Can a doll be a substitute for a boyfriend/girlfriend?

I don't think I could use a doll to replace a romantic relationship with another human being. For me, there would be a kind of loneliness in it - the dolls cannot talk, return hugs, or think for themselves. Even when the owner projects thoughts onto the doll there is a kind of predictability which feels false. 'Dream' people are so often two dimensional and lack the flaws, quirks and complete surprises offered by living beings.

That said, I do think it's possible to have a very meaningful connection to dolls. However, that connection is insulated within the person, and not subject to any outward interaction. The imagination is a powerful way of communicating with the world and I would never suggest that a doll's character was not real. However, that character comes from one person, and lacks that dynamic that human to human relationships have.

Neeko, my Resinsoul, got me over a very bad break-up a few years ago. During this difficult time I took him everywhere with me, cuddled him, and talked to him about my feelings. I used his impulsive character as an outlet for my emotions both in my writing and by projecting it onto the doll himself. I would never consider that a relationship as much as a conversation with a part of myself that I have put into a physical object but it did console me and help me to move on.

 

I think about this a lot. I do feel that if I was in a happy, committed relationship, I might not have decided to get into the BJD hobby. I don't think I'll let them go when that relationship comes around. But I think loneliness and boredom was the catalyst for me researching them and then deciding to get one.

 

There was a guy on My Strange Addiction who fell in love with floaty animals for pools so I guess it's possible but you're obviously going through something mentally lol

 

Interesting topic, I read about something related in a sociology textbook. It was one of those brief case studies on the recent rise of fictional girlfriends, or waifus, in Japanese subculture. It's not unheard of where I'm from either, whether it's being regarded in a satirical manner or not. I've actually met people who are infatuated with a character, to the point of making them a social media account and managing it in order to interact with them and make their relationship appear exclusive. This is what brings me to your original post. It's common to feel connected, or even admire a fictional character, and in this case, a doll (assuming it's been given a story, personality, etc.) But when one crosses the line between admiration and romantic interest, they are unintentionally setting themselves up for a deeper rooted sense of loneliness. There is a world out there that people hesitate to explore because they are glued to their computer and tv screens. People nowadays have no capacity for delayed gratification and want the perfect partner instantly, just like everything else. At least I'm guessing that's why the endless array of fantasy may appeal to some. It ultimately appears dehumanizing to me; we are wonderfully complex beings made for one another. We all have our flaws and should work with those of another accordingly, not settle for some caricature of intimacy.