptoe around the fact that this is an article about grown men paying obscene amounts of money for (and occasionally actually playing with) children’s toys? I pay a lot of money for video games but at least they are actually intended for more demographics than just the 3 and under audience.
People are so eternally understanding with their “Oh well they’re not hurting anyone, and it’s not illegal.” So what? That’s your standard for what makes a decent hobby? It’s not ILLEGAL? What people like this could actually use are social skills, not a basement full of pieces of plastic shaped like Superman. “Hobbies” like this are no less nerdy and hopelessly antisocial to me than people who go cosplaying at anime conventions or run around role-playing in the woods in medieval garb.
Yes, it’s his money. Yes, it’s not hurting anybody (except himself and his social life, more than likely). That doesn’t mean we can’t tell people like to GROW UP.
For the sake of discussion let’s forget that this comment is coming from someone with a forum name that is a word play on Pikachu, which is from a popular children’s cartoon. Her opinion of toy collectors is reflected upon all the stereotypes and falsehoods rampant about people like me, which I should examine in detail.
1.) “…grown men paying obscene amounts of money.”
First of all, we need to clear something up. While the vast majority of toy collectors are male, there are a lot of female collectors out there, and a few even read this blog. Secondly, I’ve never paid obscene amounts of money for a single toy, but I know there are rich collectors out there or those that just got to have something so they’ll drop over a grand on a Star Wars figure. Yes, if you add up all the money I’ve spent on figures over the years, it would be a lot, but it’s like anything else if you balance it out. If I were a golfer or hunter, I can guarantee you that I’d be spending a lot more money than I do on purchasing action figures. Even if I were some rich guy who purchased a 1950s robot that’s worth several thousand dollars, who cares? It’s no worse than a million other things a person can waste their money on.
2.) “…(and occasionally actually playing with) children’s toys?”
I wonder where she gets this fact about playing with toys? Out of all the toy collectors I know, I don’t know of a single one that actually plays with the toys they collect. Even if I were so inclined, I would feel idiotic doing so. In childhood there’s something with your brain wiring that allows you to play with action figures or dolls and it almost feels like they’re alive. Somewhere in puberty there’s a transition where you can’t have that depth of imagination any more. This is why I write, play video games, or watch movies. The escapism offered in toys simply isn’t there, and hasn’t been since I started sprouting hair like a monkey. The fun of toy collecting is a separate kind of fun a child gets from a toy.
3) I pay a lot of money for video games but at least they are actually intended for more demographics than just the 3 and under audience.
Oh yes, this is why the only toys in existence are Mr. Potato Head and Play-Doh. There is a huge market for toys that are aimed at an adult audience. Just look at McFarlane’s… well all of his stuff, from his sports figures to his evil demon monsters:
Is this for a three year old?
On another note, I don’t consider myself a true “gamer”, even though I love video games. I just don’t play them enough for that kind of classification. While many gamers might think they are in the mainstream, they are only right up to a point. Gaming is still considered nerdy. There are many grades of nerds that are poorly defined, but gamers are still within the whole nerd spectrum. Within that spectrum there’s a certain invisible boundary between someone who plays Madden a lot and someone who plays Japanese RPGs obsessively. Within this system, there’s a nerd pecking order where the top level nerds make fun of the lower and less socially acceptable rungs. PikaChelslea seems to imagine herself outside this world, but she’s not. She’s a girl gamer. That’s at least two levels below a casual gamer. You have to be a really nerdy girl to enjoy games enough to “pay a lot of money” for them and to spend time on Digg reading about them. Any girl who isn’t a geek that plays games plays on her boyfriend’s system. Girl gamers are nerds no matter how you look at it. Take for instance the queen of girl gamers, Morgan Webb, who may be a minor celebrity and less geeky than her X-Play co-host Adam Sessler, but you could never make the argument that she wasn’t a nerd. Therefore, Pikachealsea is simplly a self hating geek with a huge case of Arrogant Nerd Syndrome.
4) “People are so eternally understanding with their “Oh well they’re not hurting anyone, and it’s not illegal.” So what? That’s your standard for what makes a decent hobby? It’s not ILLEGAL?”
Then what does make a decent hobby? Is there some sort of standard that says, this is okay and this is not and who defines it? While I think it’s silly that millions of women are wasting their time scrap booking, I’m not going to think ill of anyone who does it. It’s your thing that you do for fun and maybe to relax a little. There are tons of hobbies out there that seem stupid to me, but if they’re not hurting anyone then who gives a crap about it in the long run? A hobby like LARPing makes for good comedy, but I’m not going to say they can’t do what they do. You certainly can make fun of me for collecting toys, that’s your right. I make fun of myself all the time. However, to say what I do is wrong is another issue entirely.
