Toys “R” Us unfairly targeted Breaking Bad

On Oct. 21, Toys “R” Us decided to pull Breaking Bad merchandise indefinitely from their shelves amid complaints regarding their appropriateness for children. The toy figures reflect characters from the acclaimed AMC show that revolves around a meth-cooking chemistry teacher, Walter White, and his sidekick, Jesse Pinkman. The decidedly kid-unfriendly nature surrounding these figurines incited anger from one Florida mom, identified as Susan Schrivjer by ABC News. She organized an online petition that garnered more than 9,000 signatures on Change.org. This pressure caused the toy retailer to withdraw its Breaking Bad products while, ironically, keeping other products with dangerous implications, such as Barbies and violent video games, on the shelves.

Grace Wang | Daily Trojan

In retaliation, Aaron Paul, the actor who portrayed Jesse Pinkman, took his outrage to Twitter. He asked on Oct. 23, “Wait, so @ToysRUs pulled all of the Breaking Bad figures from their shelves and still sells Barbie? Hmmmm … I wonder what is more damaging?” The same day, Paul followed with, “And what about all the violent video games you sell @ToysRUs? Do you still sell those? Florida mom really messed it up for everyone.” Paul’s statements challenge consumers to analyze the detrimental aspects of the toy industry.

It’s true that playing with collectibles that feature a meth-cooker and a guy whose tagline is “B-tch!” doesn’t represent the typical childhood. For me, it was Legos and Lisa Frank coloring books. Other popular merchandise that was picked up by Generation Y and Z include Polly Pockets and Power Rangers action figures.

But Paul does have a point in his tweets. Barbie, one of the most iconic dolls in the world, is made with unrealistic proportions. According to a study conducted in Finland, Barbie’s bust, hip and waist measurements put on a real-life scale would mean she would fall below the standard of body fat for a healthy female. She would also have to walk on all fours because her frail lower body would not be able to support her large bust. Her image deviates significantly from the average female American, a woman that stands at 5-foot-4 inches and weighs around 166 pounds, according to the New York Daily News. A fixture in many households throughout America, Barbie skews the perception of the female figure for young children.

Another valid point Paul makes begs us to evaluate video games children play. Video games introduce a simulated world in which kids are allowed to take part in shootings and car robberies. According to The New York Times, video games are becoming more realistic in development. Multiple studies have sprung up in recent years showing the correlation between playing violent video games and aggressive behavior in children. This aggression is measured by physical conflicts between peers among other types of violent antagonism. When twisted fictions become the norm for children, they proliferate the harmful ways that physically pit children against one another.

Though Paul brings two specific toy products to attention, it’s imperative to keep in mind the harm other toys inflict on childhood. G.I. Joe figures, which are marketed toward young boys, not only create unrealistic expectations of what male figures look like, but also reinforce the stereotype that men have to be tough and physically assertive. Moreover, in this technological age, many children entertain themselves with game apps, forgetting the fun and physical exercise they could enjoy  outdoors.

Toys should do two things for children. For one, they should provide a way for children to develop skills, such as caring for a doll or learning about handling money through games such as Monopoly. Toys should also act as creative outlets for the highly imaginative minds of children, which Barbies and video games do achieve. But instead of putting these iconic items on a pedestal, their damaging aspects should be explained to children, who are not as naïve as we make them out to be.

So, to the Florida mom looking to ban the Breaking Bad figures, I must ask the same questions. What about the Barbies? What about the violent video games? Blindly shielding your children from the meth cooker and his cohort achieves nothing when there is so much exposure to destructive toys already. We have to be responsible for children’s formative years and remove unhealthy implications all toys have — not just those from Breaking Bad.

Danni Wang is a sophomore majoring in psychology. Her column, “Pop Fiction,” runs Mondays.