Dont be all serious man.. I know this is real and all.. but lighten up. ;) You'll feel better.

This is extremely true. Even my non-toy collecting friends end up playing with my ironman lego armory when they see it, and walk around my office room to each shelf to see what the figures are doing that week. xD

There's something about displays in action that keep even the most judgemental at bay as opposed to just childlike everywhere on the floor and underfoot that they seem to think it'd be without seeing it firsthand.

Never understood why people cast judgements and pre-conceptions like that without knowing any real info about it.

My guess is fear of the unknown and a desire to restore social normalcy out of what is perceived as deviant behavior.

Oh I'm fine, it's your posts (not just in this thread) that are always negative in some way.

I agree 100%, back on the topic....majority of views are that collecting toys shouldnt make anyone ashamed of what they are doing or who they are.

Collecting is awsome I wouldn't care someone made fun of me cuz I'm 28 and I'm hanging out in the toy aisle. If u like collecting figures who cares what people say another thing I BET THAT SAME PERSON MAKING FUN OF YOU HAS NOTHING IN THEIR LIFE THAT THERE PASSIONATE ABOUT.. I. Have been collecting for 2 years now n I love it

im not embarrassed, i do care what people think but as far as going to a store and picking up a toy and having a kool-aid grin on my face at the same time, im happy and thats what matters to me. my wife is totally cool with my collecting and is proud of me for doing what i like and she shows her coworkers my customs and brags on me. my family supports my habit and that helps me grow stronger and confident as a collector and a customizer :)

My guess is it's insecurity on their part. Almost all judgemental people I've ever met have seemed to be the most insecure people I've ever known too and afraid of others judging them. That or they have a superiority/inferiority complex.

I think that might just be my view though, because the only thing I really consider deviant behaviour is something that harms oneself or another.

One time I bought a Darth Vader action figure (battle damaged Vader from 30th anniv line) and a bottle of lube and that was it. Target.

And I would like to say again that I have rarely seen this happen. This being people getting teased for collecting toys. In fact, from my experience, it's more the teasing or outright insulting of someone collecting toys that seems to be perceived as deviant and unacceptable behaviour. Usually this results in an awkward silence and everyone secretly talking behind the guy's back who had just insulted someone for their hobby or outright verbal contempt for the guy who was rude.

Like once at work, I was talking to everyone about Green Lantern and this guy from India started insulting me for "talking shit" and said that I'm a loser for liking this stuff. He was obviously trying to fit in and thought that by attacking some guy who liked Green Lantern would somehow achieve this. Anyway, everyone just looked at him awkwardly and one of my co-workers was like, "Whoa calm down, geez." and he laughed awkwardly and I just carried on talking about Green Lantern. It's like he got ready for his big move to North America by being subjected to repeated viewings of the first half of "Lucas".

Maybe it happens more than I realize or it could be a culture thing? I'm from a good sized city in Canada and I don't often see this happen. On the other hand, I dated this girl who moved here from the UK and like I said, she was the only one who had a beef with my collecting. Also, back in the days of ICQ, a lot of the Americans I spoke to told me some real horror stories about getting harrassed for being a nerd and it was like straight out of Revenge of the Nerds and it's like, is it for the toys and cartoons? Or because you act like Steve Urkel (often sans intelligence AKA poindexter)?

When I went to High School, a good 80% of our "jocks" were also very good academically. I'd say a good chunk of them were on the Honours rankings. In some ways, I think these are outdated stereotypes perpetrated by people who just can't let go. ie: Only TV's stereotype of "nerds" can collect toys. All athletic people are dumb. All intelligent people have to smell bad, can't enjoy sports and can't get girlfriends. All intelligent people have to resemble Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory. If you collect toys, you have to think people who go to bars, clubs or drink are BAD PEOPLE.

