I was reading about this new online game that seems to me to have been inspired by people like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and the rest of the Hollywood sleaze. I find it a little disturbing that these are the kind of people kids are looking up to these days. Obviously, from this article, it's not just an American thing anymore. I don't know what to think really. I mean, jeez, what's the appeal of those people anyway?? I don't get it. They're not even talented. This game is just a reflection on what the media has already been teaching young girls for a while now. They grow up believing that they need to look perfect, be famous, get plastic surgery, weigh next to nothing, and nab some rich guy to be worth anything. It's kind of disgusting. I feel bad when these kids grow up and actually have to deal with reality. Anyway, any thoughts?

Here's the article. I think the creator sounds very creepy. I love how he justifies what he's doing when really, he knows he's wrong. Money is king I guess. Whatever.


Online Game Lets Users Get Breast Implants, Take Diet Pills
Users as Young as 8 Years Old Can Make Their Virtual Bimbos as Sexy as They Like
By EMILY FRIEDMAN
March 25, 2008


Boob jobs, diet pills and boyfriends are the name of the game for many girls joining a new online game that allows users to do whatever it takes to become "the most famous, beautiful, sought-after bimbo across the globe."
miss bimbo
(ABCNews Photo Illustration)

"Miss Bimbo's" users — who are primarily teenagers but are as young 8 — create virtual characters known as bimbos, dress them, groom them and can even navigate them right onto a plastic surgeon's operating table.

Launched by business partners Chris Evans and French entrepreneur Nicholas Jacquart two months ago in Great Britain, "Miss Bimbo" has already attracted more than 200,000 users in Britain. The French version, created a year ago, boasts more than 1.2 million users.

Described by Evans as a cross between "Barbie" and "Tamagotchi," the virtual pet game created in Japan, "Miss Bimbo" hinges on users creating bimbos and then making sure they're taken care of.
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"It's a virtual reality fashion game," Evans told ABCNEWS.com. "[Users] create a bimbo, buy her clothes, send her to university and love her and nurture her."

But it's the kind of loving and nurturing available in the game that has alarmed many body image experts who charge that the site is sending a bad message to young girls about what it means to be attractive and sexy.

"The fact that the game is encouraging girls to get boob jobs or go to the tanning salon or nab a rich boyfriend to make them more attractive or happier is just a sad awful message," said Leslie Goldman, the American author of "Locker Room Diaries: The Naked Truth About Women, Body Image." "It's a horrible example to set for girls in terms of what is fun and cool and what it means to be a woman."

Virtual Game Emulates Real Life – Boob Jobs Included – Says Creator

Evans said that before now, he'd never considered the possible negative impact that game could have on young teens, and told ABCNews.com that he and his business partner are "looking into" the critics' claims.

But Evans also says that users want the game to be as real as possible – breast implants included.

"In real life there is the option of getting a boob job," said Evans. "Yes, there are negative elements to the game. We can't ignore that life is sometimes rough. Relationships end or you can't afford the apartment you want," said Evans, who explained that earning enough money to buy a nice apartment is one of the game's challenges.
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WATCH: Boosting Teen Body Image

The money used in the game to buy things such as an apartment or a gym membership or diet pills is referred to as "Bimbo Money," and can be either be bought through a $3 text message or earned by users who succeed at games such as Sudoko. While users can register to play for free, the site's profits depend on users paying for the money rather than playing the games.

In addition to learning money management skills, Evans points out that there are other important lessons learned by playing the game.

"But there are lots of positive lessons that replicate messages in real life."

While feeding your bimbo too much chocolate has added virtual pounds to the animated girls' hips, feeding her fruits and vegetables will improve her health, Evans points out.

But body image guru Goldman isn't so sure that's the message users will pay attention to.

"I think we all know in life that certain things appeal more, things that make you seem more hip and cooler, and these things are aesthetically based services and goods like diet pills and boob jobs," said Goldman.

"I don't think a girl logging on one time will mean she'll necessarily get breast implants, but what a game like 'Miss Bimbo' does is add to the onslaught of images and messages that young girls get at such a young age of change this, improve that, make this smaller, make this bigger," said Goldman. "This is another tool in the arsenal of bad body image."

