Kidults when they see someone using the word "Kidult."

 

He must be very tired.

 

Really now?

 

"Kidult" is kind of a fun word because here's some guy in marketing thinking he's absolutely nailed it and has invented the perfect word to quickly describe adult collectors...but as the word trickles in to the public lexicon it gets misinterpreted as a unisex version of "man-babies" and quickly becomes self-fulfilling as the same people misinterpreting it as such begin to react as such.

I picture this guy with visions of "Kidult" sections at retail or entire "Kidult" lines of products. Now that's all gone.

(Here's how I picture the pitch meeting going...)

 

I don't like the term as it suggests that people who collect toys are something less than proper adults.

 

[considers the entirety of my own life]

I mean...

 

I wouldn't go that far. It's a dumb word, but it's just another in a long line of dumb terms that marketing types try to come up with to build brands and sell products. They're not trying to belittle that audience, they're trying to come up with a name for it so people feel like part of an identity. Similar to how "cosplay" means something very specific even though, to an outsider, it's basically people wearing costumes.

If anything, it's a bad attempt at trying to mainstream the idea. Similar to how "nerd" and "geek" used to be considered insults but now are just another mainstream identity that's been wrapped up with a bow and sold back to consumers.

"Kidult" isn't just about buying toys. The emphasis is on adults who look to nostalgia for "comfort." It's a mentality present in toys, but also in all of these reboots we've been getting of nostalgic 90s properties. And that itself isn't anything new. Just look to some of the nostalgic properties that got reboots back during our childhood. Stuff like Flintstones, Dennis the Menace, etc.

They're right about the nostalgia part. I don't think it's anything particularly new in terms of what people tend to spend money on. It's just of late we've seen brands lean harder and harder in to it. And as that happens someone is gonna want to try to make the elevator pitch for it: "Kidults."

And yeah, again, it's a really dumb word. In the list of marketing portmanteau's it's definitely ranked towards the bottom.

 

Fair point, but for most of us buying toys into adulthood is not going to be the primary cause; things would be just as off the rails with any other hobby.

 

Curious, and just a general question to the mass:

Why does THAT word matter?

For those that don't care, kudos to you. But for those affected by it, why?

I am seriously having a hard time understanding why a made-up word can effect one's thinking about a hobby they like NO MATTER WHAT AGE they are!

 

I think the simple answer is, despite what most people say, words do hurt.

Some people may feel belittled, insulted, or just don't like being labeled.

 

Then why let a made-up word ruin the thing you love to do?

Are we as a society really that "SOFT" that a made up word can mess up our thinking? (This is just a general gist and I'm just talking out loud)

 

Who is saying that it ruins their hobby?

 

Seeing how it affects one's mentality about a "label" being placed on them (as an example) about collecting toys.

I am not saying it affects all, in fact I think the word is funny and I fully embrace it.

But for those folks saying they hate the word, or don't like the term, etc... why let it affect you?

 

Which brings me back to the original point that got me yelled at by people who are absolutely not mad and totally not offended...

 

As I said before, I don't like that the term suggests that people are less than adults because of their hobby. It does very little to affect me personally, and certainly doesn't change my enjoyment of the hobby, but in general I don't like terms, or labels that stigmatize groups of people.
I get that it's not the intent of this particular buzzword, and there's plenty of other derisive "man-child" type insults already in play without it. Still find it cringy though.
By the way, why are you so concerned that people are bothered by it? I mean, you're awfully vocal about it. Let people whine about stuff; eventually we'll get it out of our system and move on with life.

 

Which, as we've learned, is something this forum is very good at: Moving on...

 

Lol, yeah, fair point.

 

Fair point, all around, but as for me being vocal about it, I just asked a question:

"Why does THAT word matter?

For those that don't care, kudos to you. But for those affected by it, why?

I am seriously having a hard time understanding why a made-up word can effect one's thinking about a hobby they like NO MATTER WHAT AGE they are!"

Again, I am just having a hard time understanding.

But you know what, you're right. I shouldn't get in the way of people whining to get something out of their system or just getting something out of their system, in general.

I apologize in that regard.

 

Well, it's true. But here's the problem, while the statement's idiotic, so is the intense reaction of those criticizing others for being pissed about it. That's just as idiotic. It could be argued that the kidult creator is an asshole, it could also be argued that the people getting all uppity about people commenting on it can be assholes about it.

So, in a nutshell...