5.) “What people like this could actually use are social skills, not a basement full of pieces of plastic shaped like Superman.”
I find this comment amazing. I’d really like to know if she is basing it on any sort of facts. She has no idea who I am. I really wonder what kind of exposure she has had to toy collectors that she feels this way. Yeah, sure there are a lot of trolls out there who collect toys, but there are also weird guys that are really into cars. Does this make all auto-enthusiasts weird? I don’t think so. For someone to cast judgments upon me for no other reason than I have a bunch of plastic figures is crazy. I’m not above casting judgments myself, but when someone does so based purely on false assumptions it’s aggravating. Like, I’m not going to say that PikaChelsea is a gigantic rag, because she has a ridiculously huge nose. Oh wait, I did. Sorry.
6.) “Hobbies” like this are no less nerdy and hopelessly antisocial to me than people who go cosplaying at anime conventions or run around role-playing in the woods in medieval garb.”
LARPers (Note: There is more than one of them)
It’s odd that both of the activities she named (while hilariously nerdy) require interaction with other people. Cosplay involves going around to conventions where they meet and talk to hundreds of other people who do the same thing. LARPing involves getting together in groups of friends and acting retarded while having a good time. Pikachelsea, this is the definition of social:
so•cial /ˈsoʊʃəl/ Pronunciation Key - [soh-shuhl]
–adjective
1. Pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations: a social club.2. Seeking or enjoying the companionship of others; friendly; sociable; gregarious.
Now, my point is that while toy collecting isn’t social, there isn’t anything inherently unsocial about it. I get a figure, put it on my wall, and then go about my business. Now take the example of a video game addict. How is that social? Playing most games involves being alone. Yes, there are times when you get together with friends, but the majority of gaming is the one player experience. Even with online gaming you are isolated from the people you play with. Is a video game addict anti-social? Not necessarily. If there are toy collectors who are anti-social, their hobby may be a symptom of their inability to deal with others and not the cause.
7.) “Yes, it’s his money. Yes, it’s not hurting anybody (except himself and his social life, more than likely). That doesn’t mean we can’t tell people like to GROW UP.”
Her whole point is to tell me to “GROW UP”, when I even said in my post that a small part of me hasn’t grown up. I doubt she even read it before she posted her comment (like most Digg users do). Even with that taken into consideration, I don’t see how liking toys for their aesthetic qualities is any worse than collecting something more “mainstream” like sports memorabilia.
The problem with people like Pikachelsea is that she doesn’t realize that there are many collectors like me who aren’t socially retarded trolls. We’re normal, good natured people that just like to have some kick ass figures on their computer desk. Sure we may skew nerdy, but that comes with the territory. It doesn’t mean that we are completely introverted and unable to function in society. More and more, toy collecting and other nerdy hobbies like comic book collecting are becoming more mainstream. If we just drop all the crappy stereotypes about them we can all be a lot happier.
Toy collectors, do me a favor. If you are one of these less than social types, try a little harder for the rest of us? Okay? I’m sick of all the stereotypes spouted off by morons.
Oh yeah, and PikaChelsea:
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April 27th, 2007 at 8:39 am
When people attack others for their interests, especially in cases like this, it really puts a spotlight on their fears. It’s hard to see them as anything other than people so afraid of not being good enough that they feel they have to attack others to try and assert some kind of dominance over somebody. They don’t want to be at the bottom of the social ranking system that seems to so important.
So, people lash out and yeah - a lot of times the stuff they said is not thought-out or based on reality or clever in anyway. I have to feel bad for them, because they’re so afraid and feel so threatened.
Let’s just be interested in what interests us! Let’s stop worrying about getting that seat at the cool kids’ lunch table.
Keep writing about toys, Paul!
This is a great blog.
April 27th, 2007 at 8:59 am
I soooo want to submit this to Digg, but I’m wondering if you’d thank me for it. Actually, come to think of it, the people over on Netscape will love it lol.
Excellent post my man, you really should get paid for writing articles of this length and quality.
April 27th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Nice write-up. It’s kinda amazing someone would lash out at something as innocuous as toy collecting.
April 27th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Emma - Good points. Thanks for the support! It means a lot!
