What is the "point of LEGO"?

[Boidoh]

So today I had a conversation with a person I am ashamed to have once called a friend... Yeah, he is still a "cool guy" after all these years. (Take that! I censor myself!) So I took some BIONICLEs to draw for Art, because we had to pick a theme and that jazz and I chose BIONICLE, so I brought some. Then this conversation happened.

 

Cool Guy: You know <insert name of his friend here> has tons of these right?

Me: Yeah, of course. I knew him before you... *rolls eyes*

Cool Guy: He has tons and he makes all these really awesome stuff out of them.

Me: Yes, I know.... As I already said, I've seen those sets he has before you, as I've known him before you...

Cool Guy: Why are these still looking like this, dude? (I really hate his speech pattern of saying "dude")

Me: Looking how?

Cool Guy: You know, like, how it came in the box. Why don't YOU break up them and make some awesome stuff like <insert name of his friend here>?

Me: You know, because I like all my BIONICLE stuff canon. If it isn't canon, chances are I wont really like it that much. But I've seen his stuff already, it looks nice, but not something I'd really be into. 

Cool Guy: What's cannon?

Me: Like, official in story then.

Cool Guy: But why? Isn't the entire point of LEGO to build stuff up, look at them for a while, then break everything up completely and make some other awesome thing?

Me: Maybe that is the point of it FOR YOU, but I that isn't the point of LEGO for me. Besides, the only LEGO theme I'm really into right now is BIONICLE, because of the 2015 leaks and what not, not that you'd know about them, and even when I was into all sub-themes of LEGO, if the set I bought had every piece intact and none missing, chances are that I'd never ever break them apart. I would only make MOCs with stuff that I bought used and has pieces missing or from those sets that came with the bunch of bricks and stuff.

Cool Guy: What are 'mocks'?

Me: My Own Creation... How wouldn't you know since your obviously so into LEGO and have claimed several times to have more and 

'cooler' stuff than me...

Cool Guy: Anyways, I'm really sorry for you. You're missing the entire point of LEGO. That is what LEGO is all about and you probably need to get some help or something, dude. Why would you ever want to keep your BIONICLEs and stuff looking like, ugh, these?

 

I just walked away... This cool guy has annoyed me for several years and this is my melting point, but thats besides the point. This conversation has irritated me because of his idea that the definitive "point of LEGO" is to build the set, look at it for a while, then break it up and build cool stuff again, and again. Do you agree with this? What is the "point of LEGO" to you? Do you believe that there is even a definitive "point" beyond them as being buildable toys? Discuss.

[Aanchir]

LEGO is a toy. The point of it is to have fun. It's nobody's place to tell other people that the way they enjoy it is less legitimate than the ways other people enjoy it.

[fishers64]

It's an interconnected interlocking brick system.

 

And the point of it is whatever you deem the point of it is. Lego is a creative medium, like a pencil and a sheet of paper is a creative medium. It's like asking what the point of clay or a set of crayons is. The point of Lego is something to do stuff with, whether building products to sell to kids, collecting it as a hobby, telling a story, serving as an art model, or just building a tower on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Or something else.

Edited September 19, 2014 by fishers64

[Zidonaro]

The point of lego is build stuff, official or not, and have fun.

 

Therefore, you can do what you want and this "cool guy" is annoying and an idiot for telling people what to do.

[Toa of Gallifrey]

The point of LEGO is to burn make stuff. Whether it's official or an MOC is up to you. Personally, I don't break up my Bionicle sets unless I have multiples, they have key pieces missing/broken or I plan to put them back together soon. I do break up some system and HF sets I don't care to have built, though. I took Toxic Reapa apart from MOCing and a couple City sets from long ago for parts. If I like it how it is, no way am I gonna even think of taking it apart. No one touches Furno XL... NO ONE! BWAHAHAHAHA!

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

as an interlocking stud-and-tube or ball-and-socket building system, the "point" is generally to put the studs into tubes or balls into sockets. :u

[John Smith]

As others have already said, the point is to do whatever you want and have fun. Don't let this "cool dude" bother you; it sounds like he's just trying to put you down however he can.

[Toa Smoke Monster]

To me, Lego sets were toys for me to collect, put together as the instructions said, and then enjoy playing with them and having them interact with other sets. I rarely take apart one of my sets once I build it. The only exceptions were when I was building some of the combiner models with them or if it was one of my non-Bionicle sets. I only remember MOCing with a Star Wars set I have, but I'm sure I've taken apart some of my other non-Bionicle sets at times. 

