Do you find this hobby competitive?

I totally agree and couldn't have said it better myself. I have actually seen more competition in aquiring props than dolls.

 

I'm not really getting... how that makes any sense to do. I get being competitive in wanting to maybe, do a better face-up, or dressing up nicer (which doesn't have to be done in a negative way), but I don't understand how something like buying stuff gets competitive, just for the sake of buying... How would you enjoy that? It's like buying a new house even though your current one is better and perfect for you, just because your new neighbors move in...? I didn't really know that was a way to think, and I just can't understand how the logic works for it. However, I do think it isn't very friendly to be negative about someone else doing/getting something they enjoy, and if they are a close enough friend that it matters, maybe talk with them about it, since that's not a good way of thought to develop.

 

In terms of "competitiveness" I think between BJD companies, it is very competitive.

For collectors, it's a different story. There are those collectors who tend to be very competitive and they like to be the center of attention--I don't see anything wrong with this especially when they worked very hard to customize and style their dolls and share photos with the rest of us. However, I do think that there will be some people who will have an issue with collectors who have a competitive personality trait.

Also, I've seen some collectors do some friendly competition between each other about who can style their doll in the most weirdest or funkiest manner. It is a lot of fun especially when creativity is involved. However, it is not fun when money and the the doll's price comes into play.

 

Hmm... I tend not to notice social things going around me. When I was in high school, I was always the very last to hear the latest scandals and gossip, and I once sat in between two people screaming at each other, and I was so into my book that I didn't even notice the fuss! My friends teased me over that one

So, I definitely don't notice anything about competitions between people on the internet, haha! I have noticed that some people are very into the social part of this hobby. It seems like some people can't enjoy their dolls unless they are getting positive comments from other hobbyists, to the point where they will whine if their posts or pictures are "ignored." I don't know if this is competition, per se, but it definitely seems like the wrong reason to spend a fortune on dolls.

Personally, I mostly enjoy them by myself. Sometimes I will share pictures, and it's certainly nice when kind people comment! But that's just a nice bonus, and it's not why I posted the pics in the first place XD

 

I definitely notice a kind of hidden competitive spirit in some doll owners - the kind of 'My doll wears Dollhart - did you sew that yourself or something?' mentality. Personally I don't have my dolls for any kind of competitive reasons.

 

Well, my doll wears Dollheart mostly because I can't sew So I'm pretty envious of folks who can make dresses, do faceups, and build awesome props. I'm just not very crafty in that way. But I don't think of it as a competition.

Now that I think about it, a BJD Olympics would be kind of funny. Who can restring the fastest, hold the SD13 (or equivalently hefty doll) aloft the longest, send eyeballs rolling across the floor the farthest?

 

I don't think the hobby in and of itself is competitive but some people are more prone to it than others. I know I felt a little jealous at our last meetup when several people either have or are approaching 30 dolls in their collection and I only have, what, 7? But MissGaGa pointed out that mine are well put-together and I spend more time with each, so that makes me feel better. Sometimes I get swept up in what I perceive to be a competition but I just need a jostling to get my head out of that. XD

 

Some people are just naturally competitive, and so any hobby they take up will have a competitive component to it. There's nothing wrong with that, provided they don't treat others poorly or act like an asshole.

I don't actively compete with my dolls. I buy the ones that I like and do with them what I like to do and don't care about what other people do with their dolls. It doesn't bother me if people have more dolls than me or anything like that. But, and I think a lot of us have experienced this, I know that whenever I go to a doll meet, you can be damn sure I spend a lot of time styling them and making sure they look good because I want them to be the best dressed, best looking dolls at the meet. Or when comparing dolls that are the same sculpt, I always want mine to be the most attractive example. That competitive need to be the best kicks in.

 

I have noticed the competitive side, but from my personal experience, I see more helpful and caring people than I do of the competitive.

I'll never understand why people need to be so competitive with their dolls. I love seeing people share their collection and talking about the dolls, even the ones I might not be able to afford. In my opinion, I don't see a reason to compete with others, just sharing the love of dolls is good enough for me.

