Some climb mountains for an adrenaline rush. Some drive fast cars for an adrenaline rush. Some buy blind boxes for an adrenaline rush.
What are blind boxes? Blind boxes are collectible toys sold in sealed, identical packaging so buyers don’t know which specific figure or item they’ll get until they open it, often as part of a themed series with common and rare variations.
While not the most shocking and risky route to a dopamine high, blind boxes have become a societal craze over the past couple of years. Although it seems like blind boxes have made a recent emergence in society, they actually date back to the 1980s in Japan. However with the rise of social media, blind boxes have gained an immense amount of popularity within “unboxing culture” on the internet. The element of surprise and potential to collect a rare item added to the entertainment value. Tiktok has become one of the largest corners of the internet that hosts blind box content from thousands of creators. Over the past few months of scrolling on the app, it’s become common to come across terms like “Labubu” or “Sonny Angel”. Some users may recoil at those names and some may beam with excitement.
My opinion on the matter is a bit complicated. I am definitely no stranger to blind boxes. About a summer ago, you could probably find me at the store buying upwards of three Calico Critter blind bags at a time. I found myself getting such a rush from finding new series to collect from and buying more bags to see what I could get. During that time, I thought that I was different from those standing in line for hours, spending hundreds of dollars on the freshly released Labubus. I frowned upon those people however I now realize that I was contributing to overconsumption and spending money towards items that are just going to sit on a shelf with no use. While I still think that those mystery critters are extremely cute sitting on my shelf in my room, they don’t nearly carry the value in my life today as I thought they did back then.
Like many things, I believe blind box collectibles are best in moderation. I think finding some kind of use for them, such as decorating your bag or your phone case to express your style, is important to ensure your money is going towards something valuable. On the other hand, I think becoming obsessive and blowing hard earned money on items that are going to collect dust is not the smartest idea.