 

But nowadays I never take apart my sets. I enjoy keeping them together. That is what a Lego set is to me. And as others have stated, the point of having a Lego set, or actually any toy in general, is for your own entertainment as you see fit. Whether that be MOCing with them or keeping them together in their original set forms. As long as they give you joy, then you shouldn't worry about what others think of it.  

[Banana Gunz]

Lego is whatever you want it to be. Simple as that.

 

If you want it to be canon because you like that canon, then let it be canon. I love making original things, but sometimes I just want to look at the sets I have an appreciate them for what they are, which is nothing bad.

 

Just stay happy and keep loving Lego in whatever way you'd like, because Lego was never made to be exactly anything. 

[Pomegranate]

The point of Lego is usually one of the eight corners of your standard square or rectangular block, although there are plenty of other pointy Lego elements

Everyone can use Legos for whatever they see fit, as long as they stay true to the meaning of the name: play well. You can build by the instructions or build however you feel the pieces should go together, and you can build for fun or as art or just to relieve stress, and you can leave your models intact forever or demolish them every time you're done so you can keep making new things. It doesn't matter so long as it makes you happy.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Pomegranate

[Toa Kayn]

Lego in a nutshell is plastic in the shape of fun. Do what ever you want with it. Whatever floats your goat.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Toa Kayn

[TBK]

Sometimes, I build stuff just to destroy it. I like seeing things explode into a flurry of pieces.

 

Point being, that's the beauty of LEGO: you can do anything with it and have fun in the process.

[Sybre]

Lego can be anything you want it to be. We all have our opinions on it and how we want to use it. Sure, your "friend" could have worded things a little differently, but that's just his opinion. People can do what they prefer with their Legos, and that's just fine!

 

As for me, I prefer the canon stuff with MOCs mixed in. 

[bonesiii]

Fun and imagination.

[Kopekemaster]

I basically agree with Aanchir. Different people like playing with it in different ways. (Personally, I'm kind of a mix of the two, since I keep most of my *complete* Bionicle sets whole, but don't, usually, with system stuff. I then MOC and experiment with everything that's left over.)

[25K Now!]

You build stuff with LEGO. You also play with it.

 

Whatever meaning it possesses is up to you.

[Ziontyro Metalhead]

Yeah, I don't think there's any true point to LEGO other than it's a toy and it's meant to be used with creativity and you get to make whatever you want with it. I tend to go on more of the side of moccing unless I want to keep a set together for nostalgia. This is mainly because I want to create my own things I like. That's how I've been my whole life.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

The point/purpose of using Lego is to enhance your creativity and have an enjoyable time while building anything you want out of a selection of various interlocking pieces. Basically, to have creative fun.

[Ride Another Day]

Lego is derived form the danish words "Leg Godt" which supposedly means "play nice". Now those who did know that, that's cool and for those who didn't, now you know. I guess it makes since that it means play nice since really that's what Lego are used for.

[Boidoh]

Probably doesn't involve any of this, but Mr. "Dude" thinks it is stupid that I discuss the story of BIONICLE and never the sets, because I was telling my friend about certain celestial bodies in certain leaked stuff, and I drew the box and he was annoyed because he probably thinks the story is stupid, or rather he is stupid to know the story.

 

Edit: Mr. Dude = "Cool Guy"

 

"Cool Guy" = censored word

Edited October 2, 2014 by Boidoh

[Manducus]

In Latin, Lego with a long mark over the "o" is read, but if it has a long mark over the "o" and "e", it's now bequeath. The point of Lego is reading and bequeathing.

 

 

 

Actually, it's innovation and imagination which you're "cool guy" ex-friend lacks.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Councilor Manducus

[randomreviewerbros]

LEGO is there to make it whatever you want it to be, there are no limitations, if you like keeping sets together (like me) or if you like MOCing well thats your own decision, thats the entire point of LEGO

[Master Inika]

Ask him what he thinks the point of instructions are.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

Lego is derived form the danish words "Leg Godt" which supposedly means "play nice". Now those who did know that, that's cool and for those who didn't, now you know. I guess it makes since that it means play nice since really that's what Lego are used for.

I thought it meant play well.

[randomreviewerbros]

 

Lego is derived form the danish words "Leg Godt" which supposedly means "play nice". Now those who did know that, that's cool and for those who didn't, now you know. I guess it makes since that it means play nice since really that's what Lego are used for.

I thought it meant play well.

 

Youre right it does mean "play well"

[nuparu]

plastic bricks and pieces you can use to make anything.

you can use what you make as a toy, finish it, pull it apart. make something else. or make something you really like and display it for an undetermined amount of time.

lego is the physical form of fun and creativity. and that being said, you're never too old for that.