 

Maybe it's one in the same, but while I don't see many competitive tendencies with people here, I notice lots of folks are impressionable. Like Betty and Margaret both collect dolls, one day Margaret buys her doll a big Sunday church hat, Betty sees it, and likes it so much, she then buys her own doll a big church hat. The 2 hats may or may not be the same, but both parties are happy, both for themselves, and each other. Though some people are less up front about it and try to hide the fact, and then it comes off as like they are competing, but it's not really about one-upping one another. That is something I see happen all the time, and I'll admit I'm completely guilty of this. By listening to my friend, she got me into liking doll stockings and anthro dolls, but I was open and shared with her the interest.

 

I don't really think that this is a competitive hobby. I don't feel the need to compete with any of my friends who are into dolls. I just buy the dolls that I want (and can afford) and they do the same. I don't really have the space or time to do my own face-ups but they do. It's just something we like to do.

 

I don't have any friends to be competitive with Being a stay at home mom, i am too busy and often just keep to myself. I don't like to be competitive anyway. It's my hobby. It's mine to enjoy. There will always be someone who can afford more so why bother being jealous or competitive.

 

Some people do seem to love to be competitive in this hobby, but you find that anywhere in life. Yes, when it comes to the business side of the hobby you expect it to some degree but when it comes to personal doll ownership and collections I find it a bit ridiculous and I've never quite understood that desperate desire to vie for attention / competitive desire to have the best of / the most expensive / the most of a particular brand etc etc rather than just having fun. For me, hobbies are the last place to try to be competitive...I prefer them as somewhere to relax and enjoy yourself, otherwise you're doing them wrong IMO. I think for this reason I quite happily step away from the more social side of the hobby from time to time as I just can't hack that more competitive mentality when it comes to the things that are my "happy place".

 

I literally have never had anything like that happen to me. I only have a few doll friends over the internet and this is pretty much the only doll forum I use. I think if I started to talk to someone that acted like that I cut the ties with them right away.
This hobby is a really personal thing to me so I really don't concern myself with what others do and I expect them same treatment. I don't think a hobby should bring out the ugliness in a person. i.e jealousy and weirdness. A hobby is supposed to be fun.

 

I don't have the time or patience for competitiveness. For me, the hobby is all about buying what I like for myself, not buying things to impress people I don't know.

That said, I've noticed it at a couple of the BJD stalls at the cons in my area. It sort of boils down to unwarranted self importance. Like, yes, your custom faceup is breathtakinly astounding, but it's not the Second Coming, calm down. That sort of elitism only really fits in an actual competition.

Thankfully, I've stuck with my friends who share the same mentality as I do. We like our dolls. That's all there is to it.

 

Personally no, I don't find this hobby competitive. I don't even know what I would want to be competitive about, this is a personal hobby for me.

 

I don't really have much competition in the hobby because I don't have many hobby friends, and those I do have are much too polite to be so rude. It's a shame some people have to be so self-centered, because there's really nothing more fun than mutual squeeing over dolls.

 

It shouldn't be, but there are definitely people who make this hobby competitive. I personally think those people stress themselves out more by constantly looking at others rather than simply enjoying what they have (then again, some people enjoy the stress? can't judge 'em really)

I do like the idea of seeing the hobby as a competition against yourself (alongside thoroughly enjoying it, purely because that's what a hobby is). BJDs encourage the learning and practice of various skills and as someone who's new to all this, I definitely want to improve!

Hope you and your friend see eye to eye, OP! Nothin wrong with a difference in opinions but it's really unfortunate when that'll be the cause of a relationship breakdown

 

Dude, I know exactly how you feel cos I know a couple of people in the hobby that when they have no money to buy dolls they don't even want to talk about it with me, especially when I say I have doll(s) coming or am thinking of buying. I find it weird and it's upsetting because we can only talk about dolls when they have money to buy then of have an incoming one. A little once sided really. :/

This hobby is a lot about how much money you can or are willing to spare on a doll. I haven't won the lottery, I work and I save so I can buy the dolls I want. I have rent to pay, expenses and all that jazz, so it's not that I'm lucky. I believe it's not so much of a competition as it is an envy issue that probably applies to other aspects of certain people's lives.

 

Perhaps in a way is it, for some it might be a competition to buy the most HTF limited, dress them in the most expensive clothing, create the most perfect in scale backdrop and take photos with a high-end camera. all to get the most "OOohhh Pretty" Kind of comments from the rest of the community.

It is about how much money you can spend, It like comparing this hobby to the hobby of collecting classic cars, the richer you are the more cars you have to show off the money you where able to spend.