A doll sold for $3.00 then has survived over 47 years. Has there been any other toy that generated so much attention as Barbie? What feelings about her do you have either through possess or playing with them? Does she generate more questions than answers? Just look at how many questions are about or in some way in responses mention this doll. That is so amazing how this one toy has so much influence in our society and in the different aspects.
2006-11-30 06:01:44 · 8 answers · asked by maybf22000 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
For me, growing up and having a REAL Barbie doll was the thing, not the flat chested Twiggy. I liked Skipper even though she was flat chested, because she was related to Barbie and not the same age, so it was okay. You had to identify with a pre-teen doll, you know and Barbie was a WOMAN! That's what I saw in Barbie - not some "sexy" figure as someone mentioned. Give me a break - its a doll with huge hooters and no other womanly features; however, you put her in the right fashions, high heels and accessories and you've got yourself a real doll! It made you feel grown up because you'd gotten tired of Betsy-Wetsy - time to pretend to be a "woman" and use your imagination through playing with Barbie.
My sister and I didn't have any dolls but a friend of hers did and we borrowed them all the time because her friend didn't care for the dolls. We "lived" through Barbie, being a teacher, a mother, a fashionable girlfriend who had the best boyfriend, Ken, etc.
Barbie never generated any questions for me. And for those that did have questions, it wasn't just Americans as someone pointed out. It became controversial because it is popular and there was nothing else to talk about, so it became a topic for the media.
Someone mentioned that her parents did not want her playing with the buxom Barbie for whatever reasons and it simply intensified her curiosity. As a young girl, one could identify that Barbie was indeed a "woman" and the flat chested dolls were still kids. It was a way of "growing up" for some of us. I was playing with Barbie when I was 12 years old and it was frowned upon then. But it was the best way for my creative imagination to take fold and I should not have been ostracized for it. I was told I should be looking at boys at that age! The thing is, Barbie was the best thing for me - look how many girls put that doll down and paid attention to boys, only to become pregnant!
That says something about Barbie and our culture, doesn't it?
2006-11-30 06:30:09 · answer #1 · answered by terryoulboub 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My mom wouldn't let me have a real Barbie doll until I was 9 years old (by that time I had almost lost interest!).
I had to stick to the flat-chested Sunshine Family or Barbie's sister, Skipper.
Now I am a mom and I let my daughter play with the real thing. I think by restricting me from the buxom blonde, my mom just really encouraged my curiousity more and made Barbie seem all the more risque and trashy.
If I would have just been given a normal Barbie to begin with, I don't think I would have cared so much.
2006-11-30 06:08:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, this doll has a sordid past. Originally she was marketed to German men as a sex toy named Bild Lili who was a character with wild exploits.
But her appeal didn't last long and they would eventually end up in the hands of a child. Then along came Milicent Roberts and the rest is history.
I love my Barbies. Right now I have seven, but only four are collectibles. I used to play with them when I was a little girl and now I make houses and furniture for homeless Barbies.
If people thought that Barbie was too sexy, then they should look at Obitsu dolls. They make old Barbie look downright puritanical.
2006-11-30 06:05:01 · answer #3 · answered by germaine_87313 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Barbie is this manner of competent length - and that i do no longer mean her dimensions. Barbie is a woman's "action discern". She isn't a large, ol' infant doll like they USED to play with until now Barbie, yet Barbie is a transportable, functional female! a female endows skill and entitles the "participant" or person to imagining adultlike responsiblities and rewards! How exciting! Barbie has all that we superficial toddlers desire, men and girls alike: large seems, money, youthful human beings in early adulthood (each and every of the priviledges), and popularity/movie star. And we additionally will circulate and pose and posture her fairly in one hand. How could she no longer be prevalent. The Barbie doll became into single without toddlers yet she did have a exciting boyfriend, Ken. the different doll decision obtainable in 1959 became into the infant doll. What did that characterize? duty, artwork, enslavement to a different human creature. Which doll are you going to compliment?
2016-12-10 19:12:01 · answer #4 · answered by claypoole 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She has been around a long time. Personally I prefer and collect Ken dolls and clothes. I wish they made Ken's house. It used to be popular to name you kid Barbara, shortened to Barbie, I don't see so many Barbies any more, maybe Bobbi's for the female name.
2006-11-30 06:11:35 · answer #5 · answered by Thomas S 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The underlying problem here is that people of todays society (especially americans) look far too deeply into such things, and are over offended over such menial things to the point of being absolutely absurd. Freaking out over barbie and her sexy figure is just about as futile and ignorant as me flipping out over the Incredible Hulks buff figure.
2006-11-30 06:06:06 · answer #6 · answered by pe l 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
i never thought about it,i did enjoy playing with my barbie growing up
2006-11-30 06:14:55 · answer #7 · answered by san_ann68 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
People get bored and need something to argue about. Why not make it about a woman who doesn't talk back? LMAO.
2006-11-30 06:15:37 · answer #8 · answered by Angel Baby 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