Oh man, that's absolutely horrible.. I'm ashamed to admit, I had an American Girl doll, actually, I had two. I had Molly, and then I had another doll, one of those "create a doll" But I had a lot more fun picking out what little accessories I'd want for my dolls (that I never even bought) than actually playing with them. They were so perfect and pretty, I never wanted to play with them. I would dress them for special occasions, and that's it. They would sit on the stand after that.
Name a single place that at one time or another hasn't employed an asshole. On top of that, please justify how one employee is supposed to be reflective of an entire company.
And, of course, the overpriced and poorly made will vary per person. For some people, the price is worth what they get and they've never had problems with the quality either.
I had two of those dolls as a little girl, too, before they were bought by Mattel and became all corporate, and they were actually very well made. Not cheap, of course, but lovely and surprisingly durable. I still have them around somewhere in my parents' house. Their little clothes and accessories were just adorable and well-made too, though I doubt that is the case anymore.
The thing that is "bad" here is not the dolls, per se, but the attitudes being instilled in the little girls whose parents buy them the dolls. Children should be taught that it is unnacceptable to treat another human being this way--that sensitivity and tact are important and that every girl and every doll are equally worthwhile, even if they are different. What makes me sad about this story is all the mothers who felt the need to speak up and say something snide to defend the hairdresser instead of the mother. How could anyone treat a little girl that way? How horrible.
But the attitudes being instilled in the girls who were there were instilled not by the company or the brand, but by several people - one of them an employee - that were nearby when this happened. Just like not all employees react that way, not all parents react that way. Speaking as the father of two children who have American Girl things, neither I nor my wife are raising them to act the way the parents acted in this situation. My point was that this is a terrible thing to do to a child but is not the fault of the American Girl company nor a way of measuring the quality of the toy itself. If blame and fault is to be put anywhere - and it should - it should rest on the people responsible: the stuck up mothers and stylist.
Incidentally, they are still well made and cute. One of my girls got a little scooter for Christmas made to look like the oldschool 50's crate-nailed-to-a-few-planks.
My grandmother collects these and makes gifts of them to girls she knows, as my sister and cousin are a little too old now (20 and 22).
Sounds like the "salon" was a dicey business model in the first place, but I'm with Lee (MD) on this one. This entire experience != American Girls dolls are "bad."
There is no such thing as a bad dolly. There are only bad people. And it sounds like there were an entire contingent of baddies at that salon that day.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-27 06:18 pm (UTC)Poor little girl =(
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-27 07:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-27 07:44 pm (UTC)(in addition to being overpriced and poorly made)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-27 08:17 pm (UTC)And, of course, the overpriced and poorly made will vary per person. For some people, the price is worth what they get and they've never had problems with the quality either.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-28 05:54 pm (UTC)The thing that is "bad" here is not the dolls, per se, but the attitudes being instilled in the little girls whose parents buy them the dolls. Children should be taught that it is unnacceptable to treat another human being this way--that sensitivity and tact are important and that every girl and every doll are equally worthwhile, even if they are different. What makes me sad about this story is all the mothers who felt the need to speak up and say something snide to defend the hairdresser instead of the mother. How could anyone treat a little girl that way? How horrible.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-28 11:52 pm (UTC)Incidentally, they are still well made and cute. One of my girls got a little scooter for Christmas made to look like the oldschool 50's crate-nailed-to-a-few-planks.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-29 12:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-29 08:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-28 01:58 am (UTC)Sounds like the "salon" was a dicey business model in the first place, but I'm with Lee (MD) on this one. This entire experience != American Girls dolls are "bad."
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-28 05:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-28 11:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-28 02:11 pm (UTC)Never heard of American Girl dolls, although from the story it sounds kind of like a real-world/very expensive version of Meez.
I will not comment on the company or product, but sweet Christ am I having uncharitable thoughts about that stylist and the women in line.
angry angry angry angry
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-28 02:15 pm (UTC)> sounds kind of like a real-world/very expensive version of Meez.
...and having checked out the site, I am trying to figure out why my skin is trying to crawl off my arms. Something just seems so *creepy*...
Hm. Dammit, the world needs more modular toy Mythos creatures... Trouble is the mixing and matching would be odd on certain scales... *ponders*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-29 03:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-29 05:36 am (UTC)Yep. Perfect fit.