Toys 9/26 -Exam 2 - Lecture notes 7 PDF

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Joel Best...

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Barbie-not just a doll a huge company Toys are clearly gendered girls=pink & boys=blue ○ 100 years ago it was the opposite--girls=blue & boys=pink >change in culture Barbie has come in for lots of criticism ○ Unrealistic body proportion--creates ideas for girls that they should look like barbie ○ 2 60s sociologists on barbie ■ Makes girls less able to achieve the emotional preparation for being a wife and mother that they received from baby dolls ■ May serve to integrate children prematurely into the adolescent subculture and minimize preparation for later adult performances such as those associated with conjugal parental and occupational status or position ● ^barbie wasn’t a baby doll that would make women want to be a mother but promote barbie’s careers “She’s strong enough to put your daughter in a grave”--national eating disorders association Chin speaks to concerns about Barbie and Race -teach girls that their ethnicity is valued 2016: announced new body shapes including “curvy” Lots of reasons people worry about toys: safety, violence, anti-religious messages carebears live in clouds/aren’t angels, Jean Piaget (1896-1980):Swiss psychologist: showed that children pass through stages of cognitive development. For instance, conservation of quantities Children have to learn to see the world as others see it Socialization: sociologist talk for learning → Learning is a social activity The romance of the wild child--jungle book--grows up with animals, learns from them but then more intelligent becomes leader of pack ○ Feral children: no speech, not able to walk correctly, not learnable Human nature without other people is not much--need other people to learn from Societies very wildly in their conceptions of childhood and what children need to learn Puritans saw need to discipline children, to break them to obedience --tie pip around neck and put in neck for children who whispers in church to shame them Jean jacques rousseau (1712-1778): different, more romantic vision of “uncorrupted morals” in a “state of nature” --would become better people if we were not corrupted by society ○ Children are innately innocent--a new sentimental vision of childhood was created ○ Play becomes very important (“play is the work of a child”) --innocent, free, wonderful activity that is great for children Children are understood to be vulnerable to the corrupting influence of popular culture New technologies invite new fears --motion pictures shown in nickelodeon's: series of short films -similar to the dime novels that had train robbery’s ex:violence in old west Is play healthy or corrupting? --pinballs

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Psychiatrist Frederic Wertham (1895-1981): argued that comic books were the cause of juvenile delinquency: sex, violence ○ 1950s: west side story, gang problems, delinquency big concern ○ Went into congress that had to do something about comic books -comic code of authority: no blood, swear words, nudity etc. --would give a seal to those comic books but others would not be censored --similar to movie ratings Music is a social problem: jazz--created by blacks and whites should not listen to it ○ Rock: elvis covering songs of blues artists--and sexualization, scary rock, hip hop Industry (not government) efforts to control children’s access to pop culture Reformers seek to provide healthy alternatives-the playground movement Scouting was designed as a form of social reform to get boys out of the city and into nature --large set of programs to provide a healthy introduction to life: Girl/Boy scouts, YMCA/YWCA etc. Parents seek to maximize children’s potential by buying the right products --educational toys, enrolling children in programs, sports: winning, losing, exercise, teamwork, encouraging interests Societies change --there is a growing number of women’s working ○ New market springs up to address mothers’ anxieties --working mother magazine new products to address guilt ○ “mom can’t cook!”, toys become more abundant (plastic makes toys cheaper), Parents exchange time for toys--don't spend as much time but nurture with the best stuff ○ Aging means there are more gift giving relatives--grandparent buy affection ○ Divorce toys toys=big, year round business --TV permits direct marketing, children’s programming at all hours 24/7 & combine toys with TV to foster a line of toys and other products People worry about commercialized toy market fostering violence Toys: sexist, racist Childhood experiences shape life chances --pathway to be successful (married parents, education, etc) Cultural Capital: (capital though of as money--form of culture): upper class kids: learning more, more opportunities, taught lessons--gives advantage

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Worrying about play Toys and childhood Why childhood matters Bottom line: childhood is important as the means for making children social...