Subject:
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Re: Arkham Asylum - A cool set, but a bit disturbing.
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Thu, 7 Jun 2007 17:49:58 GMT
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Viewed:
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6660 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Dave Schuler wrote:
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Although it’s unlikely that LEGO intended the set as a commentary on Abu
Ghraib, their choice to foreground an institutionalized torture chamber
speaks of a curious lack of sensitivity on the subject. Given TLG’s
long-standing policy of non-violent toys (a policy quickly abandoned when it
threatened their profits, of course), you’d think that they’d be more
conscious of how their portrayals of violence are likely to be interpreted.
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But, they’re making a toy. Saying they have a “curious lack of sensitivity”
implies that there is some sort of sinister commentary on their part. Just
because it reminded one person of something horrible doesn’t mean that issue
should’ve been ever-present in their mind when they were designing that toy.
An electric shock treatment room doesn’t always imply a torture chamber. Again,
I say it would’ve been insensitive to include something like this in a US
military base set. But it’s the Arkham Asylum from a comic book. You know, comic
books? Things people read to escape every day life?
I do agree that LEGO dropped their anti-violence stance when their profits were
suffering. While I liked their anti-violence stance I am fine with them dropping
it if it means they can keep in business. I’ll leave out my personal feelings on
violence so we don’t go way way way off topic...
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Why include the torture chamber at all? They didn’t include the reception
desk, the bathroom, or the parking lot, after all. Their choice to include
the chamber makes it fair game for discussion.
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Yeah, you’d think they’d need some administrative offices or something. How do
they process their patients?
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FWIW I think you’ve done just fine in that regard.
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Agreed! THanks--Mark
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