Dave P - I’m thinking about trying to Digg this, but I’m a little afraid of the backlash hehe. And to the last comment… lol
Kenny - Thanks for stopping by. That’s the problem though, people like to knock toy collectors to make themselves feel better. I’m trying to help combat that garbage.
April 27th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
I really like your writing style…I especially like the growing hair like a monkey..good one Paul and an excellent response..
April 27th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I say rock on toy collectors! I collect all kinds of toys and such because I find them good for my creative mind when writing. A collection is a collection no matter what it is.
If anyone asks you why you collect toys, just tell them “because the chicks dig it.”
Please tell me you’ve dugg and netscaped this.
April 29th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Paul, thanks for the continued great content. Of the many RSS feeds that I troll, yours is one of the few I genuinely get excited to see. I, too, am a grown man who totally geeks out over cool toys (although I don’t have much of a collection). I’m afraid it’s the social deviants in the community working hard to give other toy collectors a bad name. By coincidence, I did a write up on one of them last week. Tell me he doesn’t come off like a weirdo. Cheers!
http://tinyurl.com/263xv2
April 29th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Wow, thanks GWS you’ve done me a valuable service by confirming two bits of information. 1.) People I don’t know do have me on their RSS feeds and 2) People actually read my feeds. Jebus, my brain just exploded. Thanks for the visit. I’ll check your site out. Next Friday I kind of rip into a fellow collector a bit, so I guess that’s something for you to look forward to! Anyway, don’t be a stranger with the comments.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:24 am
[…] He recently posted an article called “Toy Collecting is for Losers: Defending Toy Collecting.” The article is about how toy collectors are not all like the 40 Year Old Virgin. Ok, that’s fine. I believe him even though ALL the toy collectors I have ever met are in fact freaks who do still live with their parents. However, given the size of the toy collecting industry I can believe that there are some socially, well-adjusted toy collectors. […]
May 13th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
This is some of the finest writing I’ve seen on this entire network — including my own! You, sir, have hit the nail on the head and stood up on behalf of all of us collectors.
May 13th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
I don’t understand the difference between collecting toys and collecting…anything else. I collect autographs. My mom collects I Love Lucy memorabilia. My college roommate collected shot glasses. My grandma collects stamps. You collect toys because you like them, not because you like to sit down and play tea party with them. You think your collection looks neat on your wall and it makes you happy. It’s not illegal, it’s not hurting you, and it’s making you happy, so what right does anyone else have to say “grow up.” Maybe this person should have the maturity to understand that and grow up herself.
May 13th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Oh wow. Pikachelsea? I used to post very actively on a forum where she was in the top thirty contributors on the site… and she’s criticizing someone for obsessive hobbies?
http://www.ddruk.com/bios.php?uid=2663
I stopped being a regular there a long time ago, but she was always pretty condescending and bitchy about inane, pointless things. Drama-maker, if you will.
May 13th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
[…] Defending Toy Collecting Defending Toy Collecting A toy collector defends his hobby while attacking a Digg user.[world & business] [news] [offbeat news] […]
May 13th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
AS A COLLECTOR OF STUFFED ANIMALS FOR OVER 25 YEARS IT ALWAYS MAKES ME SMILE WHEN I CAN GIVE ONE TO A CHILD OR AN ADULT JUST TO SEE THEM SMILE>THEY HAVE A NEW SPECIAL FRIEND THAT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE WHEN THEY NEED SOMETHING TO EASE THEIR PAIN> KEEP SMILING EVERYONE !!
May 13th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
@anonymous: that link just closed the case for me, PikaChelsea got pwned.
May 13th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
wow, what a long response. Someone hit a nerve.
Go ahead and collect children’s toys. But don’t write long rants rationalizing your obsession.
May 13th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Bahahaha! Thats the best laugh i have had in ages! The govenator picture was just “GOLD”. Reading this article, all i could think of was Jimmy vs Timmy from South Park. C’mon PikaChelsea get you crutches and smack him one back. Priceless!
May 13th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
foo how’s this for a short response? You are a moron.
May 13th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
I earn my money off a site about video games - I don’t see why you have to grow out of toys or enjoying playing with them - everyone needs a hobby and playing with toys or meeting other collectors of the same type I’m sure can be quite social.
