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American Girl Homeless

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Anti-Social Darwinism
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American Girl Homeless

Postby Anti-Social Darwinism » Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:49 pm

Some of you, I know, are familiar with the American Girl series of dolls, books and movies. One of the more recent American Girl dolls is supposed to be homeless. The doll goes for $95.00 and is quite nicely dressed.

Homelessness is a part of the American economic landscape, and it does frequently include children. There is some question as to whether it's productive or exploitative for American Girl to include a homeless girl as part of their product line. Is this teaching girls about the problem and solutions to the problem or is it whitewashing the situation with the notion that everything will turn out fine in the end? What's your take on the homeless American Girl?

http://www.parentdish.com/2009/09/24/am ... omeless%2F
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Issas
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Postby Issas » Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:53 pm

Wow.
I think it's nice that they're including all types of girls there. SI think it's OK, if the parent has problems with it, they just shouldn't buy it. And I suppose a little bit of hope never hurt anyone. :)
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Ryadn
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Postby Ryadn » Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:02 am

Selling the heart-touching story of homelessness at $95 a pop. Capitalism, you rascal, what won't you do?
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Bryn Shander
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Postby Bryn Shander » Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:20 am

Homeless is such a negative term.

I prefer "urban camper"
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Postby The Black Forrest » Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:21 am

Have not read the story so I can't answer what it teaches.

I have no problem with them doing it. I suspect they will have lessons in their story.
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Kashindahar
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Postby Kashindahar » Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:21 am

Homelessness is a fashion statement these days. >:(
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Postby Gauthier » Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:27 am

Ryadn wrote:Selling the heart-touching story of homelessness at $95 a pop. Capitalism, you rascal, what won't you do?


They'll release the Drug Addicted Prostitute Edition American Girl before long if this one's a success.
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Postby Non Aligned States » Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:44 am

Ryadn wrote:Selling the heart-touching story of homelessness at $95 a pop. Capitalism, you rascal, what won't you do?


Allow national healthcare.
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Ryadn
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Postby Ryadn » Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:14 am

Non Aligned States wrote:
Ryadn wrote:Selling the heart-touching story of homelessness at $95 a pop. Capitalism, you rascal, what won't you do?


Allow national healthcare.


Oh, burn.
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Gauthier
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Postby Gauthier » Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:14 am

Ryadn wrote:
Non Aligned States wrote:
Ryadn wrote:Selling the heart-touching story of homelessness at $95 a pop. Capitalism, you rascal, what won't you do?


Allow national healthcare.


Oh, burn.


Nothing burns the irony meter like an industry that's notorious for letting people die from lack of sufficient funds screaming warnings about "Socialist Death Panels".

... but back to the thread.

I'm still going to see if they come out with the Drug-Addicted Prostitute American Girl doll.
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Postby Grave_n_idle » Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:19 am

Ryadn wrote:Selling the heart-touching story of homelessness at $95 a pop. Capitalism, you rascal, what won't you do?


Maybe there's a Cotton-Picking line that they're testing the market for?
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Town of Mojo
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Postby Town of Mojo » Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:24 am

Why the hell is that homeless doll dressed so nicely? I thought I'd see some Barbie Doll in overalls with a ciggarate while whoring herself to pimps but no, she's in some sort of pink dress!
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Aelosia
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Postby Aelosia » Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:25 am

If people buy it, I allow it...Bad taste, but then again, we can't forbid bad taste.
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Maurepas
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Postby Maurepas » Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:32 am

Man, as soon as I read the backstory :rofl:


Im a bad person, arent I? :(

I dont particularly see the problem, per se...other than I would think its bad marketing, who would want their kid to play with a homeless doll? Unless, theoretically, you marketed it as the child "giving her a home", that I could see working...

Hmmmm.....

???
Profit, lol...
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Postby Carbarosia » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:25 am

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Maurepas
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Postby Maurepas » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:26 am

Carbarosia wrote:What's a Merican?

