Internet loses it after spotting viral Labubu doll at Karl Marx's grave

Mint

6 days ago

Karl Marx, the man who spent his life criticising capitalism's grip on every aspect of life, from work to thought to human identity, probably never imagined that he would one day become part of the very system he opposed. But that is exactly what seems to have happened recently at London's Highgate Cemetery. A picture of Karl Marx's grave with the Labubu doll is going viral.
Visitors were surprised to find a Labubu doll placed at Marx's grave. For those unfamiliar, Labubu is a trendy plush character from the Pop Mart collection, which is all about surprise, scarcity, and hype-driven collecting. It is everything that screams late-stage capitalism.
So when people saw this wide-eyed toy sitting at the tomb of communism's most famous voice, the internet kind of exploded.
'Is that a f***ing Labubu?' a user asked in disbelief on X.
Another said, 'Labubu could be one of the most anti-Marx things I have ever seen.'
Labubu, sold in blind boxes where buyers do not know what they will get, is the perfect symbol of modern consumer obsession. These toys can resell for hundreds of dollars, all thanks to manufactured rarity. The irony of placing one on Marx's grave wasn't lost on anyone. But that was not all that was left there. Amid the kitschy toy tribute were more traditional offerings, flowers, notes, and heartfelt letters.
A handwritten letter, penned by a Chinese university student named Liu Yuhae, stood out. She wrote with admiration and honesty, reflecting on how Marx's writings shaped her worldview. She shared her struggles with truly understanding his texts, but also her desire to live by them.
In a touching and somewhat quirky close, she joked that she looked like a potato and hoped to cook them for Marx in the afterlife. 'If I can meet you in my dreams, I will talk to you in more detail,' she wrote.
While the internet is making the situation lighthearted and fun, the very fact that a product of Capitalism was placed at Karl Marx's grave stands as a big irony. The man who had spent his life preaching against Capitalism now lies with the product of one.
Labubu dolls are pricey mostly because they are released in limited quantities and sold through blind boxes, so you do not know which one you will get until you open it.
Spotting a real Labubu is mostly about the packaging and quality. Genuine ones usually come in official Pop Mart blind boxes with branding and product info printed clearly.
Some folks are burning Labubu dolls as a way to criticise overconsumption or reject consumer culture. Others just find the dolls creepy or are reacting to how expensive and overhyped they have become.
Labubu is actually a character created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, but it's produced and sold by Pop Mart, a big collectibles company based in China.