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[new] kidult vs tween (Avg. Score: none / Raters: 0) (#7)
by paullloydsargent (enolagrey@hotmail.com) on Tue Nov 11th, 2003 at 09:12:18 PM EURODISCORDIA TIME
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The term 'kidult' might be a recent addition to US jargon (like 'yumtastic' or 'tween,' most buzzwords created in the US are advertising terms, no?) but the "trend" of adults buying kids' stuff predates 9/11 by at least a generation. What was the whole Gen X thing if it not a marketing demographic of post-kid/pre-grown up adults, already nostalgic for Goonies and GI Joe crap? In '99 or so I remember seeing, get this, news stories about rich dotcom types buying skateboards and kitsch. Remember their 'relaxed' new business models?

I do understand a sense of love&hate with american pop culture. It takes a lot of soul searching to revisit a childhood love for Disney World with critical eyes. Artifice vacations mixed with treasured family memories--I mean, where is the line? Parents took their kids to Star Wars, did the Santa thing, bought them junk by Hasbro and Mattel to prove as one does in this country, through the purchase of goods, their love for their children. So the unraveling of that mess isn't as easy as many would claim it to be.

signs, signs, everywhere signs...

Kidult Konspiracy? | 8 comments

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