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Dolls making you materialistic?

Aug 1, 2010

    1. - Have you noticed that BJD's increased your materialistic wishes?, If yes, do you experience this in a positive or negative way?



      I'm pretty materialistic anyway. If it wasn't doll shoes it would be weird victorian shoes I found online. I suppose I'm slightly more materialistic in the way that I will go out with the intention of looking for doll clothes, wigs, eyes etc whereas before I'd just buy what I fancied with no particular intention. I spend more money this way however, but I'm pretty good at controlling myself when I have no money to spend. One thing I don't like is that I spent a lot of time window shopping for doll stuff and I feel good while I'm doing it but bad after, like I've wasted a lot of time. If I spend a lot of time window shopping i feel guilty for considering buying things I feel I shouldn't, so I end up feeling like I've spent a lot more money than I actually have. One thing that makes me better is that until a few days ago I hadn't bought a doll in like over a year, and the only clothes were ones I made myself. So I can afford to splash out right now.


      Sometimes I realise I don't mind putting so much time/money in because this hobby makes me genuinely happy. If I feel down I have my dolls, and I have window shopping, and I have an outlet for anything bad going on in my life. It sounds pretty sad but my dolls and the creative outlet they give me is all I really have right now to make me happy. They're in a fantasy world away from my currently boring reality in the grey depressing city and my grey depressing situations and I can escape there.


      So I guess what I'm saying is yes, I'm more materialistic, but it helps me achieve some sort of inner peace and escape, so I'm going to keep spending money because these feelings are worth it.



      - Does accomplishing one of your wishes (besides dolls) increase your happiness or do you feel like you need 'more' to really be happy?

      Besides dolls? There's one wish I've been working to make reality since last September and it's the only thing I really want, of course it would increase my happiness if it happened. I don't need more than that one wish, it's all I truely want. If giving up dolls would make it happen, I'd give up dolls. They're only my temporary escape.
       
    2. I have been always materialistic but now I spend money to BJDs instead of me :D
       
    3. Have you noticed that BJD's increased your materialistic wishes?

      No. I'm always trying to get tons of cool things in the most economical way possible. I'm actually an environmentalist, buy local for the most part, recycle, haunt thrift shops, NEVER throw stuff away when I can reuse, regift, resell or donate. One of my fav parts of this hobby is that most of the dolls are from tiny companies :d

      If yes, do you experience this in a positive or negative way?

      All of us are materialists in a basic way (as pointed out several times in this thread). It is how one priotitizes that creates the postitive/negative aura. I waited until I had the means ($$$) to get into this hobby - & by that I mean, enough income to pay my bills, donate to my charities, help out my children & still get dolls...

      Does accomplishing one of your wishes (besides dolls) increase your happiness or do you feel like you need 'more' to really be happy?

      I am very happy about my dolls - but more because of what they represent. Having worked all my life to get to the position I'm in, without doing what I consider selling-out (whatever others might think), gives me a feeling of accomplishment. Finding a hobby that lets me do all sorts of creative things delights me. My daughter deciding to stay here in town instead of moving away - THAT brings me true happiness.
       
    4. I already am materialistic. Just a bit. I don't think dolls really affect that. Lol.
       
    5. - Have you noticed that BJD's increased your materialistic wishes?
      Well, I already am materialistic, so this hobby just increased my greediness.

      - If yes, do you experience this in a positive or negative way?
      Both. I love the feeling I get once I recieve my items, but I know I could have used the money for other important things.

      - Does accomplishing one of your wishes (besides dolls) increase your happiness or do you feel like you need 'more' to really be happy?

      ahahahaah!!!! If only! Then i would be out of this hobby and many of the others....
       
    6. Welcome to the world of being a hobbyist.. it doesn't matter what world you belong in or what turns your crank, the creative/hobby world is full of inspiration and the desire to participate. Unfortunately, nothing is free. If you decided to play guitar, you would need to buy an instrument. Good instruments sound much better than inexpensive instruments, and then you would need to take lessons, etc.. Considering the value I place on my personal happiness, I do not even remotely consider myself to be materialistic in pursing things/purchasing things in the pursuit of my hobby. Does that sound selfish? I hope so, taking care of your mental health and finding peace within yourself translates into your relationships with others.
       
