A Rant on Lightsticks

[LostInTheDream]

So recently it seems like what companies have been aiming to make lightsticks look as much like weapons as possible.
Being somebody who's life has been significantly impacted by violence and weapons, this is not okay.
By making your lightstick look like a weapon, you could be encouraging fans to act more violently, because you are basically giving approval to do so.
You are also making it seem like violence and weapons are perfectly okay, which is an ideal I do not want to see expressed anywhere.
So many people have been injured or lost their lives due to weapons that are being turned into lightsticks.
Weapons should not be used to express entertainment, no matter how "cool" it may look.
Lightsticks like the ones that I am listing below are expressing levels of violence that are not okay, and could lead to catastrophic events.

Cherry Bullet

This is a literal gun. I understand the group name has the word bullet in it, but this is not okay. I'm also not a huge fan of the groups name overall, because of the reference to guns.

iKON

This is a bat, even YG says so because the lightsticks name is "Konbat". Bats can be used to hurt people.

Blackpink

This is the original version of Blackpink's lightstick, and wow it's another gun.

The actual lightstick is a bit better, but it still takes the shape of a weapon as a hammer.

BTS

So not only is the word "bomb" in the name of this lightstick, it is modeled after a bomb. Not okay.

Yeah so in summary, companies need to stop making their lightsticks look like weapons.

 

[jenosimp]

wait so cherry bullet and ikons lightstick is literally... a gun and a bat ?? like they dont have a real light stick ? so at their concerts / events instead of holding up a pretty lightstick u hold up a gun or a bat ??

i agree with ur reasons on the whole trend of having lightsticks look like weapons .. it doesnt even look good either lol

 

[LostInTheDream]

wait so cherry bullet and ikons lightstick is literally... a gun and a bat ?? like they dont have a real light stick ? so at their concerts / events instead of holding up a pretty lightstick u hold up a gun or a bat ??

i agree with ur reasons on the whole trend of having lightsticks look like weapons .. it doesnt even look good either lol

Yeah they legit hold like a gun or bat in the air....

 

[jenosimp]

Yeah they legit hold like a gun or bat in the air....

i-
i feel like the companies only did it to be unique or something, though just a normal lightstick wouldve been better, its really pretty when ur at a concert full of a sea of beautiful glowing light sticks rather than a sea of weapons thats just...

 

[LostInTheDream]

i-
i feel like the companies only did it to be unique or something, though just a normal lightstick wouldve been better, its really pretty when ur at a concert full of a sea of beautiful glowing light sticks rather than a sea of weapons thats just...

Yeah I really agree, a sea of lightsticks can be so beautiful
And some lightsticks in general are virtually art, like Seventeen's is beautiful

 

[persona]

wait what
i never saw blackpink’s original design..
sjsjsbsns it looks like a real gun to me lol

 

[moonlight]

Lets hope compies learn from their mistakes

 

[An Okay Rock]

I don't mean to be insensitive but how are they any different than like water guns or things of that nature?

 

[LostInTheDream]

I don't mean to be insensitive but how are they any different than like water guns or things of that nature?

They may not be real guns, but using it for aesthetic purposes sends a bad message that weapons aren't a bad thing, and are fun when they are associated to something fun like kpop.
I can't really explain it better in writing without this post turning into an essay

 

[An Okay Rock]

They may not be real guns, but using it for aesthetic purposes sends a bad message that weapons aren't a bad thing, and are fun when they are associated to something fun like kpop.
I can't really explain it better in writing without this post turning into an essay

I think maybe they could send the message of 'weapons aren't bad' if they were targeted at a younger demographic but im pretty sure people who get lightsticks are usually older and understand that weapons are dangerous and know the difference between a lightstick and a pistol. If the gun lightsticks have the ability to shoot people, then the argument might make be a little more reasonable to me but they don't right?

Also guns and bats aren't just used to hurt others, they can be used for sport as well, it's up to whoever's holding it to make that choice.

 

[LostInTheDream]

I think maybe they could send the message of 'weapons aren't bad' if they were targeted at a younger demographic but im pretty sure people who get lightsticks are usually older and understand that weapons are dangerous and know the difference between a lightstick and a pistol. If the gun lightsticks have the ability to shoot people, then the argument might make be a little more reasonable to me but they don't right?

Also guns and bats aren't just used to hurt others, they can be used for sport as well, it's up to whoever's holding it to make that choice.

I'll agree to disagree

 

[cix.sense]

It's called a l i g h t s t i c k for a reason not a g u n s t i c k or a b a t s t i c k, whatever that is-

 

[LostInTheDream]

So recently it seems like what companies have been aiming to make lightsticks look as much like weapons as possible.
Being somebody who's life has been significantly impacted by violence and weapons, this is not okay.
By making your lightstick look like a weapon, you could be encouraging fans to act more violently, because you are basically giving approval to do so.
You are also making it seem like violence and weapons are perfectly okay, which is an ideal I do not want to see expressed anywhere.
So many people have been injured or lost their lives due to weapons that are being turned into lightsticks.
Weapons should not be used to express entertainment, no matter how "cool" it may look.
Lightsticks like the ones that I am listing below are expressing levels of violence that are not okay, and could lead to catastrophic events.

Cherry Bullet

This is a literal gun. I understand the group name has the word bullet in it, but this is not okay. I'm also not a huge fan of the groups name overall, because of the reference to guns.

iKON

This is a bat, even YG says so because the lightsticks name is "Konbat". Bats can be used to hurt people.

Blackpink

This is the original version of Blackpink's lightstick, and wow it's another gun.

The actual lightstick is a bit better, but it still takes the shape of a weapon as a hammer.

BTS

So not only is the word "bomb" in the name of this lightstick, it is modeled after a bomb. Not okay.

Yeah so in summary, companies need to stop making their lightsticks look like weapons.

TW: Violence
Adding onto this over 6 months later

There is actually a law in New York that if you go to an organized demonstration you cannot bring a sign with a metal or wooden handle. So I've had to make a sign that had a cardboard handle before.
The reason this was put in place was that too many people ended up getting assaulted by these sign handles.
By making the light stick look even more like a weapon, I believe that the idea of violence would be more enforced.

I still stand by the idea of this thread. But I do regret posting it, due to the many people that tried to change my opinion.
I completely respect any opposing opinions on this topic, but to me it is not open for debate.
Come talk to me after you experience a mass shooting happen in your town.
So please don't try to change my mind on an issue that is more important to me than my own life at times.
Thank you for all of your kind words.

 

[yunaing]

I was gonna say Cherry Bullet’s gun design was probably a direct link to their group name, but then I realised why is “Bullet” even in the group name to start with

 

[ChenXiao]

I mean - at least it's not a pencil case - I hit someone with a pencil case and they were in tears - they are brutal things.