People, it's time to grow up and grow out of these stupid "norms". This is thanks in part to years of counterproductive brainwashing by a handful of sociopathic "nerds" and "narcissistic jocks". Emilio Estevez's character from the Breakfast Club saying his dad brainwashed him and made him feel like he had to beat the crap out of some nerd. This kind of stuff apparently happens. And those with "nerd" parents or "nerd" friends who are complete control freaks who make you feel like you're a reject from society and that you CAN'T just go to anything that the "popular kids" go to and turn you into a meek society hating shut-in. Carrie's mom "They're all gonna laugh at you". THIS is the real problem. Not collecting toys. It's those people who just can't let go of this crap and let everyone get along because they were either dealt a bad hand or they screwed it up for themselves.

And hell, I might get a lot of grief from some people for posting this because I'm somehow betraying "our kind", but if you really think that, then I'm NOT LIKE you. I'm not pointing fingers. I don't know anyone personally, but a lot of you guys seem pretty cool. However, if this hits home for anyone, well, maybe it's time to re-evaluate things. I drink socially. I go to the gym on a regular basis. I do go to bars and clubs sometimes. I do have plenty of friends of varying backgrounds. I have played team sports. I meet girls. I've done well academically. I love cars. I work in the IT field. I collect toys. I draw. I sculpt. I play with LEGO. I play video games. I fiddle with electronics. I love programming. I love DIY. No, collecting toys doesn't mean you have to like everything but it also doesn't mean you have to hate specific groups of people, either.

Yeah I do feel a little silly collecting toys, not necessarily because of what others think, but because of what I think. In a way, that makes it even more enjoyable because I can appreciate how fun and youthful an activity it is. I can sit back and laugh at myself for it once in a while and really, who would I rather be? A guy who can sit back and laugh about life and be happy or a guy living with a stick up my ass cause not everybody appreciates my toy collection as much as I do? Yeah I think I'm happy with the first choice.

I can imagine the dialog:

"I don't collect these things, I swear. I plan to stick it up my butt. That's far more acceptable in society."

*raised eyebrow from cashier*

LOL ive done the same thing, back in the day, I was on a rubber run and swung by the toy isle after and found a Micro Machines Transforming Death star for clearance $10.00 those were the days. I dont know what ever happened to that girl, but i still have my death star lol

Hurray! I'm not the only one with dolls lmao :)

Mods, give this man an award! Well said my man, well said! This was almost a Braveheart status speech

yeah I will not qoute it again to save space but that was well put chris.

Nicely put my man :)

I think thechris just spoke for the entire group. /thread
:D

Great post!! **Standing ovation!!!** :)

:( to be fair.. the guy that I posted "at" got it.. it was just a joke. sorry.

:( Sorry you feel that way.. you have your own way of kind of coming off negetive too... in case you didnt notice.

Ill try to be more positive.

Isn't that something their targets say to make themselves feel better?

But seriously though, I almost think we're saying the same thing.

Also, thechris's post was too long for me to read, I'm sorry thechris.:o

Ok man, fair enough then.

I'm pretty much a toy-obsessed troll; i spend most of my time surfing the web looking around for toy-related news and such, 90% of the time i'm thinking about what toys i'm looking forward too; which licenses i'd like to see made into toys, etc and the only friend i have right now is also into toy collecting.
I guess what i'm trying to say is that it's come to the point where nearly my entire being revolves around toys; wanting and buying toys is completely natural to me, the concept that such a thing is "weird" is almost incomprehensible to me. So needless to say i am a wee bit nervous about the idea of having my collecting habbits judged by others. So far the only people who know about my collection are the aforementioned friend, my family and my this shrink i used to see and i plan on keeping it that way until i've managed to turn my life around.

Not embarrassed one bit. I have a great outlet for creativity and imagination with collecting. When I show folks who don't "get it" some of my customs they understand a bit more i think.

I think as long as you are willing to take the time to casually educate non collectors they tend to be receptive.

But then again, who's gonna tell the 6 foot 7, 330 pound dude buying new toys he should be ashamed?.............

u should be ashamed. internet trolling at its finest haha j/p
but yea i think that thechris just hit everything on the head with his post. that was one of those slow clap moments