Posted by mattschechter on April 23, 2001 at 16:55:28:
In Reply to: Kinderscuba posted by Jim Hoffmann on April 23, 2001 at 14:35:58:
This would be better called "Happy Meal Scuba" Get a certification and a free toy! I'm a big kid now! This is almost sick. I think that if kids want to dive they should dive. They shouldn't be enticed into diving for the sake of a patch and the "feeling and value" of belonging to an "elite" club. I'd like to think that a few years ago (7 years [almost 8] since I was eight years old) I would like to think that I would have seen right through this BS. I don't think that anyone should dive "to be part of something that’t not only exclusive, but kids-only." You have to wonder what kind of divers these kids will become. First they will be under PADI's thumb (the obvious intention, kind of like cigarettes) and they won't dive to enjoy the environment. In fact they won't dive at all, they will partake in an "Aquamission." This puts the complete wrong emphasis on diving. Just my soap box. This reeaallllyy ticks me off.
-matt
PS: On the devil's advocate side, this is a brilliant marketing ploy. It targets the same thing that firefighter and police toys target. Wear a uniform, be elite, be different. Strut around and be damn sure to show your card to everyone. It reminds me of my 3 y/o cousin who I saw yesterday. He wears his firefighter hat everywhere. Not because he wants to be a firefighter, but because he thinks it makes him look cool. Infact, he loves the firetruck toys and is deathly afraid of the real thing. Kind of similar, I think so anyway.