Barbie vs. Sara and Dara

Chapter twenty-four of our world history text book starts off talking about “Barbie being more harmful than an American missile” (Strayer, pg. 723), according to an Iranian toy seller. When I first read this I was dumbfounded. How could a toy doll be compared to a missile? That last that I knew Barbie’s are not blowing themselves up when children take them out of packages. Heck when I was little I had tons of Barbie’s and I do not believe that I was harmed in any way. As I continued reading the chapter It went on to say how in Iran they do not have Barbie, instead they have two dolls named Dara and Sara who are brother and sister and comes with Muslim clothing. I thought that having Iran make a doll that more closely resembles their culture is a great idea, but then I read the part about, “the creation of Sara and Dara illustrates resistance to the cultural values associated with this American product (meaning Barbie)” (Strayer, pg. 723). I mean I understand that Muslim culture is strict when it comes to how women should be portrayed, but at the same time. The “American’s” are not forcing the people of Iran or Muslims for that fact into buying Barbie. A gun is not put their heads to force them to buy Barbie. What I do not understand is why blame the Americans for “poisoning” the minds of children from other countries? As parents, it is up to them if they want to buy Barbie or Sara and Dara. So it bothers me to read that the Westerners or Americans are forcing these people to buy Barbie and how women are supposed to look like Barbie. Huh, if all American’s here in the United States that owned a Barbie are supposed to look like Barbie than the United States would not have to worry about obesity, because all women would be skinny, with sexy curves and nice size breasts. Other countries just need someone to blame, we are not telling you your women need to look a certain way, instead we are offering a product and you can buy it if you want or don’t buy it. It is a simple as that. I know last week on the news they were talking about a new Barbie that is supposed to portray an 18 to 19 year old of today. The new Barbie is shorter and heavier than the original, but does that mean that all 18 to 19 year olds are short and chunky? Of course not, but it is an option out there if you want to buy it. Again no one is forcing anyone in the United States to buy the new Barbie versus the older Barbie, it is up to us individually as the consumer to buy and spend our money on what we want to buy. I have to say this whole thing about Iran and them thinking that we are trying to force them onto our way of life is total crap. If we were to turn the tables on the comment about Iran making a Dara and Sara doll we could easily say, Muslims are trying to push their religion and culture on us, but as I said before it is up to us individually to purchase either Sara and Dara or Barbie the new or the old one. No one forces me into buying anything, if it is something that I think is appropriate then yes I will buy it, if not well than eventually someone else will buy what I do not.