I think the Pokemon-Go craze proves most youngsters are just not into model kits....it's sad

Sad thing is, in my area, thanks to gangbangers painting up rail cars and overpasses, or some kid huffing to get high, a yougnster under 18, or in some places 21, cannot buy paint or glue and has to have his mom or dad buy it.  Us 40+ types had no problem riding to the store and picking up a tube or Ambroid and a few cans of Pactra.  Its hard to market to an age where laws make it tough to purchase.  

So my wife works for hobby lobby. Over tge weekend a yongester came to the counter buying two models, one snap the other glue. Paints, glue etc. She ask him if this was his first model's, he said yep. Its my bday and i took my bday money and came here. So nope its not all dead, the model industry just needs to breath some life into its marketing end ofvthe business, and stop reyling on 40+ something to pump life into the hobby

I am a technology dinosaur.  I have a flip phone.  I can receive and make telephone calls.  My wife (and daughter) have smart phones so if I am out and about and we need technology, they have acces to it.

I spend all week at work in front of a computer and at the end of the day I really don't want to deal with the computer much more.

So most of this technology 'bloom' is pretty much wasted on me.  I see people out in public and they have their phone on and are constantly checking it.  A lot of them seem to have difficulty making conversation, maintaining eye contact and staying in the moment.  And bad posture or bent necks from staring at their electronic feeding devices.

A lot of the social media stuff is ok but mostly a time filler as far as I'm concerned.

Ugh.. I hate it, a lot of my classmates are really into it and have been attempting to get me off my desk and models since classes started. Up to now, half my Facebook feed is nothing but Pokemon Go posts and it REALLY gives me a headache sorting through them all. I'm still waiting for that day where I can teach my cousins how to make models, maybe I can build that Chally in my stash with them sometime. 

Pokemon Go can become "Pokemon Gone" anytime now, as far as I'm concerned!

Hi

I really don't think Pokeman Go and current youth interest in scale modelling can be connected, and the decline of modelling as a general interest activity can probably be better tracked by industry shifts. For instance, two of the larger players—Revell and Monogram—were batted around by various PE firms because of financial woes and a shrinking market from 1980 until their merger in 1986, and even now wouldn't be on anyone's top 10 'must invest' lists.

I also remember pretty much every drug store and five and dime in the US carrying model kits and basic supplies in the '70s and early '80s, indicating general commercial viability. That's certainly not the case today. 

This is all to say that Pokeman Go is a cultural blip related to the technological and cultural context of it's time and the trajectory of scale modelling has been tracking for at least 30 years, and probably longer. 

None of this is a comment on the personal satisfaction that participation in building may give, or the desire to share that interest, but just pointing out that in 2016 this is a niche activity disconnected from current trends and fads.

cheers,

-J

We should put all our heads together and come up with something like a "Hobby Shop Go" app.  We'd have to go around trying to find rare kits or hard-to-find supplies.

lawdog114

 

 The scary part is most are adults who were kids when Pokemon was popular.  

Pokemon was popular?!?!?

Eric

fermis

I do not participate in any of the "social media"...other than some nerdy model forums...mainly because I don't care, in the slightest, what everybody else is doing "right now"...I got my own life hap'nin, and I don't expect anybody else to care what I'm doing right now.

 

I couldn't have said this better....right on.  I kick these drones out of our local parks pretty much nightly.  Half the time they don't even watch where they are going....faces glued to their screen.  The scary part is most are adults who were kids when Pokemon was popular. 

KAYSEE88

What do you think?

 

Long story short, yes. Fewer kids are into model building today compared to before all the electronic toys coming onto the scene. Pokemon Go just came out a few weeks ago and has become something of a widespread fad. But it will die down in time, as all fads do. Just like the Pokemon card game did. As far as our hobby goes, it will still be here for the die hards among us. Some new folks will pick it up. And some who let it go will return to building again.

I only know one person at work who plays it with her kids. Other than that, I have had no run ins or seen anyone in my area "playing" this new game. I must be lucky...

fermis

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is...just because a parent is into something, doesn't mean the kid will be to...but, there's a higher likelyhood. Unfortunately, kids end up getting their own minds...then waste it on cat videos and "look at me" selfies.

 

I read somewhere that our State Police run a 1 or 2 week camp for young teens. They are NOT allowed to bring ANY electronics. The police supply the uniforms. No fashion statements. Strict rules. They go through PT, take long hikes and learn what being a State Trooper is really all about. They say that it does make a change in a good percentage of the kids.

Jim  

The people out here in northern cal playing are getting robbed of their phones.sitting at home building a model is much safer.

This proves my point kids and young adults are too technology dependent. God forbid, you take them away from them and see if they can survive a day without a cell phone or play video games.

We have a strict time limit with my son's video game time.

...and find Pokemon.

I don't get it...any of it. The world is pretty amazing, and the vast majority of it is lost, when viewed through a 4 inch screen. I do not participate in any of the "social media"...other than some nerdy model forums...mainly because I don't care, in the slightest, what everybody else is doing "right now"...I got my own life hap'nin, and I don't expect anybody else to care what I'm doing right now.

hogfanfs

 

I believe, if a parent is a model builder, and your kids see this and are somewhat active with building models, then they eventually will take on the hobby. 

 

My Dad wasn't a model builder, but I remember him building models with my older brother...I wanted some Dad time, so I begged for some models. My brother hasn't built a model, since the mid-eighties...I've been building since the mid-eighties (with a couple, few year breaks)...my little brother built one model, that's it.

Dad was good like that...gave us examples of what's out there, but wasn't really into any of it. He wasn't into fishing, but he took us fishing...wasn't into hunting, but took us hunting. I'm the only one that's still into all the stuff that Dad got started in. I passed the hunting and fishing on to my little bro.

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is...just because a parent is into something, doesn't mean the kid will be to...but, there's a higher likelyhood. Unfortunately, kids end up getting their own minds...then waste it on cat videos and "look at me" selfies.

ikar01

 

now, about that study on intelligent life on this planet...

 

Funded by act of Congress with no oversight......still looking, but the only thing they have found so far is 80% of the population has some kind of "smart" digital device stuck to their fingers.  So that is the norm for intelligent life on this portion of the rock,according to the select subcommittee.

Unfortunately it's not confined to kids.  Some adults are doing it too.

now, about that study on intelligent life on this planet...

When I was in elementary school, we had after school activities, one which was model building. The instructor who was a teacher in my school, told a story that he was an unruly child, and his parents would buy him a model to keep him in check. Well, now a days parents do the same thing, but with video games.

I believe, if a parent is a model builder, and your kids see this and are somewhat active with building models, then they eventually will take on the hobby. My 11yo son, will work with me sometimes. He'll dig out something from his stash and work on it for a while. And then won't return to it for a week. But, he does keep coming back. Now my 26yo son; I never built a model with him around, so he has no interest at all to build.

Just my humble opinion.

Could be true.

Most of the young people being drawn to modeling are coming in due to Sci-Fi,Gundam,and the World of Tanks,Ships,Planes Games,which isn't a bad thing.

Some of those Poemon clowns are pathetic,I liked the one who was playing and crashed his car into a police car

http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/07/21/pokemon-go-police-car-crash-orig-vstan.cnn 

All fine and good, but it is not just the kids.  I mean when young adults in their 20's to 30's start trespassing, and destroying and vandalizing other people's property then we have a problem.

If the people on whose property are asked if that "find" can be used, that is one thing.  If not, then it is just flat out wrong, and issues come out when the idiots playing don't respect others rights.