Do you find this hobby competitive?

Well sometimes I am a little jealous of dolls some people are able to afford while I am not. But not in a negative way at all, I enjoy other people's dolls as much as I enjoy my own. It has nothing to do with competition at all and I just can't see how you can feel the pressure to be "better" in any way than someone else. This hobby brings so much joy, why ruin that?

 

Of course it is NOT competitive!

But, for some people, almost everything they do is a competition. There's not much you can do about other people, however. Just don't fall into that silliness yourself. If a competitive approach is good--like in trying to do better in sports or in classes or at work-- that's positive.

But trying to buy more and expensive dolls just to keep ahead of someone else, that's just unhealthy! There is nothing you can win from doing that except for maybe spending all your money and having a ton of dolls you have bought for the wrong reasons--not because you really enjoy the dolls, anyway. I guess if a person really enjoys the competition, maybe it is worth it, but usually that person, as the OP says, is just frustrated and upset and envious. I think that is pretty sad. We should be here because we love the dolls and wish to share that love, not to be competitive...

[Personally-- I have a ton of dolls, but I've been buying since 2004 and am pathologically adverse to selling things. For me, having so many dolls is a sign of my lack of restraint, because I really think I am not happier with so many. But it is a personal thing--and different for everyone. Anyway, I do not think I am 'winning' anything at all! I'm just spending more money, which is not a good thing... Oh, and I also want more people to buy dolls I like but can't afford, because I feel sad those dolls are not around for me to look at. I really do NOT want to own every doll I like. Really, think about it! You'd be stumbling over dolls if you could afford them all, and you would have money for nothing else. It would be a nightmare!]

 

I can see how it could be competitive. Such an expensive hobby could leave someone who can't afford as much as another person out in the dark when it comes to buying dolls (the number of dolls and types of dolls) and accessories.

Personally, I don't really find it competitive for myself. Everything I buy and look into is for myself and my doll family, not just to be trendy or to one up someone else. However, I don't really have any close doll friends who live in my area. My online doll friends, I don't feel competitive with either. We are excited for one another's purchases and love looking at each others photos. I don't think there is anyone who is jealous in a mean way. If someone is envious we use that feeling as "oh, I love your doll! I'm living vicariously through you!! More pics please!"

 

If you're driven to improve yourself and your skills like sewing and face-ups then that's a good form of competition. You should want to make yourself better for good reasons.

I can't see where people constantly buy and sell especially if they went through a bunch of stuff to get a "grail doll" only to sell it off a minute later for something they perceive as "better". Did something happen in their past where they never developed a relationship with stuff? I'm looking forward to the 7th birthday of my favorite doll and love him flaws and all. Let other people have the designer brand name purses, I've had the same cheap one for 5 years that always gets compliments.

 

I don't think this "should" be a competitive hobby... What I mean to say I don't see the appeal a competitive aspect to it would have. Yes, people that take amazing photos or sew wonderful clothes or make terrific tattoos and faceups do drive and inspire me to improve and try new things as well but I hardly ever see this as competition at all. It's about the enjoyment we take out of our own hobby! (:

As for buying dolls... it's even harder to feel like that in my opinion. I won't buy a doll just because my friend did and she won't buy one just because I did. This does happen on occasion because they are characters that interact (or we can work smart layaway plans split between the two of us or lessen the shipping costs/ custom costs for us) so sometimes one would buy a doll earlier or later just because the other did but it's not in a competitive spirit. Likewise when we're buying dolls alone we're usually extremely excited when the other is getting their own and equally happy when other people in our tiny for now community do as well~ xD; Sometimes we'll say that 'we're jealous' of the other but we don't mean it in a mean way or anything xP

I just don't think such behavior can be justified in a sense? Personally I find it incredibly silly. Be in the hobby for the love of dolls, not to be better than someone else.

 

I don't have many friends in the hobby so I haven't experienced this but the few I have haven't been competitive at all. I've only been in the hobby nine months and only have one doll so maybe this makes me less of a threat, who knows.

 

awe, poor you ...well it all depends on the person i guess, some people are competitive, some are not. i think i've unfortunately run into a few, i don't even begin to understand "why" when this hobby is all about the choices of what makes you happy, but yes, there are a few people out there that tend to look you down if you don't own such and such sculpt, or simply ignore you if you are not the best photographer, or have your doll in certain style/manner, i am sure you know what i mean. however i consider myself more than old enough to ignore such nonsense when i see it. i hope you don't let this situation affect you. at the end of it all you are the one who chooses what makes u happy and decide to spend ur money on it. it's YOUR money and YOUR dolls and YOUR enjoyment after all.

have a blessed one dear

 

Not personally, no. I mean, you can make pretty much everything into a competition if you want to, but I've started this hobby for myself and myself only. Everything else is just bonus.
Sure, sometimes I get a little 'meeeh :<' when I really want a certain doll and can't afford it / see it is sold out / etc. pp. but that doesn't mean I get mad at those who have it. If anything, I enjoy looking at what they have made out of it.

