Army PR

[Lozzer]

I was flipping through the Argos catalogue this morning when I came to a page full of 'action man' merchandise. Well it wasn't strictly Action Man, it was a series of toys and figurines for boys. There were tanks, toy soldiers, uniforms etc you name it. By each product was the logo of the Royal Navy, as in the British armed forces. I know young lads love military toys and violence, but I've never heard of a range of toy wear produced by the army for children? Isn't it slightly messed up that we should allow the military to have that kind of contact and influence with impressionable minds? I know I sound like Reverend Lovejoy's wife from the Simpsons, but wont somebody think of the children? I can't honestly see a public service like the army actually developing toys for any other purpose other than to encourage or to try and determine the future of the kids who buy into it.

[AnInconvenientScotsman]

Army toys have been around for decades man. I seriously doubt the military commissioning a range of them will make a difference. Most little boys grow up.

[Feck]

This is going to sound strange coming from me but if we accept that we do need a military then we need people to join .
Most people who join nowadays do so because they offer a stable life and career training not always available in civilian life .
If a range of toys upsets you then I think you are being a little too sensitive and PC about it .
I think kids are always going to want to play soldiers or cowboys or pirates .A range of toys is not going to have as much effect on kids as computer games and let's face it Do you play Echo the Dolphin much ?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

They've found "tin soldiers" in Egyptian tombs. Nothing new here.

[Lozzer]

I'm not disccusing the morality of having militaristic toys--I for one bummed BB guns and Action Men for years. It's just I think it's questionable for such toys to be commissioned by the armed forces.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm not disccusing the morality of having militaristic toys--I for one bummed BB guns and Action Men for years. It's just I think it's questionable for such toys to be commissioned by the armed forces.

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

[AnInconvenientScotsman]

I'm not disccusing the morality of having militaristic toys--I for one bummed BB guns and Action Men for years. It's just I think it's questionable for such toys to be commissioned by the armed forces.

Woah woah woah...you bummed Action Man?

[Lozzer]

I'm not disccusing the morality of having militaristic toys--I for one bummed BB guns and Action Men for years. It's just I think it's questionable for such toys to be commissioned by the armed forces.

Woah woah woah...you bummed Action Man?

[Pappa]

I'm not disccusing the morality of having militaristic toys--I for one bummed BB guns and Action Men for years. It's just I think it's questionable for such toys to be commissioned by the armed forces.

They're just cashing in on the current wave of patriotism, can't really blame them for taking advantage of that.

[Lozzer]

I'm not discussing the morality of having militaristic toys--I for one bummed BB guns and Action Men for years. It's just I think it's questionable for such toys to be commissioned by the armed forces.

They're just cashing in on the current wave of patriotism, can't really blame them for taking advantage of that.

I don't think our Heroes would ever do that

[charlou]

Interesting topic, the ethics of state influence on children. Apart from taking responsibility for health, welfare and education, should the state also be responsible for pushing a particular agenda? In the UK religion is not separate, so I'm not surprised the armed forces are not considered separate either. Ideological indoctrination is unethical, IMO, and those who say children like those kinds of toys therefore there's no issue with pushing an agenda are playing right along with it.

[Rum]

'Socialisation'. Sadly girls still get encouraged to play with dolls as kids and boys get guns and tanks and toy soldiers. We set about programming our kids from the get go.

I for one hate it. War should be seen as a tragic, terrible (and rare if at all possible) necessity and we should not in my view bring up boys to treat it as a game. No hope of that however. We continue to be warlike and in my view, savage. Our spending on defence globally continues inexorably to go up and up. Here's a timely news item:-


World military spending soars in spite of recession

At a time when governments across the world have been borrowing heavily in order to spend, it seems the defence industry has benefited more than most.

Worldwide military expenditure reached $1,531bn (£1bn) last year, a 5.9% rise in real terms from 2008, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri).

More at:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10184610.stm

[AshtonBlack]

'Socialisation'. Sadly girls still get encouraged to play with dolls as kids and boys get guns and tanks and toy soldiers. We set about programming our kids from the get go.

I for one hate it. War should be seen as a tragic, terrible (and rare if at all possible) necessity and we should not in my view bring up boys to treat it as a game. No hope of that however. We continue to be warlike and in my view, savage. Our spending on defence globally continues inexorably to go up and up. Here's a timely news item:-


World military spending soars in spite of recession

At a time when governments across the world have been borrowing heavily in order to spend, it seems the defence industry has benefited more than most.

Worldwide military expenditure reached $1,531bn (£1bn) last year, a 5.9% rise in real terms from 2008, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri).

More at:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10184610.stm

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Interesting topic, the ethics of state influence on children. Apart from taking responsibility for health, welfare and education, should the state also be responsible for pushing a particular agenda? In the UK religion is not separate, so I'm not surprised the armed forces are not considered separate either. Ideological indoctrination is unethical, IMO, and those who say children like those kinds of toys therefore there's no issue with pushing an agenda are playing right along with it.

I blame Darwin.

[JimC]

I'm not disccusing the morality of having militaristic toys--I for one bummed BB guns and Action Men for years. It's just I think it's questionable for such toys to be commissioned by the armed forces.

I see your point, Lozzer. It is perfectly reasonable for army or navy recruiters to speak to late secondary school students about joining up, as they can weigh up the arguments, but toy merchandising to much younger children has that unpleasant flavour associated with toys from McDonalds, for example. Emotional manipulation, rather than persuasion by (relatively) rational means...