The power of voodoo (pencil cases)

[helcyon]

heraldsun



I think it's nifty but the alarm has been raised by an organisation called "Kids Free 2B Kids" whose director states:
“It’s basically a voodoo doll, and it’s potentially a very powerful tool for bullies...I think it’s typical lack of awareness from retailers … just thinking it’s a cute idea not really thinking it through,”

She has apparently spoken to several "childhood experts" who were "horrified" and claims the pencil case “could be seen as a tool for nastiness, vindictiveness and bullying... Given that a large proportion of your customers are primary and early secondary aged girls - selling products like this could be seen as a social/public condoning of such behaviours,”

And she has also raised concern about another product in the Smiggle range encouraging children to 'Hug a Stranger'.

Yeah I guess so but I still think it's cool and would give one of these pencil cases to a kid who was old enough not to swallow the pins (like me).

[Raza]

Meh. It's people worrying about the symbolism of shit that doesn't actually do anything, that are "seen as a social/public condoning" of giving a crap when someone targets you with it.

The sooner kids learn what can't hurt them, the sooner we'll have a generation of adults that stops whining about crap like this.

[Dusk]

Maybe the bullies will steal the pins and stab the other kids xD

[OliX]

Children are known for believing almost anything you say to them. This is just one of the unnecessary traumas they don't need.

[Raza]

Children are known for believing almost anything you say to them. This is just one of the unnecessary traumas they don't need.

So say to them that this thing doesn't work.

[Dusk]

Its a fucking pencil case, in and of itself it cannot be a voodoo doll because its not a doll. "Oh God this pencil case represents another culture that's different, and so must be wrong". I know thats probably not what these people are thinking, but theres a very good chance that its a big part of it.

[malcolm]

wonders if they had hissyfit when vodoo babies came out.......

[Mr Karl]

someone actually makes money selling those?...................Fuck, why can't I think of ways like that to get easy money from lot's of dumb kids

ten bucks for that?

[malcolm]

novelty vooddo thingys are big money. I have a plush voodoo doll from target of all places. they also used to make a set of novelty mini soaps that were voodoo packaged. it's spooky but not super spooky i suppose and you should see the voodoo babies, they're little keychain dolls that are just made out of wound rope. the official ones go for about ten bucks a pop and some fo the knockoffs go for about five a pop.

[helcyon]

The sooner kids learn what can't hurt them, the sooner we'll have a generation of adults that stops whining about crap like this.

Pretty much. I don't think you need to or should shield young folk from absolutely everything. How are they going to learn anything? There is no substitute for knowledge coupled with informed sensible advice.

I wonder how you could actually bully someone with this "doll" short of trying to physically smother them with it? Maybe if they had some sort of physical infliction you could put their photo on the doll, stick a pin in the "afflicted" area and show it to them. Maybe you could take a crap inside the pencil case and mail it to them. I really don't know.

[Dusk]

The last idea is the funniest but kids dont have as much imagination as you, so ittl probably be "LOOK! Im stabbing billy in the nuts! LOL!"

[Nos]

when I was little I just made my own ....

[Dusk]

But most kids dont know enough about this stuff to reasliethat the pencil case is just a pencil case.