LEGO a Love Story | Jonathan Bender | Talks at Google

TL;DR

Journalist Jonathan Bender delves into the world of Adult Fans of Lego (AFOLs) and shares his experiences and insights.

Transcript

Mark: Good afternoon. My name is Mark Pollager and I'm here for the Authors at Google program. And we're here to welcome Jonathan Bender. He's the author of "Lego: A Love Story," which was released just this past May. It covers the year that Jonathan spent immersed in the Adult Fans of Lego community, traveling to conventions in search of the world... Read More

Key Insights

• 👶 Lego's founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen, pivoted from wooden toys to plastic bricks when he realized the demand for children's playthings during challenging economic times.
• 🧑 Adult fans of Lego contribute their creative skills and passion to the Lego building community, showcasing impressive creations, customizations, and personal collections.
• 🥰 Lego has become a medium for art, with adult fans like Nathan Sawaya and Adam Reed Tucker creating intricate sculptures and architectural models using only Lego bricks.
• 🧑 Sorting and organizing Lego bricks becomes an essential part of being an adult fan, with enthusiasts categorizing by color, shape, and ultimately, individual part and color.
• 🔪 Lego has embraced the adult fan market, including them in product development and partnering with them to create sets and kits, such as the Lego Architecture series and Mindstorms robotics kits.
• 🏛️ The AFOL community is welcoming and encourages participation, regardless of building skills, promoting creativity and camaraderie among enthusiasts.
• 👥 The Lego community offers opportunities for collaboration, such as group displays and conventions, where individuals can showcase their creations and learn from others.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the significance of the term "Dark Ages" in the AFOL community?

The term "Dark Ages" refers to the period when individuals stop playing with Lego bricks during their teenage years. It is followed by a resurgence of interest, often later in life.

Q: How do adult fans of Lego categorize themselves based on their building preferences?

Adult fans of Lego can be classified as either "customizers," who modify existing Lego bricks to create unique designs, or "purists," who prefer to build with Lego elements without any modifications.

Q: How do adult fans sort their Lego bricks?

Sorting methods vary among adult fans. They may begin by sorting bricks by color, then by shape, and eventually by individual part and color to easily locate specific elements during building.

Q: Are there any design programs recommended for building Lego creations?

Lego Digital Designer (LDD) is an official Lego program that allows users to create their own sets and kits using Lego elements available on their website. For more advanced options, the LDraw program offers a larger element and color palette.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Jonathan Bender explores the Adult Fans of Lego (AFOL) community and their passion for building and collecting Lego bricks.

• He visits Lego headquarters in Denmark, explores conventions, and discovers the world's largest private Lego collection.

• Bender highlights the history of Lego and its transition from wooden toys to plastic bricks, as well as the introduction of themes and mini figures.