May 13th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
[…] A toy collector defends his hobby while attacking a Digg user. It’s an interesting read and may open your eyes to a different way of life…read more | digg story digg_url=”; digg_skin = ”; digg_bgcolor = ‘#FFFFFF’; digg_title = ‘Defending Toy Collecting’; digg_bodytext = ”; digg_topic = ”; Powered by Gregarious […]
May 13th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
[…] Defending Toy Collecting Filed under: Uncategorized — recar @ 4:56 am Defending Toy Collecting A toy collector defends his hobby while attacking a Digg user.[news] [offbeat news] [world & business] […]
May 14th, 2007 at 12:42 am
Well said. You properly gave the talkin’ to that I’ve been trying to word since I was but a wee nerdling.
May 14th, 2007 at 1:16 am
Preach it!
May 14th, 2007 at 1:43 am
Right on Paul. It’s a shame that some people just can’t accept other people’s hobbies. I play videogames, collect toys, and collect comics and I find the time to lead a normal life. Most of us do. I juggle a full time job, a full college workload, a cool girlfriend that puts up with my oddities, two cats, and sometimes I even find time to go out for dinner and drinks with friends. Everyone has to unwind somehow. People are generally complex creatures and it is wrong to try and define someone based on a harmless pastime. It’s unfortunate that the ones that take it to the extreme get all the attention. Keep up the good work.
May 14th, 2007 at 1:53 am
No matter how many things you possess, I don’t think that it can fill the void in your life. Maybe you could give your toys to children who have very little. Maybe you’d be happier this way, and you could share something you love with someone else. I have a natural tendency to obsessively collect things, and all it does is overwhelm me. I’m trying to reduce the amount of things in my life and I think it’s helping.
chad
May 14th, 2007 at 1:53 am
hmm.. seems odd that you care so much what pikaChelsea thinks. I for one like stereo typing is fun and it is my active hobby. I believe that it is most fun to make fun of some one you dont know that way you dont have to feel bad about it. I think that pikaChelseas hobby might be making fun of people she doesnt know, so who are you to complain about her hobby unless its your hobby to complain about people complaining about your hobby. in the end all i know is fat people like sweat shirts with winnie the pooh on em.
May 14th, 2007 at 2:06 am
Nicely spoken. =)
May 14th, 2007 at 3:32 am
hahaha.. so… so so sad.
May 14th, 2007 at 6:51 am
Please accept a rousing “BRAVO!!!” from this stamp collecting model railroading video gaming street-rod-and-muscle-car loving computer programmer. They’re all toys in one form or another, right? No different than golf clubs or a baseball bat.
May 14th, 2007 at 7:50 am
Meh my dad collects Aurora Slot cars, and has been known to pay over 600 bucks for a single car, it just sucks when i ask for 10 bucks, and he says he has no money, then a new car comes in the mail *sigh*
May 14th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Which has more redeeming/utilitarian value, casual sex or toy collecting? Hard to say. And that’s just one example. If people took an honest look at their lives they’d realize everyone’s lives are filled with pointless crap. So like he said, shut the fuck up. Actually toy collecting has artistic value. While I’d say casual sex has none since it usually entails fucking like dogs. Although maybe getting primal has value. Really there’s no way to tell which has more or less value; unless everyone starts dying from STDs, or people become so obsessed with collecting they stop reproducing.
Another point…Every stoner I’ve know has had various toys decorating their place, and not one of them are nerds. If you want to create a light silly atmosphere you decorate with toys and cartoony stuff. Of course there are serious ‘toys’ too. Why does owning an artistic figure (toy) from a horror movie nerdy? Doesn’t it just create a little of the atmosphere/environment from the movie?
I participate in all three above mentioned activities to a degree. At the far end of the spectrum any activity can be seen as ridiculous, from sports to science to eating.
May 14th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Great response to that bitch. I collect some toys too, and I am HAPPY to say I am a nerd/geek. I’m glad someone made well thought arguments against these morons.
Everyone else simply doesn’t understand things that make us happy, and when it’s not hockey or NASCAR, they get scared and assume we’re idiots/childish. That’s the most childish thing I’ve heard of; “That’s not what I like, so that makes you a stupid head”. Very nice, pikachu.
Anyways, I’m gonna keep collecting Gundams and Stikfas, and if they don’t like it, sucks to them!
May 14th, 2007 at 10:25 am
I was linked here from Digg and I just wanted to say not all digg users think you’re lame/whatever for collecting toys.
I collect musical snowglobes. How dorky is that?! Some of my friends tease me and call me creepy, but I don’t care. i like them.
So kudos to you. That’s all I wanted to say.