Its a joke on accents...it makes more sense as 'Merkian, :lol2:
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Postby Grays Harbor » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:27 am

Carbarosia wrote:What's a Merican?


some peoples idea of trying to insult Americans?
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Smunkeeville
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Postby Smunkeeville » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:33 am

Town of Mojo wrote:Why the hell is that homeless doll dressed so nicely? I thought I'd see some Barbie Doll in overalls with a ciggarate while whoring herself to pimps but no, she's in some sort of pink dress!

What the hell is wrong with you? >:(

Oh, and we don't buy "American Girls" because they're too expensive. If I bought them all then we would be homeless.
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Maurepas
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Postby Maurepas » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:35 am

Town of Mojo wrote:Why the hell is that homeless doll dressed so nicely? I thought I'd see some Barbie Doll in overalls with a ciggarate while whoring herself to pimps but no, she's in some sort of pink dress!

Although I wouldnt have put it so...stereotypically, for want of a better word, I did think that too, if I wasnt told so already, I wouldntve pegged her as homeless...
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LOL ANARCHY NUBZ
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Postby LOL ANARCHY NUBZ » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:56 am

Some homeless people do look like that.
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Town of Mojo
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Postby Town of Mojo » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:58 am

Smunkeeville wrote:
Town of Mojo wrote:Why the hell is that homeless doll dressed so nicely? I thought I'd see some Barbie Doll in overalls with a ciggarate while whoring herself to pimps but no, she's in some sort of pink dress!

What the hell is wrong with you? >:(

Oh, and we don't buy "American Girls" because they're too expensive. If I bought them all then we would be homeless.


I'm merely stating facts. How is that thing homeless?
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Postby Muravyets » Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:14 am

Gauthier wrote:
Ryadn wrote:
Non Aligned States wrote:
Ryadn wrote:Selling the heart-touching story of homelessness at $95 a pop. Capitalism, you rascal, what won't you do?


Allow national healthcare.


Oh, burn.


Nothing burns the irony meter like an industry that's notorious for letting people die from lack of sufficient funds screaming warnings about "Socialist Death Panels".

... but back to the thread.

I'm still going to see if they come out with the Drug-Addicted Prostitute American Girl doll.

Don't forget -- at the same time as they drive families into bankruptcy and homelessness through crippling medical costs and loss of work due to an economy collapsed under the weight of their corruption, they'll also celebrate the potential of all the (anticipated?) millions of homeless American Girls by making an expensive doll about it.

I have yet to see anything that tells me how much of the $95/doll is going to go to funding poverty relief efforts in the US. Nor even whether the family house/car is sold separately or as a set with the doll. Just what do we get for our $95, aside from making a toy/pet out of the idea of a poor child?

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Veblenia
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Postby Veblenia » Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:56 am

Ryadn wrote:Selling the heart-touching story of homelessness at $95 a pop. Capitalism, you rascal, what won't you do?


I'm ambivalent about this, but I think you're looking at this doll the wrong way. This is a toy that is highlighting, and getting a child to empathize with, an otherwise stigmatized and invisible segment of the population. It would be just as easy to shell out $100 on another f*cking Disney princess, but this one actually has the potential to teach a child about real people not nearly as fortunate as she is.

I don't know "American Girl" terribly well, and I'll fully concede the potential for this doll to be produced and marketed utterly irresponsibly, but at face value I'm inclined to support this.
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Charlotte Ryberg
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Postby Charlotte Ryberg » Sat Sep 26, 2009 12:05 pm

Hmm. I know dolls like these are pretty expensive down in NYC but she does appear to be like any other doll who isn't homeless because of how clean her dress is: it would have more realistic though if she were dressed in rags.
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Dakini
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Postby Dakini » Sat Sep 26, 2009 12:05 pm

Do they at least donate part of the proceeds from that doll to a charity that helps the homeless?
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