THE VISION

 

Mini-monuments created or rejuvenated-

in devotion to our American legacy

AmerIkon*Trader has a simple yet lofty goal: to find, refurbish and market cultural symbols of our collective American spirit; To utilize art to promote the values which inspired and built this country; Folk art, toys, sculptures and paintings, any handmade symbols which speak to the American character embodied by our heroes and founders. To preserve and redistribute these symbols of our unique culture which teach appreciation of our American history, excellence in human achievement, our various cultural groups, our polity and natural resources.

The disillusioned youth rampaging in the streets today rarely played with G.I. Joe. Instead they participated in “virtual” mock massacres which merely measured their technical hunting and killing skills. The program was made, the script written, outcomes predictable... and there was no time or need for deep thought or discussion. Or use of one's imagination. Things got taken care of violently and quickly. Immediate gratification has become the great enemy of our culture- and perhaps mankind. It fosters impatience, perfectionism, and narcissism.

Conversely, toys in the past often facilitated group activity, and required the use of imagination, social skills, rudimentary knowledge of history, and real human interaction. All of these elements taught diplomacy, sharing, tolerance, and ultimately wisdom. One group has found frustration and anger at the end, while the latter enjoyed fulfillment.

AmerIkon*Trader believes that a great mistake has been made in the shaping of young minds during play time; exposing children to many hours a day of violence, deadening their sensitivity, and creativity. Putting each child in their own private war, their own self-serving killing spree... to obtain a false sense of achievement and social justice... to establish that personal code of justice with base, subjective, totalitarian impulses, and to reward play according to sporting proficiency or personal domination.

Once play was an echo of life and its challenges, and thus prepared children for the vigor of striving and achievement. Play was fun, but was not narcissistic. It required a majority of input from the player, and did nothing without him. Each child was a little god in his own universe. This authority and power developed thinking, citizenship and leadership skills. Now computer generated video play mesmerizes as it isolates, emboldens and fortifies hubris, and leaves youth stunned and overwhelmed by the real world- unable or unwilling to cope with real conflict, or the world and its flaws and frustrations. 

 All of this leads to pervasive anti-social lifestyle, depression, drug addiction, and as we have seen in recent months, societal destruction.

AmerIkonTrader believes that we can still save America if only our children played with the right kind of toys! And many of us (older generation) had those toys, loved them, and still remember the fun, learning and stimulation from them. In many cases, the toys we played with helped to define us and pointed us towards our professional lives. They led us to books, hobbies and passions. And they made us more human.

 AmerIkon*Trader seeks to save those toys, miniature embodiments of our American culture, and strives every day to prepare them for another generation, to insure that children in the future do not suffer from T.M.T. (too much technology), or lack of suitable role models, and instead have sufficient nurture and encouragement to someday lead our country in its unique mission in the world.