The Teddy Bear Was Once Seen as a Dangerous Influence on Young Children

Submitted ⁨⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨Salamendacious@lemmy.world⁩ to ⁨history@lemmy.world⁩

Inspired by a moment of empathy from President Theodore Roosevelt, the huggable toy had a rocky start before it became the stuff of legend

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Salamendacious@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

A few social commentators saw teddy bears as ominous: They feared that some girls’ preference for soft animals over humanlike dolls would become all-consuming, replacing the female urge to nurture babies—and eventually lead to childless marriages.

You can’t make this kind of stuff up.

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- a4ng3l@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  To some extent they anticipated the Furries apocalypse risk 😂
  
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  - MindSkipperBro12@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    They were prophets, we’re just too blind to see it.
    
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- SkyeStarfall@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  God, were conservatives really always this bloody afraid of everything?? Looking at shit like this from a historical angle is so fucking absurd.
  
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Pratai@lemmy.ca ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
Hard to imagine the conservatives have gotten even dumber since.

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LavaPlanet@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
Books were considered ‘bad’ devices now. I find it absolutely fascinating the loud obnoxious naysayers, never really go away and they seem so silly from this far vantage point. It really puts in perspective all the ‘should do this /don’t do that’ bullspit.

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