I love LEGO. I played
with them as a child and have been lucky enough to play with them again with
two generations of nephews. But I am
strictly a free form user. I like to use
my imagination to build houses and furnish them. That's why my grandfather thought I might
become an architect someday. :-)
But , after a loss in 1998, LEGO made a licensing deal with
Star Wars and switched to producing branded sets rather than plain bricks. The move saved the company by bringing in an
entirely new group of users - those who prefer to follow directions. (Bhattarai,
2020)
People who like instructions find following them relaxing. Interestingly they have the exact opposite
effect on me. Where they see the
opportunity to find perfection, I see the opportunity to make a mistake.
It all comes down to personality type. Myers-Briggs has identified four preferences
based on the way that we see and interact with the world. I am an ENTJ.
So what does that mean in LEGO terms?
As an "N" I like to use my imagination and create new things. And as an off the charts "J" I am a
perfectionist who hates to make mistakes.
But it is interesting to note that I am part of a very small
group. Most people are "S's"
not "N's". That means that
they like what is known and familar, what's real. And they like instructions.
Since 70% of Americans are "S's." Kits are
definitely the way to go. But I hope
they keep making raw bricks for the "N's" too. ;-)
Bhattarai, A. (2020, January 16) Lego sets its sights on a growing market:
Stressed-out adults. washingtonpost.com. Retrieved February 3, 2020, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/01/16/legos-toys-for-stressed-adults/