    7. Have you noticed that BJD's increased your materialistic wishes?
      Yes, let's face it, dolls require a lot of "stuff," they need clothes and shoes and eyes and wigs and if you're brave and want to do your own face-ups then they require lots of materials for that as well.
      If yes, do you experience this in a positive or negative way?
      I see it as a bit negative because not only does it continue to drain your bank account but also, you have to have space to keep all of the things that you're buying.
      Does accomplishing one of your wishes (besides dolls) increase your happiness or do you feel like you need 'more' to really be happy?
      Personally, I often feel like I need more and more things to continue my doll collection and be happy. For example, if I were to compose an outfit, I wouldn't be happy with just buying one of the items for the outfit (shirt, shoes, pants/skirt, etc.) and I would have to continue buying pieces until the outfit was complete.
       
    8. I know what you mean. At one point I think the bjd industry itself is all about tickling the materialistic bones we have so we could consume and consume and consume more! It's not a mainstream hobby and I feel it's inevitable for the market to tinker with our greediness in order to survive.

      My materialistic needs don't really go with the creativity like you which is sad :(
       
    9. This hobby is about consuming but I also think is also about letting our artistic side come into play! people do face ups, sew clothes for their dolls, create many things more, write stories, imagine characters and situations (photostories) and speaking of which, we use photography! that's why I don't see a hobby such as playing the piano, for example, as something better than BJDs and I give this example because people is always in awe *_* when you tell them that you play the piano, but if you tell them that you have dolls, they will look at you like if you have 2 heads or something.

      I'm materialistic because I would be "wasting" my money on other things If I didn't have BJDs. I would buy more books or more clothes or more make up or a new Ipod, more games, another tv etc etc all these things make us materialistic. USA is the the country of the consumer, BJDs don't make me materialistic, I'm already materialistic =D
       
    10. - Have you noticed that BJD's increased your materialistic wishes?
      I have. I really, REALLY have. It's been a little bit of both, I think.It's honestly kinda hard for me, because I'm one of those people that wants to do everything in their power to give and I want my happiness to come from myself, not to rely on things or even people (for the most part). But when I think about it, my dolls and my doll things do increase my happiness, but I don't think that I would become unhappy if they were taken away. If they broke, I would be heartbroken, but if I had to give them up, give them to good homes, for whatever reason, I'd be okay. I would be sad because I love my dolls, I'm attached to them and I put a lot of love and work into them, but it wouldn't be a lasting sadness. Emotions aren't that simple, I don't think. I think some one can be happy and sad at the same time, and it makes perfect sense. And that's what I would feel. - Does accomplishing one of your wishes (besides dolls) increase your happiness or do you feel like you need 'more' to really be happy?
      It's in human nature to always want more. If you're poor with a good family, you want money. If you're rich you want more family time. If you're middle class you wish you had a little bit more of both. You wish you could travel more. There's always something for somebody that they want. But to me that doesn't stop a person from being content. Accomplishing one of my wishes does make me happy, and I do want more, but I don't need it.
       
    11. buying things for my dolls is no different than buying things for my son when he was little - I enjoy shopping and I enjoy dressing up little people! I have a theory that a lot of women have children when they've run out of things to buy for themselves/their home and they need another excuse to go shopping again! My son grew up and I grew old, so now I shop for my dolls instead :)
       
    12. - Have you noticed that BJD's increased your materialistic wishes?
      Absolutely. I never used to care to spend money on material things, but now, as I anticipate my dears coming, I'm gathering materials for clothing, accessories, furnitures, etc. But you know, I'm mainly using stuff around the house, so it's more that I'm recycling old material for something to be used now.

      - If yes, do you experience this in a positive or negative way?
      I believe it's a positive experience for now. As I said above, I'm recycling old material for use. However, there's also the fact that I want to buy MORE AND MORE dolls. That is the more negative aspect of my being more materialistic. I do not have the money to spare, but I'm constantly dreaming of a dream house full of dolls and all their needs and wants. Haha!

      - Does accomplishing one of your wishes (besides dolls) increase your happiness or do you feel like you need 'more' to really be happy?
      I honestly would just be satisfied with what I have if it does not have to do with the dolls. Unless creating clothing, furniture, etc. is part of it, then I'd want to do more.
       
