Buying dolls with social security/welfare money?

Those cases are only plastered all over the news because those are the people that are doing something wrong. The genuine person is not interesting news, so it is not shown.

 

I don't know why I even looked at this...... And, imho really shouldn't even be on this forum.
Either a person has principles or they don't.......that pretty much sums it up.

 

I agree it probably shouldn't be on the forum because it is yet another thing that makes this community the judgemental monster it is.

I don't think this is a matter on principles though. Since others should not be judging any income any one has, whether it is earned though work or given to them though the benefit system. Especially if they are legally entitled and are in need of it.

 

I am not going to get involved in this very fascinating debate except I want to address just this one thing.

That is pretty much an accurate description of me actually and I can't agree with you.
The only things I live for are my hobbies, dolls and my characters. That's it!
If I were to be hospitalized it would break me. There is nothing they could do for me. My body and mind will never heal or get better. I am stuck right here. Not much I can do about it so I try not to think about it too much.
Every little distraction helps though and these little resin buggers sure has helped me a lot. I wouldn't have been able to go through all the surgery and shit if I hadn't had something like them to look forward to. I need them much more than I ever will need a doctor, therapist or psychiatrist.

 

Of course, that's how it is with the media. They want to show conflict/drama/whatever because that's what sells so they show only the negative. (like only reporting a pitbull who bites someone and never showing the millions who are loving family pets) At the same time, can you not see why someone would get the wrong idea? They're not given the full story and not told a person saved up and scraped every penny together for years to buy their dolls, what they see is someone who does not work and has enough money to not only support and feed themselves but to buy dolls that cost hundreds of dollars. I would be jealous too if I hadn't had that horrible experience of being unemployed for a year.

In response to another of your posts: if you think DOA is a "judgemental monster," then I'm guessing you haven't been part of many other online communities. Try gaming forums and you'll see how hand-holding, kumbaya-singing DOA actually is XD

 

I agree with your perspective,it only should be used for necessities only.There are people who really need that money to survive.It shouldn't be token for as a pleasurable shopping spree.

 

I have to say I am utterly appalled by the heartless people who are saying "because you haven't been able to get a job because there are no jobs available, because you live below the poverty line, because you are too sick or injured to work, you do not deserve to have anything other than the barest amount needed to exist."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWkVcaAGCi0

Yet you are the same people who will have palpitations and it is the end of the world because your piece of plastic resin got a scratch or broke a finger.

 

very well said. i feel like people missed the point i made in my previous post. my feelings on the subject is that anyone dealing with a mental or physical disability requires both the necessary treatment (counseling, medication, surgery, whatever is REQUIRED) but they also require to have quality of life.

without being able to experience quality of life, people who are suicidal have no reason to keep living. the definition of QoL is different for every person: some people may be happy to just see the sun rise. other people, especially in the Western world, turn to material belongings for comfort.

when i am feeling really terrible (and i am receiving professional and often expensive treatment for all my ailments), it's not the medication that helps the most - sometimes it does nothing - nor does talking to a counselor for an hour several times a week do much for my immediate feelings either. like i said, therapy takes years to have a positive effect, and while it does make me feel better, it isn't some kind of magical overnight cure. for some people there is no cure, there is only maintenance- in other words, taking every approach towards survival that you can think of.

when i am feeling like i want to die, the first thing i do to stop these thoughts occurring is start to write a mental list of all the reasons i have to stay alive. the list looks something like this:

my boyfriend and family
my pets
my hobbies, namely photography, writing, collecting dolls and other things like anime figures, clothes or shoes etc, and playing videogames.

some of the above things are free. some of the above things cost a lot of money.

that is literally the entire list i ever come up with. do i feel like dying every day? no, sometimes i am a capable human being, when i'm healthy i enjoy life and it's my mission to make the people around me happy. but when times are dark, for a lot of people, you can't just take one approach. i have seen more than 4 different doctors/counselors in the past year for my different problems, 3 i still have to see on a weekly/monthly basis, i have been on probably around 10 different types of medication (not all at once! - guess what, my medications keep getting changed because they often don't work)... but when i am feeling really sick, really bad and unwell, something as simple as taking a photo, or playing with a doll, or even buying something new can be the sole distraction available to me from what i am experiencing.

so, i'm here with Nihmo, who certainly has all my empathy in this matter. also, consider this: i am not on welfare, and i would be completely fine with any money i give the government going to help anyone in any way it could, whether that is through traditional and necessary treatment, or those "frivolous, luxury" things that soothe the soul.

 

This debate has gone as far as it is able to go and remain on-topic - there are already a number off off-topic posts but they will remain for context.

It has been an enlightening debate, but a lot of it has been more about social attitudes to those with disability allowance and those receiving state benefits than about the dolls they may or may not buy with those funds.

In closing, dolls are not just for the able-bodied, mentally well and employed. This hobby is a great support to people who need a fun distraction from their troubles as well as people who just collect because the dolls are cute This hobby is open to everyone, the only limit to what you do with it is yourself.