[Greg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBlueMarvel

As you suggest, maybe an isle is in order. Such an effort might highlight how many adult collectors actually exist in the wild. I’m certain that most clerks believe me to be purchasing figures for my children, when in fact; I’m actually buying for myself. It could even reduce some of the stigma that some collectors experience when buying toys as adults. Any such isle shouldn’t be cordoned off like the porno section of a mom & pop video store. Rather, it should simply be labeled as a “mature toys” section so parents (with kids in tow) know what’s up and steer clear. Maybe stores could go the route of age restrictions on purchase for certain figures/toys (although that hasn’t worked so well with video games).

The crux of my objection to a counter petition is that it feels too much like drawing battle lines in the sand. Pitting two sides against one another, when as adults, we should easily be capable of creating a compromise. I see the issue of the “opposition” (so to speak): if we normalize meth use/abuse for children by adding drug accessories to toy action figures, or extend our societal celebration of characters like Walter White to kids without the intellectual wherewithal to understand the complex scenarios involved, then we can only expect a future generation of adults desensitized to the potential pit falls of hardcore drug addiction. For me, this is not so much an issue of censorship as it is one of common sense. I reserve the right to buy the things I want, but I also respect a parent’s concern that those “things” stay out of the hands of their children.

Your thoughts on a totally separate aisle/section for the mature figures/toys are totally spot on. A clear divide between "our stuff" and the "kid stuff" may help to minimize a chance of similar outcry occurring in the future. I think a rating system could help but it may not be totally feasible or cost effective. All of the larger manufacturers would have to agree on how to classify the different ratings across TV, Film, and Videogames.

The "celebration" of a character like Walter White is an interesting dilemma. I would argue that it's not the drug use or production that most fans enjoy about the character, but rather the moral ambiguity. I'm sure there is a portion of the fan base drawn to the criminal aspect of the character, which I hope would be as the mastermind rather than the meth cook. The "outlaw" archetype has always been popular both in fiction and in real life (i.e. bank robbers and bootleggers) and Walter White strikes me as a modern take on that. I grew up watching all sorts of action/crime/violent movies and shows and turned out okay (I think), but ultimately I have no idea if there is a set way in which to glorify a bad character while not glorifying bad actions.