Does it hurt or annoy when outsiders say "You should sell your dolls!"?

Ugh, that one annoys me. I hear that one a lot too, as if it's silly to expect a collection of anything less than porcelain to be of any importance to anyone. I don't care if someone's collections is Barbies, Polly Pockets, Raggedy Anns, porcelain, heritage or resin ball-jointed dolls - you'd think a fellow doll collector could understand to still respect someone else's collection instead of trying to belittle it.

 

That was actually something that popped out of someone's mouth when they saw me with my Artie. "Oh, did you make that?" "No, just bought her since she was pretty."

And the problem with that is saying "bought it" immediately makes someone inquire how much is costs, which makes the conversation go downhill.

I really don't see it as someone jabbing you for an expensive hobby so much as people just trying to make small talk in this crappy economic time. Everyone has had to cut back a bit, and those who haven't are the entire cause of the problem in the first place. Collecting BJDs doesn't really let you pinch pennies, and even if you get your dollies from the less expensive companies, their prices still blow non-BJD owner's minds.

Even though the price of a BJD is comparable to an iPod or gaming rig (electronics and such like that), that's so much more mainstream that people won't bat an eye at it. Dolls, let alone realistic and stylized asian ball-jointed dolls, not so much.

 

I get it everytime I am in a money pinch. Then my friends and family is all like: Sell your dolls...

I am the one calling them "my children", and love them. And tell them how much joy they give me. I have my dolls because no one else is giving me support and love, that I so much need when Im in trouble! The last thing I need is someone preaching me to sell the only objects in my life that makes it beautiful! What I can hug, take care of, talk to, and enjoy. Sure, I got a cat for that too, but at least my dolls wont leave me. They give me security.
- I got Asperger Syndrome, which makes me bond better to objects than beings, in fear of rejection, teasing and betrayal.

So when I get that comment, it breaks my heart... if only they knew how much I love them.

 

I don't tell people how much their worth. It's none of anyone's business.

I don't really bring them into public anyway though, so it's mostly a moot point. : /

 

Mortimer is right... You can usually duck that issue pretty well, I've found, if you just side-step the "How much did it cost?"-question.

 

Oh yes, all the time. I get this comment fairly often from my friends. Because I'm a student, I don't have a lot of money so they keep saying "you should sell your dolls, then you'd have money!" but I've saved up for my dolls. It's not like I'm unable to pay rent/bills or buy food or anything.

The thing is, even if I did sell my dolls, it's such a short term thing. I'd be fine for maybe a month or two, but when the money runs out, it's not like I can keep selling things. I'll run out of things to sell! I don't have that many dolls lol.

Besides, my dolls make me happy. You can't tell someone to sell their happiness.

 

I constantly hear comments from various family members (usually my more distant relatives) about selling most of my hobbies. @_@ First the My Little Ponies, then the clothing, and now (of course), the doll.

"You could buy a car!" Nope, don't want/need a car--and that wouldn't exactly pay the insurance/gas/maintenance, would it?

"Adults don't spend their money on X." Well, I don't care much for designer purses/shoes, electronic gadgets, or eating out every night. And I don't have kids to take care of, so why not own things I like?

"You could save the money!" ...I already have savings. It's one thing to be unprepared for future emergencies, but another thing to hoard money for some unknown purpose in the hopes that it might be needed.

It's certainly frustrating. I think anyone with a hobby has to hear other people lecture about selling off their items. It boggles my mind that this is considered acceptable. I'd never lecture someone else about selling off their stuff; I think it's really rude and invasive. I usually just zone out during the discussions or mutter uncommitted "uh-huh"s; it's usually not worth it to even point out my objections.

 

I'd ask them what they expect me to do with the money. Usually, the answers after that can be quite easily refuted. Also, even though these things are expensive for dolls, a couple of hundred dollars isn't a lot of money in the grand scheme of things. If I sold one of my dolls right now, I'd probably get enough for about a month of living expenses excluding stuff like rent and bills. ._.

