# Monsters Inc. question -- kid toxicity **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 26, 2002, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735 "2002-09-26T17:16:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2002, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/1 "2002-09-26T17:16:59Z")
I’ve watched Monsters Inc. now on DVD several times; and each time I watch, I am left with one question: Why was the rumor spread around the Monster World that human kids are so toxic? They are obviously not toxic, because Boo interacts with Sullivan and Wizowski throughout the movie. In addition, Waternoose knows the truth because he picks up Boo without any qualms or hesitation. If that’s the case, why the “kids are toxic” routine and the whole CDA (Child Detection Agency) bit? Or am I missing something really obvious? Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2002, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/2 "2002-09-26T17:26:45Z")
I think the Kid Toxicity rumor is spread as propaganda to prevent the monsters from becoming attached to the kids. Thus, they are willing to scare them in order to generate electricity. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2002, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/3 "2002-09-26T17:44:53Z")
This from CNN’s review > [@](#): > > In fact, it now seems like the perfect post-Enron fable: Top monster-world ‘‘scarer’’ Sulley, who harvests energy from children’s screams, discovers he labors for a thoroughly corrupt company. (Leading myth sold to employees: Human kids are ‘‘toxic’’ and on some level inhuman, therefore no harm done scaring them.) I think it’s to provide motivation to the monsters to do their jobs. StG ---
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2002, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/4 "2002-09-26T18:26:35Z")
And now that human kids are non-toxic, it won’t be too long before it dawns on somebody that there’s no harm done eating them. I can smell a sequel in the oven already… ---
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2002, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/5 "2002-09-26T18:32:02Z")
And now that human kids are non-toxic, it won’t be too long before it dawns on somebody that there’s no harm done eating them. I can smell a sequel in the oven already… ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2002, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/6 "2002-09-26T18:43:22Z")
Anyone who doesn’t believe that little kids are toxic has never been around a two year old with a runny nose. Ewwwwwww! Hazardous waste! ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2002, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/7 "2002-09-26T22:09:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Engywook \* > \*\*And now that human kids are non-toxic, it won’t be too long before it dawns on somebody that there’s no harm done eating them. > > I can smell a sequel in the oven already… \*\* What do we call it? _Cannibals, Inc._? “Don’t worry, the monsters won’t scare you…they’d rather eat you instead.” ---
**Author:** ![celestina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@celestina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/celestina)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/8 "2002-09-29T14:08:08Z")
Well, I certainly hope there won’t be a “Cannibals Inc.” sequel. I just saw “Monsters Inc.,” and I think it is just the cutest movie and very well done. 😃 Sully and Boo are so adorable, but there’s substantive stuff going on in the film too. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/9 "2002-09-29T16:48:13Z")
Well, there almost certainly won’t be a sequal to _Monsters, Inc._ for the simple reason that the rest of Pixar’s commitemnt to Disney is already spoken for (_Finding Nemo_ is next this year, and they are well along into the fifth movie of their deal) and it isn’t likely to be extended at this time. Steve Jobs and Michael Eisner are having a pissing match over money (and Steve Jobs is mostly right) and it is likely that Pixar will move on to a new distributor when the current deal is done. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/10 "2002-09-29T16:59:34Z")
I just saw the movie, and I thought it was adorable. I loved how the little girl sounded…just like a 2-3 year old. I did see the part about screaming vs laughing fairly early on, though. I loved Sully’s fur. So damn realistic! ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/11 "2002-09-29T18:15:57Z")
Cute, cute, cute. And I would love to see the girl who did Boo and see how old she is. The performance was perfection. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/12 "2002-09-29T18:59:50Z")
According to [IMDb](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Gibbs,%20Mary), she was born in 1996 and was 2 1/2 when they recorded her lines. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monsters-inc-question-kid-toxicity/129735/13 "2002-09-29T20:24:09Z")
She is interviewed a little on the DVD, so you can see what she looks like (or did circa mid to late 2001, anyway).