Welcome to the Sim Dollhouse

Its funny how memes run in herds. From the New York Times, Sims are becoming the new dolls children play with.

From the article:

"As far as we know, children have always played with dolls of one sort or another to act out variations on their own lives, or lives they observe or imagine. Today, a vast and growing number of kids are doing the same thing — but with a very new tool. Instead of dolls, they are using video games. And perhaps most of all, they're using The Sims.

"I like Sims more than other games, and Sims is way more fun than TV because TV gets so boring — you just stare at a screen and watch and watch and watch," Francesca said. "But in The Sims you make your own characters and give them a personality and give them stuff and build their houses and make them live."

Richard said firmly: "Making characters is a lot more fun than watching TV. And with commercials you have to wait. I don't like to wait."

"Initially I was a little concerned because it is rated T for Teen and Francesca said she had tried it at a friend's house and I was concerned that she had done that without checking with me first," she said, "But then I looked into it and now I don't mind them playing this game at all. Actually, it seems to have some value for them. And I'll tell you, she used to really be into dolls, like Barbies and the Bratz dolls; once The Sims came along the dolls were done. And I mean done."