PMP#37: Everything is LEGO

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Why has a children’s toy become a brand attached to virtually every media type, partnering with the most ubiquitous franchises, and serving as a pastime for many adult hobbyists who will gut you if you call LEGO a “children’s toy.”

Brian Hirt (our resident AFOL, i.e. adult fan of LEGO) talks with co-hosts Erica Spyres and Mark Linsenmayer about creative play vs. following the printed directions, building purists vs. anthropomorphizers, LEGO qua corporate overlord, the LEGO films and competitive building TV show, and more.

Brian’s LEGO designs that we react to are the Mandelbrot fractal, baby Yoda, dreidel, and swimming pool. “AFOL” is but the first of many LEGO-specific initialisms; see the glossary.

Here are some articles we drummed up to prepare:

• “‘The Cult of LEGO’: Inside the World of a Devoted Community” by Maria Popova
• “If You’re an Adult Playing With Legos, Just Don’t. Here’s Why.” by Seth Garben
• “Lego Is the Perfect Toy Even if no one can really agree on what kind of toy it is anymore” by Genevieve Smith
•  “Why Adults Are Using Lego to Battle Stress” from GameCentral
• “LEGO Writer Arie Kaplan Discusses Clicking with Star Wars and Batman” by Michal Schick
• “The LEGO Batman Movie Turns Bat Mythology Into a Giant Toybox” by Jesse Hassenger 
• “Can LEGO Be Considered Art” by John Baichtal
• “How Does Someone Become a Full-Time LEGO Artist?” by Mariah Eakin
• “LEGO Turned Itself Around by Analyzing Overbearing Parents” by Mikkel Rasmussen
• “Minnesota Professor Explores Link Between Philosophy and Lego” by Richard Chin
• “Top 5 LEGO Podcasts You Must Follow in 2020” from Feedspot

If you’re going to be a LEGO buff, you might want to sleep less.

This episode includes bonus discussion that you can hear now by supporting the podcast at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.

This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life podcast network and is curated by openculture.com.