"Its a doll, its not a real person."

My dolls have personalities that either belong to the existing character I based the doll on, or have developed over interacting with the doll itself; you know, the way a doll's head can tilt to the side or their eyes can be set in such a piercing way, or they get all kicky and refuse to cooperate at times. I know that the physical doll isn't alive, the same way my computer isn't alive, but my computer does things independently of me all the time, and in a way, so do my dolls because I can't control when their stringing is going to make them tumble to the ground and curl up in a ball or whether their foot is going to kick up and whack me in the face

It's not difficult to project human emotions onto humanoid objects, this is why people can find dolls and statues so creepy. A friend of mine who suffered with keeping porcelain dolls in her room for years while she was actually terrified of them (all gifts from the grandma she loved, so she didn't want to upset grandma by removing the dolls) has reaffirmed this for me. She appreciates that I collect and love these dolls, but if she thinks too hard about them they start to scare her, my Volks Yo in particular freaks her out because Mari-chan has a very realistic face and expression. My friend also finds them frightening if she encounters a doll where she didn't expect to find one. Before I knew about her doll fear, I introduced her to one of mine by sitting the doll on her windowsill while she was out of the room. I feel very sorry for doing that to her because she actually screamed when she came back in! We're planning to move in together next year and she knows my dolls will be coming with me, but we've agreed that they'll stay in my room and if I bring them in other areas of our house I'll give her plenty of warning. A person like my friend would be even more freaked out at the thought of these dolls having a soul or a personality or acting independently of the owner, so around her I limit the specialized 'hobby speak' and I speak about my dolls as if they were action figures because she can accept a character figure much more easily than a doll.

 

I like playing with my doll but they're just a doll.

 

Oh yes i hate that. My mom does it all the time. Probably more once i get my doll. Im currently saving up for my first LittleFee Ante
My dad understands tho. Hell go " Oh shes so adorable i cant wait for you to get her, she'll be so happy. Ill make her a bed and help you set up her room so she can play." and my mom is just "ew"
But luckly one parent likes her. My friends get embarresed with my new hobby so..

 

I rarely speak about my dolls to my dad. He gets green in his face as soon as I mention one of my dolls' names. I feel bonded to Light, and I know he's a doll, but I don't think my dad really understands how I feel about it, so I just stay quiet about my dolls

 

I try to not speak about my girl with people outside the hobby and referring her as my girl (or my cutie or gretchen) I would rather say my doll and I wouldn't say that she don't like when I take her apart I would just do it and put her toghter again thats it.
I'm especially careful how I speak about her in school and overall after a TV show in sweden* (I live in sweden) I even force he in my school bags if I have to have her with me (I don't own a doll bag) I know that she hates being in a bag DD:
I learned not to speak to people who don't have an intressed in our beloved resin darlings in that way.
but people that have an intressed I referr to her as my girl but in the end of the day she is just a doll but I like to think that she has feelings too... so does my mother too she is very supportive (both in BJDs and Lolita)

*The TV show I'm referring to is called Outsiders and they reflected our hobby in a kind of negative way so everytime I have her with me people ask me if she is my best friend (meaning that I don't have any human friends and I think my doll is a human) and treat me a little like a freak actuallyD:
This only happens when I'm alone if I walk with someone else who has a doll then they don't dare to walk up to me.


hope I made any sence

 

I have collected dolls for a long time and I dont remember ever thinking of them other than dolls. I do love them and play with them dress and make clothes for them. It is all fun. BUT I went to a doll site yesterday and they have there dolls blinking and watching you while you surf. It really was kind of unsettling to me. I really dont understand why. Maybe somewhere in my brain they were too real. Kym

 

I say screw em. It's real to me. Plus it's the closest I'll ever get to having kids =D

 

I actually had a conversation about this with my husband last night. It came down to me explaining that while I am totally aware that they aren't alive, I enjoy giving them personalities and emotions in my head. ^_^

 

Well, it's kind of the same as that imaginary friend or set of barbie/action man dolls (or whatever you used to be into when you were younger). You know they are not real, but in your mind (and heart XD) they are more real than anything.

