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BJD a vehicle for social change?

Nov 24, 2009

    1. Any time you're exposed to a new culture, it'll change some part of the way you think, even if just a little. And if you voice any of those opinions about the new experience, it will cause a ripple effect.

      In my hometown in the US, people weren't exposed to Asian cultures other than Chinese and that was only through crappy restaurants which barely counts. Even if all you know about Japan is that some girls wear lolita, it's more than most people here know. They still think of the WWII slant on Japan and "what they did to our boys", which I think most people agree is worse than thinking it's full of yaoi and lolita?

      I think the culture I've learned the most about would be the Philippines. If I hadn't known one of my good doll friends, I wouldn't have really given the country and its people a second thought since I just had never met anyone from there. Now I'm engaged to a Filipino. So that's a big change that was aided by things I learned from the doll community.
       
    2. I really can't consider BJDs a vehicle for social change or even entertain that thought.

      We really are a diverse group. But most of us are already social deviants, whether individually we solidify stereotypes or are the exception of the rules. We're already out there, promoting awareness of things like sexuality and diversity by existing. The dolls are just a hobby that we're into.

      I will admit that this board specifically gives us somewhere to talk about our differences with the dolls as our vehicles....here. But the other thing is I'm sure there are many of us who feel differently about what's acceptable with our dolls, than what's ok in real life. I also feel like, when we get together in meets, we don't do much but talk about dolls and things we have in common. We don't often talk outside the comfort zone unless it's people we're already friends with (and I'm going to say it should say that way for a few reasons).

      I also tend to side with the person above who stated they're more comfortable with diversity in people than dolls. I find that with dolls, things are too idealized. People take what they want from a lifestyle and focus only on that. And that's fine, but it does nothing to bring awareness to anything, or change anything socially.
       
    3. First off, I agree with Brett, at the bottom of the first page. Sums it up pretty nicely, I think.

      Second of all, we are a very diverse group and certainly have a lot to learn from each other, but I'm mostly here because I like playing with pretty dolls. I think I'd be kind of uncomfortable if people started trying to make them into something more significant than what they are.
       
    4. I agree with statements that people championing or supporting a social change or cause who really do not understand it can actually cause detriment, and I can certainly appreciate the opinions expressed here, but I have a question reguarding the above quoted section specifically

      If you change the life of one person does this potentially create a ripple effect thus changing the lives of many? be it positive or negatively?
      When something causes you to start thinking about an issue differently (or at all in some cases) it can lead to bigger change all around you can it not? And since BJD sweep over such a broad cross setion of the population of our world does that not enable us to have the exposure needed to create change?
       
    5. Hypothetically, sure. There are enough people who think of this hobby as "weird" to make that rather unlikely, though. I guess if it creates change in part of someone's life that's not related to BJDs it might, but... eh. Just seems far-fetched to me.

      To illustrate: ASPCA Barbie? Yeah, that has a decent chance of raising awareness because it's so widespread.

      Extremely specific subcategory of highly expensive collector's dolls, some of which are modeled after characters who support the ASPCA? Less likely.

      Kinda lame, but that's how I feel. Not saying it'd be a BAD thing if BJDs DID make some kind of positive impact or broadened someone's viewpoint, just that "widespread social change" probably isn't on the menu.
       
    6. On an individual level, sure. Any time we're exposed to different people, cultures, ideas etc that can create change in us--or at least get people thinking. I think the hobby is too small for widespread social change, but it can influence individual hobbyists in other parts of their lives. I personally think issues of scalping, bootlegging, environmental concerns etc are the kinds of things more likely to change individual hobbyists moreso than issues brought up by story lines and characters, however. Reason being that I think a lot of people who are drawn to this hobby already tend to fall outside of the norm and bring that with them rather than having the hobby change them in that way.

      Also when it comes to deviating from norms with characters some of that is really strictly fantasy and not meant to carry over--some could be more directly reflective of the owner, but I don't like to jump to those kinds of conclusions--especially when I don't really know the person. A lot of people just like to tell stories and create characters and that's that. I think it unwise to assume too much about an owner from their characters, since their characters can be vastly different as this is a form of fiction, after all.
       
    7. I like to think that the doll hobby will never be tormented by politics, fettered by rights issues, or defined by anything besides the limit of the imagination. Characters you create live in your own world, no matter how much like ours it is. If you learn to be a better person by exploring characters, your own or otherwise, who have different perspectives than you, and then affect the world around you, its really YOU who made the change. The doll itself would just be an idol that represents your own personal imagination and growth.
       
