Origin of Attention
In 1975, Gary Dahl, an advertising executive, launched the sale of a fad that would make him a millionaire. This extended profit is comparable more impressive when one takes into tally the short time in which the rocks were taken, only six months, and further the low cost of the product, about four dollars. Dahls ingenious marketing involved commonplace gray pebbles, bought from a construction supplier, which were then implicated as living pets. The thought was inspired by the bother, mess, and ducats that pets allied as community or dogs or fish required. And thus, Dahl began the production and sale of the Pet Rock, which did not obligation to be walked, wouldnt cost hundreds in war-horse bills, and would not poop on the concrete.
Specifics of Production
Dahl named the company " Rock Bottom Productions, " and obsessed the rocks for $3. 95 a piece. The pebbles were imported from Rosarito Beach in Baja California, Mexico, and then packaged in a petite cardboard box, designed equaling a pet carrier. Dahl further created a " Pet Rock Training Handbook, " containing directions on how to properly onus for one ' s pet, including how to den train ones pet: " Place it on some old newspapers. The rock will never know what the paper is for and will require no further instruction. The instruction manual included such commands as sit, stay, roll over, play dead, and come.
Why would anyone ever buy a pet rock?
" If there were more fads, there would probably be a lot fewer psychiatrists. " Ben Hakuta, creator of Wacky Wall Walkers
Indeed, pet rocks give us more pleasure than we know. These pets support this argument through their very existence, showing us that it is not an actual item that brings joy to the child in the human mind, but merely the idea of the item. The pet sits in a niche in the mind, created by the power of the owners imaginations. It is in the actual exercise of the mind that such pleasure is found. It is quite a valid point that finding such productive and effective uses of recreation time can be more preventative and beneficial to the health of our minds that even the most advanced psychological treatments.
People who purchased these unusual " pets " often gave them names, talked to them, petted them, and taught them to perform simple " tricks ".
Pet rocks still live on
Like most fads, it never totally died out. There are memorial pages, spin - offs, and one can still purchase such a pet, though new manufacturers have given their rocks new features and looks. For instance, not many plain gray pebbles are sold any more. One can buy rocks that are inscribed, painted, and decorated in many a manner, lending the rock much more personality than afforded Dahls creation. One can purchase a rock with an agenda, or one can buy a rock that is individually painted in memory of any dearly loved pet, or one can still purchase that rock that is completely void of previous perception, and let its idea grow in the mind.
Virtual Pets
Virtual Pets follow the same formula as Dahls product. Operating more in the mind of the owner than anywhere else, Virtual pets can be an electronic toy, a computer program, or even a video game. However, though perhaps securing more time from an owner, virtual pets do not leave as much room for imagination as the pet rock.
