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All this talk of banning 'fidget spinners' is a bit much, no?

You may or may not have come across these addictive, inexpensive toys. If you have a kid, you know what we're talking about. Maybe your colleagues have them as desk toys. At any rate, they're mostly harmless

When a friend gifted his five-year-old son a fidget spinner, Dev Haldar did not think much of it. That is until the father and son began to explore the tiny, ball-bearing toy together. "It took about five seconds for me to keep it in my hands and spin it. Then we started having fights on whose turn it was to spin," says Dev. As his son's fixation with fidget spinner died an untimely death, Dev found himself more intrigued by the handheld toy. Soon, he wanted to see how fast he could spin. Today, what was meant to be a present for his son has become his favourite pastime, even though he admits fidget spinner is more of a fad. Last year, an article in Forbes anointed fidget gadgets as the "must have office toy in 2017".
Earlier this year, the narrative tweaked and the gadget began to be marketed as one of the many tools that could help attention deficient children. It would apparently help them concentrate better. Ironically, most schools have reportedly banned them as they are proving to be distraction. In fact, the UAE Ministry of Education recently issued a statement banning the use of spinners in classrooms. With schools practising restraint, adults - it seems - are taking it upon themselves to have some fun with the new toy in town.
Most mental health experts will tell you that fidgeting is a basic physical reaction to (even partly) stressful situations. In a spate of articles last month, leading publications such as Time magazine and The Guardian credited US-based inventor Catherine Hettinger as the creator of the original fidget spinner, a claim contested by other publications.
While one story goes that Hettinger created a prototype of the fidget spinner after she saw some boys in Israel pelting stones at the police officers, the other stated she embarked on the project simply to entertain her then seven-year-old daughter and invented the very first fidget spinner in the 90s. While nothing explains the soaring popularity of the gadget 20 years later, when Money magazine asked for her views, Hettinger - herself surprised at the popularity of the gadget - guessed it could just be a result of the economic downturn of 2008.
As simplistic as that may sound, can a fidget spinner really be a quick retreat from the ambivalence of modern life? Dubai resident Chitransh Srivastava found a purpose in fidget spinners soon after he lost his job. "For me, it's a stressbuster. My negative energy doesn't show up as I'm busy spinning when I am not doing anything. And yes, I am now taking my fidget spinners to job interviews," he says.
The mental health experts who have been using the gadget in classrooms as well as counselling sessions, however, tell a different story. That is primarily because, as psychologist Tanuka Gupta points out, the fidget spinners may have been marketed as stress relievers, but there is very little scientific evidence that they actually help you focus better. "It's partly hyped because it takes on your physical need to shake. A fidget spinner may calm anxious individuals, but so would music."
Another psychologist Elena Maria Andrioti observes that a fidget spinner is a toy that has been designed to provide immense satisfaction to the user, which is addictive especially since more adults are finding ways to spin it for longer. "But there is a competitive aspect to the spinner."
This 'aspect' is clearly at odds with its claim of relieving stress. "Gadgets and toys can be fun but they should be used in convenient environments. What worries me today is the fact that I have seen this spinner in schools and offices and in advertisements online that suggest these gadgets can help with mental disorders. There is no scientific evidence for that." Technology expert George Kuruvilla sees it differently. "They are also involuntarily helping people take their eyes off their screened devices, even if it is for a fleeting bit. While fidget spinners are being sold in tens of thousands per week in Dubai alone, it's only a matter of time before another 'filler fad' takes over the minds of the young adult."
Last month, fidget spinners and cubes ruled Amazon's coveted top 20 bestsellers list in toys and games. As the fidget spinner's popularity soars, it remains to be seen just how long the customers will savour the new flavour of the season.
anamika@khaleejtimes.com
Anamika's an observer. She's interested in recording thought and action