 

I don't see this as a competitive hobby, but then again, I'm not really a competitive person. I'm really not much of a collector, either...I'm more into making the few dolls I have the best they can be. Since neither one of them is in a state that I would consider "finished," I really haven't even felt the need to look at other dolls yet. I don't understand the more-is-better attitude that some people seem to have, though.

 

I know my one friend met a competitive girl a few years ago at a meet-up. Luckily the girl wasn't too obnoxious she just kept making remarks about she had the most dolls out of everyone there and she had all the Soom limited dolls. I've yet to meet anyone competitive even in the runway projects here on the forum. Everyone just seems to be so friendly and encouraging so far. That is one of the reasons I enjoy this hobby so much.

 

I've found most people to just go with what they love and have fun, but I've also dealt with my share competitive people. Particularly when it comes to getting attention. I've had times where I get a bit of attention after pouring everything I got into my doll, and a friend has gotten a bit jealous and tried to sort of one up me for a while. Either by doing everything I'm doing for a short amount of time to much annoyance. Or like a time where I just had simply made one of my dolls the outfit, wig and eyes he was meant to have. People took some interest, I didn't think it was all that special but they were pretty excited, so I was happy. My friend was not so they grabbed their doll and started shoving it in other peoples faces to take attention away. I tend to really attract these types. Which I don't understand at all. Being noticed or popular seems to be a huge thing in this hobby. I don't get it all. My dolls are for me, if other people like them that's a bonus.

 

I'm still new to this hobby, but I have already experienced this. Part competitiveness, part making me feel stupid for not knowing everything. I also think that needing to be noticed/popular seems to go along with people in the hobby.

 

Why would people think of this hobby as being competitive? That almost sounds silly to me. I thought it was all about enjoying your doll and loving and taking care of it. Maybe someone who is normally competitive would see it as competitive? In that case, they had better be prepared to spend some serious cash. They probably aren't enjoying anything else than their imagined "competition."

 

I've never liked the "you don't have ___ so you aren't cool" attitude about anything or this is worth $$$ so it's better. All the dolls I've bought have been reasonably priced, my beloved is one of my cheaper ones because of his sculpt and his convenient size. When I talk about the expensive limited twins it's always in how neat it was to win them with my sister as a prize, for photographing cheap beloved, and I was glad I didn't have to pay for them.

The only thing in my life I'd be brand picky about are computers because I've killed the other brand. When I was looking for my beloved I didn't care which brand he was, I just cared if he looked like his muse. If he had been $$$$ instead of $$ I just would have had to save longer but he wouldn't have arrived home on Halloween. I think it's cooler that my 13th custom has a Halloween birthday, eyes that glow in the dark, and people call him beautiful than what I paid or who made him.

 

Thank god, no. I feel this as so personal hobby, it's just for me, for no one else.

 

It's not a competition for me. I'd rather have the one doll I really want that 4 or 5 new releases I don't care about!

But I DO get it, because I've had people try to make me feel bad before because I've been able to buy dolls when they haven't. I've been told it's "unfair" to buy so many when they take months or years to get one, or that mine "must not mean much" since I have to divide attention between them all...I've endured lots of snarky remarks and insults for having a large crew! Then there are people that have bought twice as many dolls as me in half the amount of time.

Everybody has their own limits, priorities, tastes, budgets.....everybody's lives are so different, I don't really see the point in "competing".

 

I think this thread is more about a friendship struggle. Your situation doesn't appear to be an accurate reflection of the hobby. I'm not sure if your friend in on DOA but calling her out could do more harm than good. Some people have that competitive streak built in and it can manifest itself in a variety of ways and for your friend It might be difficult to control. Talking it out could diffuse the situation and strengthen your friendship.

 

Haha this is what I'd do! Have some fun with it XD

But seriously though... there are some people that are like that. Competitive to a fault, always needing to be the center of attention. I don't think that the majority of people in this hobby are like that, but unfortunately the ones that are tend to be loud and hard to ignore. Most of us are just here to enjoy our dolls and have fun.
For me, I don't really feel competition with fellow collectors, but companies tend to make me "panic" sometimes with limited releases and events and discontinuing dolls (I'm looking at you, Fairyland). When things are only available for a short time it's sometimes hard to know if you want a certain doll because you actually like it or because you're afraid of missing out on something potentially great

 

I certainly hope not! I am new to this hobby and I hope to make new friends not competitors. I'm sure there are so many levels of BJD owners, some that can afford to buy beautiful clothes and have their faceups done by the best and some that just do their own thing. I don't think you can compare the two. Isn't that what games are for? Just sayin'.

 

I don't think it's any more competitive than any other hobby. More expensive yes but competitive no. Some people are just like that and want to always do one better than the next person in everything. I have known people like this and they are generally rather insecure and seem to try to make themselves look better by one upping others. I find people like that can be very annoying and try to avoid them or if it's someone close I will speak to them about it. If they persist with this behavior and it's bothering you then you need to decide whether you really want them around as a friend. Good luck anyway