Not only is there real world conflict to worry about, it turns out there are an increasing amount of conflicts to worry about in Legoland as well.
According to a study by New Zealand's University of Canterbury, violence in LEGO products has increased significantly as the company looks to boost sales.
During the study, researchers used a database for LEGO parts known as BrickLink, and as RT reports "40% of the catalog images were perceived as containing some kind of violence."
The authors of the study say that in order to compete with other toy manufacturers and video games, LEGO has turned to more violent themes, and although the LEGO policy is to discourage pretend violence, it is not being followed. In fact, quite the opposite.
“This increase is not in line with their policy that ‘Lego products aim to discourage pretend violence as a primary play incentive’. The violence in Lego products seems to have gone beyond just enriching game play," writes the study's authors.
“To catch the attention of their customers, toy manufacturers are locked in a metaphorical arms race for exciting new products,” added the authors. “In this race they do not only compete with other toy manufacturers but also with television and video games, which have become more violent over the years.”
The company went through a difficult period when profits were hit in early 2000, but as the toy manufacturer has turned to a darker theme, LEGO has been able to come back from the brink of financial meltdown.
Parts and sets with weapons has been on the rise since 2000 as the company has made an effort to boost sales.
The irony, as RT points out, is that LEGO blocks are made from oil, a substance that's inspired violence and war around the globe for decades. As the company severed its association with Shell in part due to the video below produced by Greenpeace…
…we are curious what it would take to get the company to revert back to less dark and gloomy themes for little kids instead of police officers in tactical gear – they can see enough of that on the news.
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