Pop Culture and War: Merchandise

I believe at times people and companies go too far when it comes to war merchandise, but I also feel that within moderation war memorabilia and toys are fine. I grew up with my dad having thousands of dollars worth of G.I Joes, I played Halo (1,2 &3) and Call of Duty and loved shooting my sister's with Nerf Guns. Yet, in now way do I believe that I could or would join the military or think that it is fun and games. When I play video games that include war such as Halo or Call of Duty it is just a game to me, I don't say military lingo or think that what I am experiencing is "real" war. In fact, I don't believe Halo is war like at all. Well, okay it has to do with war, but it's war on a different planet against aliens, so that game definitely did not make me think I was experiencing war. My mom used to put a time limit on when we were allowed to play our "violent war video games" because she was sure if we played past 8pm we would have terrible nightmares, but we still played past then. 

I think that games like Battle Ship, Call of Duty, and Halo, action figures like G.I Joes or TY Beanie Babies that are dressed like military and Nerf Guns are all okay, but I believe that children need their parents to explain what those games and toys mean. That they are not just toys that war is real and that it is a big deal. For children who play those games or have those action figures that have parents that explain that those toys are a part of something bigger helps them not see it only as entertainment, but also as a larger part of life that is sad, painful and scary. If you give children toys, guns, action figures, movies, etc that show war as magical, fun, etc. without parents that are explaining what war means is a problem. 

In class, many said that they don't think that people actually believe that they are soldiers or that war means glory after watching, playing, participating in this things, but I think that we think that way is because we are old enough to know the difference and it is hard for us to imagine people actually thinking that way. Most of us in class grew up without the glorified video games, etc. granted they have  always been there, but they weren't as intense in the media. We more than likely had parents and family members in the military that helped explain to us what it all means. Now children are having war thrown in their face more than ever and not as much parental explanation of what it means. 

Granted, even with parents explaining what war is some toys, movies, news coverage, etc. goes too far. In the video, we saw the Widow Barbie with her war torn home. This is too far because that happens, people all over the world have worn torn homes, and are widows and widowers because their spouse died. Those are not toys people and companies should be capitalizing on.