February 21, 2026
Teddy bears vs. paywalls
“Playmakers,” reviewed: The race to give every child a toy
Paywall panic vs “sticks and stones” nostalgia: Teddy bears spark a mini culture war
TLDR: A review of “Playmakers” traces how Jewish immigrant entrepreneurs turned Roosevelt’s mercy-bear moment into America’s toy industry. Comments erupted into paywall complaints and “sticks and stones” nostalgia, debating whether toys commercialize childhood or spread joy—and who even gets access to the story in the first place.
A candy-shop owner, a merciful President, and a mohair bear walk into history—yes, the Teddy bear was born after Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a tied-up bear, inspiring immigrant shopkeeper Morris Michtom to sew a cuddly icon. The review of “Playmakers” explains how Jewish American entrepreneurs helped turn childhood into big business, and how early 1900s moral panics even warned that bears would ruin girls’ maternal instincts. But the real brawl? It’s in the comments.
The thread instantly split into two archetypes: paywall rage versus back-in-my-day minimalism. One reader waved the universal flag of internet frustration—“no content, someone paste”—while another flexed a rugged childhood with “I played with sticks and stones.” From there, the vibe was a tug-of-war between “toys overcommercialize childhood” and “toys democratize joy,” with snarky side quests like “1902 cancel culture” jokes about teachers banning bear-making and people dunking on the idea that a plush animal could end civilization. Some cheered the book’s spotlight on immigrant ingenuity; others rolled their eyes at what they see as nostalgia-for-profit.
It’s delicious irony: an article about making toys for every kid sparked a fight about who can even read the review. Hot take economy vs toy economy—and yes, the Teddy is still the star, whether as a symbol of childhood wonder or the OG plush that launched a thousand arguments.
Key Points
- •Morris Michtom created the first Teddy bear in 1902, inspired by Theodore Roosevelt’s refusal to shoot a captured bear.
- •Clifford Berryman’s cartoon popularized the incident, amplifying public interest and fueling demand for the Teddy bear.
- •Michtom scaled production from local sewing help to a textile factory and did not patent the design, enabling widespread imitation.
- •The Teddy bear sparked both enthusiasm and backlash, including bans in a New York University class and moral warnings from a Michigan priest.
- •Michael Kimmel’s book argues the Teddy bear broadened the toy market and highlights Jewish-American entrepreneurs’ role in creating the U.S. toy industry.