    13. - I would say that I have always been very materialistic, collecting models, games consoles and other things. I think that maybe dolls are causing me to spend almost more money, but then again I cut back and got rid of a lot of other things

      -I would say positive cos my dolls make me happier then any of my other possessions, they helped me let go of and sell of things that I have horded for a long time. I would also so say negative cos I just keep spending more and more and wanting more and more.

      -I am only happy and satisfied for while, after a short while I always need more. :(
       
    14. - Have you noticed that BJD's increased your materialistic wishes?

      Like others have said, I have always been materialistic. I'm also a pack rat by nature - never know when you might need that box or fancy shaped plastic bottle! When I got into cosplay (before BJDS) I got to be more of a collector - again, never know when that one thing might be the perfect thing for the base of a prop or costume or gotta save those fabric scraps - they could be used in the future! As I got into BJDs I've found that my materialistic behavior actually was helpful. I love shopping and I love looking for those little finds that could be used for dolls :)

      - If yes, do you experience this in a positive or negative way?

      I don't see being materialistic as a totally negative quality. If it makes me happy, then so be it.

      - Does accomplishing one of your wishes (besides dolls) increase your happiness or do you feel like you need 'more' to really be happy?

      I can see both. It does make me happy. And I do want more. Most often I am happy for quite awhile before I reach for something else.
       
    15. - Have you noticed that BJD's increased your materialistic wishes?
      to an extent yes, I always want to get my girl new things but all of my hobbies have this effect on me at some point in time and to some extent
      in recent years I've been going through a sort of "spending period" at some point of each year where I seemingly constantly buy things, whether it be things for my doll, books, fan merchandise, ect but this doesn't last long (about a month or two at the most) and then the rest of the year I avoid spending every penny that doesn't absolutely need to be spent.

      - If yes, do you experience this in a positive or negative way?
      I'm actually not sure, I think it's positive because until recently I never bought myself anything more than a few books or a hat a few times a year, I never really spent any money on myself until this "spending period" thing kicked in a few years ago.

      - Does accomplishing one of your wishes (besides dolls) increase your happiness or do you feel like you need 'more' to really be happy?
      of course! there are certain wishes/goals that I've had and accomplishing them, no matter how small, brings me a happiness that comes back each time I think about those accomplishments, it's better and completely uncompareable to the happiness I get from getting material things.
      finally receiving my first BJD was also one of these though so I'm not sure if I'm answering this question wrong.
      I don't feel like I need more material things to be really happy but sometimes I do think that more accomplishments or good experiences would make me happier, not usually anything material though. But certain material things are necessary to accomplish some of those goals.
       
    16. - Have you noticed that BJD's increased your materialistic wishes?
      I was already materialistic. For one thing, I'm an artist, so I already had a ton of stuff like paints and canvases and brushes... airbrush and compressor... easels... When I was starting out there was a TON of stuff to buy! Drawing tables, drafting chair... supplies. It was endless (although doing more digital helped a lot--but computers and programs and tablets aren't cheap, either). Yeah, the dolls are a BIG chunk of change and now I have more stuff, but that's just how it goes if you want dolls! Just being into something like dolls means you have to be materialistic to some extent! Otherwise you'd just be into... hmmm! I was going to say "sports" but you'd need some equipment and clothes and stuff for that... Or "hiking" but you'd need at least the boots!... or dancing, but you'd want shoes and clothes to wear... but maybe that could be kept to a minimum... but if you're into crafting or non-digital arts, buying stuff just comes with the territory... as does buying stuff if you're into dolls!

      - If yes, do you experience this in a positive or negative way?
      Well, I love the dolls and the doll items, so that's positive. Negative is the cost and the space it takes up... but that's just how it goes. More positive than negative, so far!

      - Does accomplishing one of your wishes (besides dolls) increase your happiness or do you feel like you need 'more' to really be happy?
      Not exactly sure what this question is asking, but accomplishing wishes can't be bad, can they? Unless they are bad wishes???!!! More isn't bad, either. I don't think I NEED more, particularly extra, fun items; but it's nice when I can get more! But new and better useful things are always welcome!!! I'm happy I finally got a smart phone, although I didn't NEED it. It's useful! I'm happy when I get a new doll, although I wouldn't die of unhappiness if I didn't get it.