The Perfect Image

    Barbie dolls are exactly that, they are dolls. They are not really people or something real that really should be considered. However, that is not the case. Many people look at Barbie dolls and believe that they hold that perfect image, that image that everyone should look at. No one should believe that they should look like that, but in today’s world some people do. The image of Barbie is not only fake, unrealistic, but also unhealthy. In today’s society for a girl to look like that, she would be extremely unhealthy, and possibly even have eating disorders. As little girls play with Barbie dolls as they grow up, they dream and wish to be like her. Little girls want to be tall, skinny, tan, blonde hair, and just have that perfect image. Girls also want to have their “Ken.” By girls wanting a perfect image for a soul mate to, it teaches little girls to look at a person by their looks rather than by who they are in the inside. Little girls want to grow up, have that pretty pink convertible, huge mansion, little dog, and perfect husband. This image that girls are being taught, does not exist. Barbie dolls teach little girls that they need to have these expensive possessions to make them happy, when in reality, its not the possessions at all, but the person you spend the rest of your life with.
    When I was little, I did admit I had many Barbie dolls. But I was also an only child, and had all boys in my family, so it was really hard for me to have time with other girls and to play with all the dolls together. My mom was always there to play with me after she got out of work, she taught me that I did not need to look like Barbie or have any of those things to be happy. I did not just have the one classic Barbie doll, my family had bought me many different Barbie dolls, which also helped me realize that I did not need to look like that to be happy in life. Being older now, I can understand that parents are becoming considered that their daughters and sons are believing that you need to look like this to be happy. My answer to this is, to simply give them other toys to play with, give them dolls that are not the classic blonde, tall, skinny, and tall. Give them something that’s different, or even let them create their own.

Comments

[Wrichtmyer]

Melissa, you had a very insightful article. What I am surprised by is that amount of women that actually take the "Ken" doll seriously. In fact, I had forgotten about the long lost "stud" of Barbie. Your solution of addressing the problem of materialism and that image of perfection is a tad bit simplistic though. By "taking away the Barbie", if anything, you would call the attention of the child to the doll by taking it away, and they would end up wanting the possession even more. Furthermore, taking away one (out of countless other 'Barbie Dolls', such as Snooki, Paris Hilton, etc. wouldn't address the problem directly). I find that there are many "Barbies" nowadays who are just too fake to be attractive, but women think otherwise. For example, Snooki has become today's "Barbie", complete with a skirt too short, resulting in an awkward "Situation" (pun intended) in any household with dignity. Examples of being "cool" in modern society (Jersey Shore, etc.) are only messing with the minds of children even more than the Barbie doll. In order to fully prevent one from the flow of "plastic culture" nowadays (using your method of solving the problem), we would have to shut off the TV and internet altogether. I would suggest addressing these issues such as the Barbie directly, so that the child may understand WHY that Barbie Doll is being taken away. You give a great example of showing the audience of your blog the mindset of the Barbie and Ken dolls and their influence upon the children.