U.K.-based groups share Goldman's concern, and told ABCNews.com that "Miss Bimbo" is not helping to promote good body image to young girls already struggling with their self-esteem.

"It's all to do with body image these days and how young people are bombarded with unrealistic images about what's supposed to be the ideal body image," said Mary George, spokesperson for BEAT, a British organization that provides help and support for people with eating disorders. "Showing and emphasizing how body shape and sizes can be manipulated is very unhelpful."

Evans isn't worried, though, and says no matter what the message his game sends, it's unlike the user will listen to any of them anyway.

"I don't think the game influences [players'] every day lives," said Evans. "I'm not 100 percent sure that young users will rush out and get a boob job and I don't think they'll play the game and say I want to eat some vegetables, either."

"They get on to play the game and then they go off to school," said Evans.

"Miss Bimbo's" users — who are primarily teenagers but are as young 8 — create virtual characters known as bimbos, dress them, groom them and can even navigate them right onto a plastic surgeon's operating table.

That's an episode of South Park right there. It sounds like Second Life in a world populated exclusively with Paris Hiltons.

http://secondlife.com/

I've got four teenage niece's they all seem pretty well balanced at the moment , yes they are into  this celebrity culture , but they are also doing well at school and all want a decent career . It's money they want first and foremost , i keep telling them to leave the boys alone until their at least 25 and just enjoy themselves see the world a bit .
I think it's down to family  you just have to support them , i always tell them what i think , like Amy Winehouse needs a good scrub with soap and water and they just laugh at me .

I think that's pretty much what it comes down to. If you have a family that keeps you grounded in reality and actually takes the time to talk to you then you'll be okay. If anything, I think we're being so saturated with this celebrity junk that it will soon become boring to most people. It's already being mocked and seen as vapid and dull by most people. Although the fascination with it is still pretty strong. Like a train wreck I guess. Oh well. The Romans threw people to the lions. We watch our child stars self destruct and slowly kill themselves. Humans still love to witness suffering I guess!  


Oh, I checked out that bimbo game and really, unless you have the IQ of a rabbit I really can't see how it would entertain you for more than ten minutes. It's extremely simple minded and dull. Click here, click there. The graphics aren't even any good. Mind numbing. But then I'm not a big "gamer."

I think the Bimbo game is meant to be satire. At least, I hope so.

Quoted from Mairi

I think the Bimbo game is meant to be satire. At least, I hope so.

Yeah, that's their take on it and obvious way of justifying it. I figure anyone who can be entertained by that game for more than ten minutes doesn't have much hope in the first place. Mind numbing doesn't even begin to describe it.

That's the problem with satire, though. There will always be people who just don't get it. Either because they are too young, or too dumb, they will think that this is the way that they are supposed to act instead of realizing that it makes fun of people who act this way. Like All In the Family or Borat, people look up to these characters instead of realizing that they are gross caricatures of bigots, or in this case, bimbos.

borat was such a funny movie...

Quoted from Mairi

That's the problem with satire, though. There will always be people who just don't get it. Either because they are too young, or too dumb, they will think that this is the way that they are supposed to act instead of realizing that it makes fun of people who act this way. Like All In the Family or Borat, people look up to these characters instead of realizing that they are gross caricatures of bigots, or in this case, bimbos.

All in the Family and Borat are examples of groundbreaking political and social satire. Bimbo, while pretending to be clever, is an example of cashing in on bored teens who DO look up to people like Paris Hilton. Believe it or not.

Yeah, I should have made it clear that Bimbo is really ham-fisted satire.

I wouldn't even call it satire. It's not nearly witty enough and there's no intention to improve society. It's on par with the likes of TMZ and most reality shows. Cashing in by exploiting others, pandering to our need for scandal and human suffering, and doing it with little to no imagination.

You may be right about that. I'd have to peruse the site a bit more to find out about that, but I'm afraid I might kill a few more brain cells in the process.

its probably paid for by dr. 90210