There are so many reasons why fidget spinners are great, and to be honest, I don’t really understand why some people have such animosity toward this toy. When I first sat down to write this article, my mind was “spinning” while thinking about how I was going to formulate this controversial argument, because there is so much to say. So, I figured that I should start out strong: Fidget spinners are super cool. I mean, the speed at which they can spin is mindblowing. A viral YouTube video titled, “99,999+ RPM Fidget Spinner Toy //Cause I Can,” shows the fastest fidget spinner ever, spinning at the record speed of 99,999 rotations per minute. This proves that the speed of fidget spinners can be out of this world, leading me to believe that fidget spinners can provide quality entertainment for everyone. That being said, if you’ve never spun one before, first of all, where have you been? Second of all, you should really get on it because you will never have more fun in your entire life.
In addition, there is such a variety of spinners that one can choose from. They have stainless steel, metal, all different colors and shapes, Batman and my personal favorite: glow-in-the-dark! It’s extremely impressive how creative and advanced our society has become. Back in the day people were talking about flying cars, and now, we’ve advanced to glow-in-the-dark fidget spinners. If that’s not progressive, then I don’t know what is.
There is an extremely large price range when in comes to fidget spinners, making them accessible to anyone. You can buy a spinner at the low price of $3.50 at Amazing Savings or if in the mood to splurge, can spend up to hundreds. For example, the Sunnytech Customized 925 Silver Fidget Spinner costs $459.99 on Amazon. Now that is what I call a crazy good use of money. Additionally, to gain popularity a few years ago, people needed to use tools such as personality (what a hassle). But if you’re lacking in that, no need to fret, because now you can become popular solely based on the number of fidget spinners you own and the tricks that you can do with them.
Speaking of tricks, the options are endless when it comes to fidget spinners. You can spin it on one finger, toss the spinner back and forth, spin it on your nose or toes, and even on your forehead. Also, if you want to get creative, you can decorate your fidget spinners by painting them, drawing on them and even going as far as to make them sparkly! You can also have competitions and contests with them, like the Maccabeats did in a recent Facebook video. In the video, they spun a dreidel and fidget spinner at the same time to see which one would outlast the other; the fidget spinner won, desperately making me want to change the phrase “winner winner chicken dinner” to “winner winner fidget spinner.” All of these creative ways to use fidget spinners make them a great rainy-day and bonding activity, especially for those who have few friends.
While on the subject of bonding, for all of those parents out there who want to connect to their children, or be seen as cool in their kids’ eyes, here’s all you have to do: Go onto YouTube and learn a few fidget spinner tricks. That will surely put you on the map in their eyes. In addition, instead of rotting your kids’ teeth with candy, you can start bribing your kids with fidget spinners. No doubt, they will love you forever.
In addition, fidget spinner production has been great for large and small businesses. According to Foxbusiness.com, Josh Loerzel, who is the VP of sales and marketing for Zing, said, “A fidget spinner is great for smaller companies because we can react quickly, and get the orders. We can ship fast.” Jackie Breyer, the editorial director for The Toy Insider, added, “Toys ’R Us, for example, is going to have licensed spinners—DC and Marvel comics spinners—so when you take that all into account, we could be looking at a half a billion dollars.” Clearly, the fidget spinner trend has helped many businesses, adding this to the long list of reasons why fidget spinners are God’s gift to earth.
As a fidgeter myself, I’m excited about this new gadget because now, I can stop with all of the pen clicking, foot tapping and, worst of all, sometimes, even nail picking (I know, I know, it’s a bad habit, but luckily, fidget spinners can help!). Fidgeting is typically looked down upon because one can come across as being nervous, anxious, unprofessional and sometimes annoying. However, in reality, fidgeting is actually said to be helpful. According to Forbes.com, fidgeting can help people concentrate; it can help people focus on the topic at hand instead of becoming distracted by random or more serious thoughts such as “What is the meaning of life?” or “Why isn’t Justin Bieber answering my phone calls?” In addition, Forbes.com explains that fidgeting can possibly help people think and express themselves. They also claim that fidgeting is a human’s way to maintain physical activity while sitting around; and it may even burn some calories. This reason alone is why fidget spinners should be celebrated—you can watch movies all day, while simultaneously fidgeting with a spinner, and still burn calories. I seriously have to cancel my gym membership!
In all seriousness though, there has been much talk that fidget spinners can help those with ADHD, ADD or autism. While this topic has been hotly disputed, and most believe that there is no actual scientific proof to back this claim, I don’t see what difference it makes. If fidget spinners help people concentrate, then it’s beneficial and likely can’t do harm. Additionally, it may be exciting for a kid who has ADHD, ADD or autism to see their peers playing with the same toy that they use to help concentrate.
Many teachers find fidget spinners distracting in class, and therefore deem them as the worst toy ever. However, just because they can be distracting in class doesn’t mean that fidget spinners are awful. They are no more distracting than phones, so if schools want to ban the spinners from the classroom just like they do with phones, it’s understandable. That being said, it doesn’t take away from the phenomenon that is the almighty fidget spinner.
The bottom line is that fidget spinners are simply a fad that will sooner or later die out, just like Beanie Babies, Silly Bandz, Rainbow Looms and Webkinz all have in the past. This trend will be no different, and therefore they should be enjoyed while they are all the rage. You do not want to be remembered as the Debbie Downer during this grand time, so if you have not yet fallen in love with fidget spinners, I suggest that you jump onto this bandwagon where you’ll surely have the time of your life.
By Miri Wagner
Bergenfield’s Miri Wagner is a Queens College student and a summer intern at The Jewish Link.