May 14th, 2007 at 10:29 am
@Chad,
Fill the void? Why do you assume toy collecting is something that keeps someone from deep depression or make up for something that is missing from their lives? Do you do anything in life other than eat, sleep and work. Those are the “essentials”, am I right. It’s all you need to live? I doubt that’s all you do, buddy. Gimme one example of what you do in leisure and I’ll just say “Stop trying to fill that void and donate to a charity”. That’s insane.
Also, you assume that collecting is some kind of uncontrollable urge that ruins one’s life if unchecked. Why do you think this? It’s something fun, man. That’s it.
It’s not a replacement for a girlfriend. It’s not a void-filler, or whatever you think it is.
People like you are some of the dumbest people I have ever met or heard of. How can you so blindly assume and judge things you don’t understand. And here is a pointer: One person does not necessarily represent the whole of a community. Ex: If one Italian person likes tennis, it does not mean every Italian likes tennis. Similarly, if on toy collector is a troll, it doesn’t make us all trolls.
The reason I use examples like this is because I doubt you can understand simple definitions.
Anywasy, I’ll let other people be polite, and I’d like to finish by saying: “I hope all the bad things in life happen to you”.
Rock on, GEEKS!
May 14th, 2007 at 10:36 am
Hey everyone thanks for the positive comments, I even appreciate the negatives ones. It’s kind of fun to get ignorant viewpoints once in awhile.
Peter K, wow good show. I almost feel like you’ve bested me and I must hand over the reigns of the blog to you.
May 14th, 2007 at 10:37 am
@foo
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
“wow, what a long response. Someone hit a nerve.”
You have nothing valid to say, so you try insults by implying that the author is offended? What is your point?
“Go ahead and collect children’s toys. But don’t write long rants rationalizing your obsession.”
Why not? I don’t understand what you mean by this, buddy. That is the whole point of this article. Actually, it’s not so much rationalizing as it is clearing up misconceptions….but, why shouldn’t this be written? Does this article scare you? Too many big words? You can’t accept the points it makes? It’s like it a hit your nerve…
May 14th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Paul, it’s all you man. I’m just here for backup
May 14th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Take that PikaChelsea.
May 14th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Great article! I too have to put up with this stereotype. It’s funny that people claim us to be unsocial. Do I collect toys? Yes. Am I unsocial? No. I play sports, I have plenty of friends, and I laugh at people who look down upon me for my hobbies. Pikacheaslea, as much as you criticize, you know you have hobbies that are probably considered “dorky” as well, you are just too hung up on what society deems as normal to admit to your quirks. What exactly is normal, and what is the basis of it?
May 14th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Pretty awesome article. I’m a college student and most everyone knows I’m a toy collector and nobody really cares, so I don’t think it’s as hated upon as some would imagine. It’s just like anything else in that some people ‘get’ your hobby and some cannot possibly wrap their heads around why you would ‘waste your money’ like that. If you enjoy it, go for it, that’s really all there is to it. People who tell you that you need to grow up are just trying to rationalize their own insecurities about their own interests (like DDR and cats, for instance). It’s my freetime, and it’s my money, so I for one don’t worry about it. Toy collecting is just part of who I am but it is far from being entirely who I am.
May 14th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Good article. I collect toys and I am tired of not being able to be proud of my hobby. Why is it okay for a man to spend hundreds of dollars on golf clubs but if one spends less than half of that toys, he’s some kind of weirdo?
Anyway, the action figure industry as a whole is keeping alive an ancient artform, classical sculpture. It really is the only place that a classically trained sculptor can find steady work. I admire that I consider every piece I buy to be a work of inexpensive art.
May 15th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
I guess if a guy collected barbie dolls that might make him a loser.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:58 am
[…] toy collector defends his hobby while attacking a Digg user.read more | digg […]
September 12th, 2007 at 12:19 am
Excellent piece, man. An outtake from my Toys n the Addict column mentioned that simply being known as a toy collector versus having someone actually see you posing them or photographing them is like the gap separating the casual confession that you masturbate from having someone catch you in the act.
Any mild embarrassment I ever felt about my love of toys went away years ago for the most part; I feel a bit silly photographing them at the creek, sure, but other than that, REPRESENT!
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:04 am
[…] because I’ve had a couple of articles from Toy Bender hit the front page of Digg (here and here). Believe me, the much of the Digg crowd is not very kind to toy collectors. I feel that if I were […]
June 4th, 2008 at 12:47 am
I believe in Paul.