What is it and why does it captivate us?
What is a Spinner? Basically, this small device could be considered a spinning top of the 21st century and it causes a sensation among those who try it. There is no greater mystery or is there...
Do you know what a Spinner is and why it is so captivating? No one knows what it is about this little toy that has caused such a sensation among the youngest and some a bit older.
The Spinner, also known as a “fidget spinner”, appeared suddenly. The little device has a simple mechanical rotation system that allows it to spin between the fingers to play, try tricks, and entertain oneself with it.
They come in all colors and shapes. They are small and because of their size, they can be carried anywhere, one of the possible reasons for their widespread popularity.
The Spinner can have three or four blades, with a central bearing and others at the ends: the game consists of spinning it on its axis and entertaining oneself while it spins round and round without stopping. There is no greater mystery.
What do we like about the Spinner?
One of the things that makes the Spinner so captivating, which suddenly became everywhere in schoolyards, is surely the fact of learning to perform tricks to challenge yourself or your friends.
You can spin the Spinner from the center and make it jump from one hand to the other, catch it mid-air, change it from one finger to another, or innovate by doing whatever you feel like trying with it.
Could it be because of its stress-relieving power (not proven by any scientific study), which allows restless hands to channel energy and nerves by spinning the Spinner over and over? Or is it because it is a little toy with tremendous powers of distraction and amusement without consequences?
History of the Spinner
Whatever the cause of its success, the Spinner has revived the traditional pastime of the spinning top or the yo-yo, reinventing it and adapting it to the present day.
The Spinner craze arose a few years ago; the media say it was an invention by a lady named Catherine Hettinger in 1993 and that she created it to entertain her daughter and, since then, its fame and use spread worldwide.
For some reason, the patent for having invented this little toy was not active when production began, so there are thousands of Spinner brands.
They make them of all kinds, sizes, colors, and materials: shaped like Batman, dragon designs, with bullet-shaped blades, fluorescent, with LED lights… the possibilities are almost endless.
Their price can vary quite a bit, because online they are sold individually or in sets of several units, ranging from the cheapest (just over one euro) to 60 euros (or more).
Both for their potential to distract and for their ability to channel nerves and stress, the Spinner soon spread worldwide, something also helped by its price, which is quite affordable.
Despite the fame and the quick entry of the Spinner into our lives, its use seems to be more paused at the moment. However, there was a time when it was accused of being too addictive among the youngest and some controversies arose over the possibility that it distracted children too much during their school lessons.
From that time, you can also find several videos of the greatest feats people achieved with much time and many hours dedicated to exploring the possibilities offered by the Spinner.
Although we do not know exactly why it has us so hooked, we will let time tell us if the Spinner is a passing fad or becomes a pastime for generations.