    8. This si a really wonderful answer, Thank you for it. I see in here that there is a slight shift in angle that makes total sense to me, our hobby can cause the growth in us, we cause the larger change, so while not an actual vehicle for social change possibly a catalyst on a small scale?
       
    9. I wasn't at all denying the possibility, I'm just looking at the odds. Just because person A is affected by what he/she sees in the doll community, it doesn't mean that they people around person A will be affected. People outside of the doll community have their own influences, and those influences shape their lives in their own way. Art can be a beautiful means of social change, for an example, but since I have no interest in art it doesn't really affect me. My best friend, who is an artist, has radically had her worldview changed by her experiences with fellow artists in art school, but those things don't impact me, even though she is my friend and interacts with me.

      The doll community will shape itself and change within itself, just like other small communities around the globe, but I'm not sure that as a group we have enough pull to make a stand for something, especially since it's a hobby that can be somewhat viewed as eccentric, anyway.
       
    10. I don't care about bringing social change through my dolls or my lifestyle. To me, both are insular and purposefully disinclude the outside world.

      As long as people leave me alone with my eccentricities, I'm happy.
       
    11. We seem to be a community that is pretty open-minded and of course that means that we're probably not effecting a change in a broad way. But, for instance where I live there are very few minorities and the general population frowns on things like inter-racial marriage and there is actually quite a bit of racism. o_0 A place like this, where people have dolls representing all sorts of relationships regardless of gender or race can help someone feel more comfortable. In fact, someone like me who believes in love regardless can be helped to feel like it's not wrong and that other people believe that as well. That's probably not what you were really asking... but yeah...

      It may not be a crazy-huge change, but an environment that nourishes positive portrayals of things not in the mainstream (even arguably things like yaoi stereotypes) can't hurt. Not that a stereotype is a good thing, but it seems like a step in the right direction past homophobia. (Maybe I am over-simplifying this and I'll give that aspect more thought because that answer seems a little dismissive.)
       
    12. nevermind, not gonna open this can of worms :)
       
    13. I'd like to think that BJDs could be a vehicle for social change. As to how much social change I think that depends on how dolls are portrayed and how openly they are seen. Before getting into BJDs I had taken some of my other dolls to protests and taken photos of them at various protests. I found that a number of times the photos that I took spurred debate and conversation on the relevant issues. I also found that at the protests I attended that the dolls became a conversation piece and a way to open up discussions on other cultures.

      As for cultural appropriation, my experience has been less about cultural appropriation and more about cultural awareness. It might not be the best example, but specifically through my BJD hobby I've started to pick up on culturally specific things in my day to day life. I can now pick out traditional dress from countries that I knew virtually nothing about when I first entered the hobby. I've also taken a greater interest in new stories about countries where my dolls originated and am even starting to learn another language in part to assist with looking at international websites that I have purchased dolls from and to make communication with my favourite companies easier.
       
    14. If BJD can be considered a vehicle for social change do you feel this is a positive thing or does our hobby risk social assimilation?
      While we could use dolls to help educate others about social issues, I don't see it being very effective.

      This is still a niche hobby. There may be thousands of us, but I think most people still have no idea what these dolls are, why we own them, or why these dolls should be taken any more seriously than the average doll. I do think we can bring about awareness, social change, and understanding to members and BJD hobbyists... but I don't think that people outside of the hobby are going to take it seriously. Unless we make clear our intentions, people who have never heard or seen a BJD aren't going to see social change trying to take place.

      I can see them used as a vehicle for social change within the hobby, though.

      Is the cultural appropriation that happens in our hobby a positive thing? or do you feel it is insulting the way we absorb and adopt the cultures of others for our own use?
      Overall, I'm fine with someone trying to incorporate elements of a culture into their doll's style or character, but whoever decides to use one cultures traditions/fashions for their doll needs to do appropriate research. Going about something, and messing it up badly because they didn't take the time to look at what certain elements mean to the culture they're trying to portray is somewhat lazy.

      If a person does go about doing their research, it can help them avoid some costly mistakes, or unintentionally offending someone of that culture. I would rather someone take months, or even a full year, of tediously researching to make sure they have everything right, rather than someone tossing together a bunch of elements and calling it a day.