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September 11, 2009

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The Tao of Lego

I’m with Jason when he says Legos are becoming just another single-use plastic toy.

But, even as the sets get more corporate, Lego builders get more creative. And, my god. I just cannot comprehend how people build some of this stuff:

The mech from District 9, perfectly rendered, with room for a Lego minifig inside.

Another Legomech, so alive and full of personality. (My 10-year-old self would have traded scraps of soul for the secrets in these bricks.)

Spaceships cooler than anything Lego has ever sold.

And, my favorite, the “microspace” movement, which is like the haiku form of Lego-building. The emphasis is on economy of construction and wee tiny scale. And yet: Danger. Style. Speed. Drama. Each one is like a little puzzle, sometimes a little joke.

This, my friends, is the tao of Lego.

Robin-sig.gif
Posted September 11, 2009 at 10:24 | Comments (3) | Permasnark
File under: Briefly Noted

Comments

One thing that those star wars and batman sets do bring are some pretty cool new pieces. I'm amazed by the Lego (engineers, designers?) to make spot on replications of items from these worlds.

Aywhoo, my son gets some of these branded sets, but really when we play With Legos it's all about using you imagination to create something new. Branded Lego sets haven't changed that.

Yeah, I guess I don't buy the Indiana Jones Legos = decline of childhood stuff.

1) It's fun and useful to follow instructions and put things together. Imitatio!
2) It's fun to ignore instructions and build whatever you want - especially with the terrific pieces that you get with the customized sets.
3) Even if you don't break down the assembled Legos, it's more fun to build an Indiana Jones or Harry Potter castle than it is to buy one that's pre-assembled.

I think 2 and 3 are basically incontestable, but 1 is the crux, right? But I think it's the most important!

The only part I take issue with is the second phrase of #2 -- "especially with the terrific pieces that you get with the customized sets." Some of them are, I agree, pretty cool; but some of them are just like, "here is a piece of the Millennium Falcon."

Eh, you know, I'm not using my imagination here. B/c of course you're right -- "here is a piece of the Millennium Falcon" can become the chest-plate of a battling war-mech without too much effort.

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