So, you believe that the good old space hopper was released in Britain in 1971, eh? It says so on the BBC's "I Love 1970s" site and on the Toy Retailers site (which, in reality, always echoes the Beeb), so it must be so...
So why are advertisements from British newspapers of 1969 turning up on the blogosphere - showing that the space hopper was actually on sale here then?
See here: http://70struth.blogspot.com/
"Why I Don't Love The 1970s" states:
"For the I Love... series, a small caption was inserted in the opening titles, stating that the space hopper was released in 1968 and then "bounced its way through the 70s". Fair enough, but the I Love... website states that the first spacehoppers arrived in this country in 1971. Would you like onions with your tripe?
The spacehopper was an instant hit, very popular from 1968 onwards. It was still going strong in the '70s, yes, but did it really deserve such major billing? Other sites follow the BBC's line, touting the hopper as either new in 1971 or as THE craze of 1971. Popular, yes. New or a sudden craze? Most certainly not.
Still, if it makes 70s pop culture look good..."
What is it with 70s hype? Is it simply 40 and 50-somethings, telling porkies about their youth era so it looks good? Is it young geeks and nerds, clutching on to a fake notion of the 1970s like Linus clutches on to his security blanket?
I dunno. But it's stupid and time it stopped.
