Christmas Figure Surprises 2018 I had not expected to get any figures until after the holidays. I had few surprises from friends plus a purchase at one of our traditional Christmas stops.
Christmas Figure Surprises 2018 Sub
One year we took along a friend and he found Christmas light bulbs he could not find anywhere else. this year Laurie and I went down before going on to a Deli further south of us called Pumpernick’s.
Going through the toy department I saw they had various items from Victory Buy. They also had big hunting set with a cabin from New Ray. What I decided to get was the diving sub. This was a cereal premium from the 50’s. I had one as a child. You would put baking soda in and put it in water. the sub would go up and down. The toy has being reissued by a company called Toysmith
Christmas Figure Surprises 2018 Detlef
Tomorrow I will share the surprises from Markus Lecksheid.
The Australian Aborigines have taken quite a hit in Australia. See the article at this site:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6487155/Racist-Aboriginal-figurines-pulled-shelves-photo-results-angry-backlash.html
I don’t know what to say to this.
Fritz
I’m not sure what could be considered offensive about those figures, other than perhaps that they do not accurately capture the facial characteristics of Australian Aboriginals.
Perhaps some non-Aboriginal child would get the figures as a gift and that would spark a lifetime interest in Aboriginal culture in someone who might never otherwise be aware of the subject. I know that all my toy soldiers, be they Arabs, Apaches, Vikings or what have you, prompted me to read and learn more about the cultures they represented.
I guess I cannot judge how they might feel about it, but I would think that anything that promotes interest in a culture is positive. Not that many people bother to travel to authentic cultural events, even in their own lands. Many more are exposed to cultures through books, movies and toys.
I have been looking at the article from the Daily Mail. I can not see what concerns them on the figures. I looked IndigenousX Facebook page and did not notice any reason for this negativity. The aboriginals like American Indian were badly exploited and abuse. It is no history that a nation can be proud of.
As the figures I will keep them and note how they are perceived in their country. Our toys have had dark side the Manoil Black man with watermelon is one example.
I just have to lought at this.!!!
The figures are quite abundant still from other stores that not fall x it.
Best
I believe thoughtful people can understand, especially in this day and age, that perceptions of how a particular race or minority group is depicted can vary considerably between a non-member of a group vs. a member of the group being depicted.
As a member of the cultural, racial majority, I may not perceive anything wrong
with a certain depiction of a minority ethnic/racial group, in this case the Aborigenes. But if an Aborigene himself views the depiction as “racist, vile, and offensive”, then it very well may be.
At the very least, in that circumstance, a reasonable person will listen empathetically to the complaint, rather than dismissing it out of hand as “crazy”.
I realize that may be too much to hope for.
I’m afraid we now live in a left-wing world which is obsessed with political correctness and racism. Personally i’m sick of hearing of things like this but that’s the way it is these days. Oh well each to these own.
Of course, Darren, the fact that you yourself are “sick of hearing” about racism may be because you yourself have never been victimized by it. Don’t you think that is at least a possibility? If you have never suffered in that way, it’s very easy to view it as “not a big deal”, and to become impatient with others who may have had a completely different life experience.
But many of us had mothers, grade-school teachers, and/or Sunday School teachers who at least tried to instill in us this principle: Do not be overly harsh in our judgements of others until you have “walked a mile in THEIR shoes.”
In my opinion, only when we have done this are we justified in ridiculing and laughing at the sensitivities of others.
And this would apply to Jews who object to the displaying of Nazi symbols for purposes of entertainment, African-Americans and Native Americans who object to the use of negative, outdated, & demeaning stereotypes, and Australian Aborigenes who dislike seeing their ancestors displayed in tourist shops in a manner which reinforces negative prejudices among an uninformed segment of the population.
So while Darren, Admin, and myself may not see anything particularly upsetting about these things, it’s probably because all three of us are members of our country’s dominant racial/cultural/ethnic group, and we thereby observe all this from a different perspective than we would if we were part of a minority which had experienced years of discrimination and persecution, as have the Aborigenes of Australia.
Don
I have seen racism and have fought against it. It is just that there is an overkill on what’s correct. As I stated before I would like to know more of the negativity to the figures. I think we have discussed this enough.
I dont think is from US
Darren is from UK
I wasn’t going to discuss this subject anymore but i would just like to give Don my quick opinion on it and then i will say no more. I realise that racism is all around us, But racism has been around for thousands of years and i guess it always will be. That’s just the way human beings are i’m afraid. Yes im a very proud Englishman and i’m very proud of most of my countrys history but there is some of it i’m not proud of, But i think that can be said of almost every country on earth, And i think you will find it isn’t only white people who are racist. I think things are going way to far to the left these days in the west, And yes i am sick of being told that my people were and are racist all the time which is why i dont watch the news here in England anymore as it is discussed every couple of days which does really anoy me. I think some people are just looking for an excuse to discuss racism at every opportunity and can find racism in a handful of dirt if they think hard enough, They should get a life and try to cheer up a bit and realise the world isn’t all bad. Anyway these are my thoughts and i will say no more on the subject. Hope you had a great christmas Don and i look forward to the new year.
Yes atlantic pink are from last edition production in blister pack.
Greek life is a unique beautiful set ,so are the romans ,egyptian and else.Atlantic cover thematic not other did .Their figures will be among my favorite.
I got the aborigen and will give then other uses as well.after deep look i think are more resin material .any how i like then much .
The totem is nice well done piece as well .
Both come as christmas gift from my friend Deatlf from Germany among other nice figures .
best
The Totem has a strong Alaskan flavor, each part of the carving having a specific meaning, including the small human figure being held either for protection or as captive. Totems commemorate events and stories about specific individuals or clans. There aren’t any Alaskan or other Northwestern people depicted in plastic figures out there that I know of.
I like the Manurba Indian with the axe. Hes a nice figure as he is but he would also make a fine Fantasy Warrior also.