Social Effect
It has strong appeal to individuals in their youth because it offers a display of strength. Young boys use the high striker to determine who among them is the strongest. More often than not, high strikers are used to impress other people.
In the 1930s, some High Striker operators preyed on young men and rigged (or fixed) the High Striker unit to prevent anyone, no matter how strong, from striking the bell. They usually picked a small man to demonstrate how easy it was to swing the mallet and impact the arm, ringing the bell. Then, when a stronger person (usually a young man in his late teens and early 20s) attempted, they failed. Players attempted the game repeatedly to avoid humiliation. Eventually, the operator would allow that player to ring the bell so as to not discourage others from attempting. Popular Mechanics in a 1935 article revealed this secret, and, since then, most High Striker operators have ceased fixing their units.
Read more about this topic: High Striker
Famous quotes containing the words social and/or effect:
“As blacks, we need not be afraid that encouraging moral development, a conscience and guilt will prevent social action. Black children without the ability to feel a normal amount of guilt will victimize their parents, relatives and community first. They are unlikely to be involved in social action to improve the black community. Their self-centered personalities will cause them to look out for themselves without concern for others, black or white.”
—James P. Comer (20th century)
“Where there is not discernment, the behavior even of the purest soul may in effect amount to coarseness.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)