Saddened by What Seems To Be a New LEGO Mission Statement

I love LEGOs. My brother's sprawling city (including space station) snapped together on six folding tables was a child's wonderland, with the highlight being the 'snow' (soap flakes) we'd douse it with every winter. While the bottom line is better than ever, corporate changes are sending this toymaker in a new direction.

LEGO has clout as an educational toy, inspiring creativity, invoking learning. It also has a reputation as a green toy, and is listed in publications including Mark Batty Publisher's Green Design, which lauds it for safety and longevity--LEGOs are often passed down to the next generation instead of tossed into a landfill. The company has even introduced products like LEGO recycling trucks that teach kids how to be green-conscious early.

Photo Via Design Boom

So why is this firm suddenly going gadget-crazy? Beginning this fall, LEGO will roll-out LEGO Electronics from Digital Blue. Including digital cameras, MP3 players, boomboxes, the line is all made out of the signature plastic bricks. From a tech-stand point, they don't seem to be anything special: Simple, cheap, a bit bulky, and not exactly option-packed.

Photo Via Design Boom

But really, it's a bit sad to note that a major part of this company's appeal was left on the drawing board. Will they last long? No, gadgets in their very nature have a shorter lifespan than most products on the market. Will they educate? Well, not in a field that our kids are particularly lacking education in. Will they inspire creativity? Photographers, musicians, you never know, but future architects...probably not.

Here's to being a traditionalist, and hoping the signature plastic brick will continue to thrive.

More on LEGO From TreeHugger and Planet Green
Building a House, One Lego at a Time
Lego: Fun and Green!
New Book on Best Green Products
The Week's Best DIY Projects, June 26-July 2: A $10 Wedding Dress and Lego Security

More From Mairi Beautyman on Huffington Post
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Follow Mairi Beautyman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mbeautyman

Comments

[toyportfolio]

I've now tested many of these new LEGO electronics. The clock has a fun design, although our toy testers thought it would have been better if you could "build" on the top of it...rather than it being one big LEGO brick. The two tops are actually functionally...one for volume and one for tuning. Our tween testers were unhappy with the quality of the alarm--it isn't the most pleasant alarm, but it would wake you up. The MP3 player is getting high ratings so far...and our tween/teen testers loved the design.

[toyportfolio]

Lego has licensed out their brand in the past without losing sight of their core appeal to kids. In fact, our testers have enjoyed many of the products. The question with any of these extensions is whether the underlying product works and is engaging. We look forward to putting them to the test.

[MrWampler]

I think I read on avclub.com that there's a LEGO movie in the planning stages. Like GI Joe & Transformers before it.

[MrWampler]

Found it: http://www.avclub.com/articles/daily-buzzkills-the-lego-movie-is-the-building-blo,31621/