If I'm at all annoyed, it would be from their lack of financial sense. :\

 

I've had that comment many times I wouldn't say it neccessarily hurts because it's a natural question anyone will ask. If I come into work with a new pair of shoes and someone who's interested of them notices them it usually goes, "Oh, those are cute, where did you get them, how much?" Anytime a product is involved, the cost issue will arise. I, however, like to whip out my digital camera which is fully of dolly picutres [basically Pullips atm] and go through some of the pictures with them as I talk about the cost. Then they can see that I obviously enjoy having them for more personal reason more than just as ownership.

"You should sell your dolls!"
Reply: "Why, I just bought them..." o.0
or
Reply: "You're right, then I can buy this really cool limited doll comming up..." [I wouldn't actually sell my babies like that but it's empasis on how much of a hobby it is.

 

It's not so much "You should sell your dolls." as much "You still have them?"

Every time I bring them somewhere someone freaks out like "Wait, still have them?" Like they're shocked I haven't sold them in the month between that time and the last time I'd brought them. That bothers me.

 

funny..... you should say how many ball jointed dolls do you ? BALL JOINTED .... lol

I think the most amusing is when people (naming no names) ask how much the outfit cost! and they think they can whip up a dress and get as much... like they understand the whole style.. no its not that easy! and also they don't have a standard doll to use as a model hello 800.00 investment right there.

 

Never gotten that before, but I usually don't carry any of my boys (or lulu) around unless I'm doing a photoshoot. People at school will ask me how much they cost when they see my photography though, and I generally respond with something along the lines of 'I'd rather not say' to avoid the whole 'omg why'd you waste so much money' conversation, but some people just won't let it drop .___.

 

not really

because first of all, I do not tell people how much they are.

Two the people around me know better than to offer me stupid advice like that.

Three I really do not care what other says about me. Just because they have an opinion it does not mean it is a good one

 

I frequently get, "Do you sell them?" In fact, that is the most common question a non doll owner will ask even if I don't ever tell them their monetary value. My answer is usually followed by, "Well, you should, you could make a lot of money." Even so, I can tolerate these questions because I understand it is something they are not quite familiar with. It could also be perceived as their way of offering encouragement because they think people would value the work I've put into my dolls and want to buy them.

What I find intolerable however is when they go as far as trying to convince me to turn my hobby into a business because gaining money on dolls as opposed to spending it on dolls is far more acceptable and less baffling than the simple act of collecting them for personal enjoyment. This has happened to me on more than one occasion with good friends and each time I've found myself defending my hobby. So yes, it is frustrating and sometimes hurtful.

 

I'm lucky cause I don't get that type of comment. However if I did (and this is probably why no one would dare) I would just say "Sure, I'll sell my dolls when you sell...Insert whatever is important to them." After all it goes both ways. I don't tell them what to sell, collect or be in love with and they don't do it to me.

 

I have been asked that question...like if I've ever had to sell them or anything but not really outright "You should sell your dolls"

People know that they're really important to me and I also have Asperger's and medical problems and they help me stay calm (I keep Macchiato on me) so selling them all would be detrimental to my health.

I had to sell Lua and when her new owner didn't bond and she was going to be sold to the UK I cried so hard my friend bought her back for me.

 

My mom said that once.
My friend suggested that I should get a game, or something like that, and I said that I didn't have the money to buy it at the moment. My mom flat out said, "Then sell your dolls." I couldn't tell if she was joking or not. It didn't sound like a joke!

 

My very own sister has said that to me several times. I know she doesn't mean to be hurtful, but she doesn't get the attachment I feel for my dolls because although she is a collector of expensive objects, they are just things to her. She simply cannot wrap her mind around the concept of assembling a doll crew or family, customizing them so that they are personal and unique, and then playing with them in interactive ways and posting photos of them on online for other doll people to see. I believe that she thinks that I have a very bizarre hobby or maybe that I'm just a very bizarre person. I don't really care what she (or anyone else) thinks about them because it is my hobby after all, not hers. She is still my sister and I love her dearly. I just roll my eyes when she says annoying things.

 

I usually laugh at that kind of comments, but i totally understeand how painful it may be to some people. But i don't think that many people say it with the purpose of hurting, but maybe just because they can't imagine someone owning a thing so strange just for the sake of having it.

 

I never really figured out why people think it is ok to say that. I always make a point of not telling people how they should spend their time or money. Just because other people have hobbies I don't understand doesn't give me the right to say "hey sell all your stuff"