 

For me, once I've named something it becomes sort of anthropomorphized. If I were to name my coffee table, I'd probably apologize for putting my feet on it lol.

So I totally get where you're coming from. If someone were to insult or (God forbid) mistreat my doll, I would be furious. But I guess some people just don't get it. They clearly have no imagination and that is a complete travesty, because imagination is the key to genius and invention.

Ignore them and don't let them bring you down.

 

Say it with me now.....



Edited to elaborate:

What I mean is this. Sometimes people seem to think having an imagination after a certain age is a bad thing.... it isn't it's a BLESSING

I treat my dolls like I treat real people (apart from when I am pulling their heads off or tearing them limb from limb ) and I talk to others mostly as if my dolls are real people living with me.....

YES I know they aren't really, but I prefer to allow my imagination free reign and really don't have time for people who think that a little bit of dreaming is bad

 

@FoxFace~ SECONDED

 

dolls are nice most people aren't lol you tell me who you'd rather be around? I mean I know dolls don't move or talk fish do but how alive are they?! A doll has more personality then a goldfish, and I talk to both

 

Exactly this. I mean gamers get attached to their games and the characters in them, why can't we? Humans are naturally empathic to things like a character or a doll or a pet.

 

lol I understand this completely. I'm a gamer and I cry whenever my favorite character dies or a game stops working XD

 

I feel like when I play with them they exist a little, but mostly they're models for photos, and I dont think of them as living, theyre more like props than anything else for me.

When I talk to non-doll people, I avoid mentioning much about my dolls. One time I went to a photography class and took a Blythe with me, I could tell some people thought it was strange, but they all appreciated having a subject to photograph and some people even joined me in taking photos!

On the ride home one of my co-workers asked her name, I was embarrassed to admit it, but they seemed to understand a little.

 

my parents and friends are actually pretty open about how i treat my dolls XD
they tease me sometimes, but its all in good fun

 

Don't take what your friend said to heart too much. An author writes a book and is talking about the characters. Almost always they'll talk about them like they are real breathing human beings. Why can't we as doll collectors describe our dolls in a similar way.

If you are talking to a non-doll collector, you may get some stares or have to explain the nature of being a doll person. Alas, that comes with the territory. Some people said to hold off on the doll talk in front of non collectors. I don't agree with that. My friends like me for who I am and I am a doll collector. Do they think it's weird I would splurge 300 bucks on a single doll? Yes, but they understand that it's my hobby/passion.

Anyway, the main point I was trying to make with this post is don't worry about the situation. It has happened in one case or another to all of us. Learn not to take situations like this to heart (to go with the flow) and everything will work out in the end.

 

I am still waiting on the arrival of my to first dolls, and I have named one already - she is a CH Bisou Ai BonBon, and her name is Bina. I am currently at work digging through baby name sites to find a name for her sister, who is the Muu event head + body. My partner is really supportive, and whenever I get down about how long they are taking to arrive he is always like "Just wait until you get to talk to them when they are here, they are going to love you" and things like that. In our house, dolls/toys/teddies etc are all alive, and they all can talk, and they all get very upset when they are ignored and treated as inanimate. I was so pleased when I found that my partner also has a very precious old teddy, who is now best friends with teddy!
My mum and sister have both been really supportive, my sister is insanely jealous, and my mum thinks they are cute, and just worries that I won't have any money lol!
I have one doll friend where I live, and I generally don't discuss dolls with my other friends after my best friend had a massive go at me that I was wasting my money on a stupid and childish hobby. So yeah, not a big discussion topic amoungst my friends.

 

I, even though I am a doll collector and have many other hobbies that I take just as much time and effort to keep going, don't really understand the mentality behind treating your doll as you would a real person. Sure, it's fun to play around (although I don't do it, but I can understand the aesthetic in that), but I feel people need to draw a line between when it's fun and games and when it's a little overbearing. If you truly get offended when others point out that you doll is indeed a doll, a possession, then you might want to step away from the doll, go outside, and try something new for awhile, because you're getting a bit too deep.