What we play with as a child may shape how we act, the friends we choose, and where we go in life. Toys can do more than just entertain us, they can teach us what to value and how we should act, just as much as our parents can. These toys teach us American values, but are these values we want? One great example of these toys is G.I. Joe. This toy speaks mainly to young males and can tell them how they must look, act, and feel for the rest of their lives. It is almost easy to look at a person and tell what kinds of toys he or she played with as a child. Toys are much more than just a plaything; they are a unique tool to shape our appearance, our values, and ultimately, our lives. G.I. Joe can shape how young males value theirs and other appearance, and how G.I. Joe promotes violence among the youth.
             G.I. Joe, the real American hero. That is how the action figure is marketed to America's youth. More specifically G.I. Joe is marketed to young males. He is strong, chiseled and manly. Children see these action figures as "reduced copies of humans" and they see the need to replicate this image and look like the action figure. Every G.I. Joe action figure has enormous muscles that are very toned. The figures also have very chiseled features, and are given a tanned appearance. This tells young boys that they need to have big muscles, chiseled features, and a nice tan. This image is not only unrealistic, it is unsafe. Several studies have shown that weight lifting at an early age can stunt a child's growth, and can cause other growth related problems. Many kids, unable to naturally look like their favorite buff action figure, may turn to steroids to gain the muscles and look. In fact, action figures such as G.I. Joe have changed their physical appearance drastically over time, and as writer Roid Rage points out, "In the early 1970s, models were lean and more average looking. But in the late-1980s and 1990s we see super-buff, muscu...