A Journey to Denmark, the Land of Lego
As I write this, I am sitting in a hotel room in Copenhagen. I have been invited to Denmark to speak at a conference. The subject I have been asked to talk about is the future of the toy industry.
The first thing I noticed after arriving is the silence. There is no noise. In New York, buildings are either on their way up or down. There is constant construction. Here in the heart of Copenhagen, all is quiet. All of these beautiful buildings have been here for hundreds of years.
I have just come from a place, New York, where time moves at bullet speed. Today is just tomorrow’s yesterday. Here in Copenhagen, time seems to move at a horse’s pace, today is yesterday’s tomorrow.*
Denmark has managed to spawn both the world’s oldest surviving monarchy and Lego. Think of Lego and, well, you think of Lego. It changes yet it really never changes. It’s a classic.
In short, I have come to a place where time seems to have a whole different meaning. So as much as I am thinking about what I have to say to them about shifting demographics, plunging birth rates and technological developments I am thinking about what I will learn from them. It should be an interesting time. I’ll let you know what I find out.
*September 30 addendum - A couple of days after I wrote the above I saw this ad for First Hotels on a sign in Copenhagen: "Stay at tomorrow’s hotel at yesterday’s rates."
roel commented:
Hello Thomas,I have found this page from a link on a Wikipedia page all about doors, and I have a question I hope you might be able to shed some light on:I have eokrwd in Chamonix (French Alps) as a carpenter on a few occations over the past few years and have become intrigued by the construction methods of some of the very old doors around the valley. Resembling (at a glance) nothing more than a Matched (ledged but not braced) Door, they are made up of two or more vertical, tongue&grooved planks (local Pine) side-by-side with just one or two horizontal wedge-shaped batons driven in along a dove-tailed groove which has been ploughed out across the planks which then holds the door together, with no nails or pegs needed. I can send an illustration if need be.I am very keen to find a name for this joining technique, which I've also seen used on the reverse of very old picture frame mitres (not necessarily French), as I am currently basing my sculptures on it. Any help you could give would be much appreciated. Perhaps if not from yourself, you might know someone you could recommend.Many thanks,Chris.
Mohamed commented:
Toy Story is a rip off of The Christmas Toy (1986)?It seems like the Toy Story series is alevihy inspired by Jim Henson's The Christmas Toy, a holiday TV movie from the 1980s. It has toys that come to life when people are gone, a favorite toy that is threatened by the new christmas present, a crazy space woman who doesn't realize that she is a toy. It has the barbie doll that is ditzy, it has an old teddy bear with a cane like in TS3.Is any credit given to the Jim Henson show by Pixar/Toy Story? I admit that I do not know if The Christmas Toy is the first story about toys coming to life when left alone. What came before The Christmas Toy?Toy Story was more popular because1) it was the first great full length computer animated feature film, as opposed to the tired old Henson puppet show.2) it has serious starpower voice performances, as opposed to the standard vocal talents of muppets and sesame street.3) it has witty modern humor4) it was a widerelease feature film not a made for TV special.None of this changes my opinion that Toy Story's opening credits should include some kind of inspired by note.@jasonMost advancements are built on earlier ideas, in all aspects of human history. No need to get upset about thinking/talking about it.
