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

Well, some people are more blunt than others... maybe even borderline rude. I don't know the whole situation, but a true friend wouldn't make you feel bad about one of your hobbies even if you were going a bit overboard.
Honestly, I find some of these responses disconcerting. Because someone uses their imagination in a different way doesn't make them unstable or mentally ill. To make such assumptions is asinine.
Some people are way too caught up in caring about society's norms. Live a little!
Personally, I talk to my dolls and treat them with care. I don't hold them to the same standard as people or pets but they're more important than any other items I own.

 

As someone who has only recently joined the hobby, I do remember when I first stumbled upon a doll-jointed doll some years ago. A friend carried the pretty little guy on top of her shoulder...even at college! A lot of people stared, but some people found the doll quite pretty and often asked her about him. However, she never referred to him as an actual person, and people still found her strange. After befriending her and getting to know the doll, I noticed she treated him as a doll, never once pushing him on other people, yet some people still found her weird for even bringing him along.

Honestly, I don't mind people who only think of them as dolls; I completely understand their reasoning. But I also don't mind when dolls are referred to as people. (After all, people do this with pets, and I'm one of those "crazies" who refers to her cats as "children.") Ultimately, they are molded pieces of resin, although I think you should do whatever makes you happy, so long as you aren't hurting anyone. Someone is bound to think you're weird for even having a doll, let alone naming them (or talking to them). Those who are rude about it aren't worth your time, but it really shouldn't matter. Who are they to determine what is normal? So long as you don't purposely make someone uncomfortable, or become diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic (kidding!), whatever you decide to do with your doll should be up to you. If they have a soul, that's up to you. If you just like to have them around, that's fine. It's your doll.

All in all...don't fight so hard to win everyone's approval. Just be happy!

 

I'm that person that pretty much talks to anything. I talk to plushies, dollies, and even my car. Do I really think these things are alive? Not at all. I typically only do the talking when I'm alone and I think it's a manifestation of wanting to be in someone's company, so I talk to inanimate things (they don't talk back, thank god!) For me, once something is named a personality comes along with it. So if my doll takes a near miss off the bed or something I apologize to it. LOL. I'm not expecting forgiveness nor do I think the doll could have felt hurt, I think it might just be the way my brain is hardwired to be kind towards people and things.

And like a few other people have mentioned, my dolls are characters I've created and so I do feel a genuine attachment towards them and try to take care of them as if perhaps they could feel, but that's for my own benefit. I refer to them by name and I like to play with them.

If someone who didn't know me well were to see me talking to my dolls and made a statement that they weren't real I don't think I'd get upset but rather just reply with a "duh".

 

My boyfriend 'plays' along with me when I talk about my dolls in a characterized way. Before he saw them he said he thought it was cute that I'd given my doll a name and a personality, then when he first held Ces he suddenly started talking about 'meeting' my girl doll when she got here and asking me what kind of clothes Ces likes to wear. Now a days if I mention them in reference to personality he'll talk to me about it in the same terms. He's a very creative person but most importantly he's very supportive of anything that I do, and he engages in my little habits and idiosyncracies as though they come naturally to him.

My close friend who has seen me through a lot of rough times also has no problem talking about my dolls in this way with me. My family do it automatically, especially my mum who tends to give inanimate objects human attributes as much as I do.

That being said I think dolls are just dolls in the way that humans are just humans. If I wanted to I could ignore all but the physical attributes of a person and use them in what way I need without considering their cognitive abilities. I think doll's personalities are a projection of our imaginations, and if someone says 'it's just a doll' then they're rejecting a part of you in a way, which no real friend would do. As Dumbledore said: 'Of course it's all in your head. But why should that make it any less real?'

 

Ok, let me start by saying I'm an adult who doesn't Truely believe that my doll is real. But... when we leave the room...who is to say with absolute certainty that our little bits of resin with souls don't come to life? It's not probable, or even possible, but... what if? On that premise I do treat Ember like my little girl. I pose her for sleep at night, even though her eyes remain open. I make sure she is in a comfy position when I leave her and every now and again I buy her a new toy to play with... just in case. All my friends and family know that I walk on the side of "odd" so I'm sure none of this surprises them. But I tend not to discuss the relationship between my doll and me with mere aquaintances...

 

Well, if I encountered such a person, I'd probably recommend they watch the "Toy Story" movies cos after seeing them, you'll never see your old toys as you used to. Or think about them as you used to. Maybe I'd recommend to see it all a little more "childlike". Cos for a kid, their favourite stuffed toy IS alive. Kinda. Not really. Kids know that, on some level, I think. But it doesn't matter. It's as alive as they want it to be. So why can't the same be true for those dolls, hm?

 

Great topic ^_^
I'd have to say that although I enjoy my dolls and love them, I don't tuck them to sleep or carry them around with me in public "just because." I guess I view my dolls and toys as my medium for photography and aesthetically appealing. I enjoy walking into my room and seeing so many different and beautiful dolls and toys, but I definitely don't treat them as humans. Sometimes I wonder if I should, but it just hasn't happened for me yet.

 

I get it a lot and it never gets less irritating. I just try to remember not to talk about them infront of people and avoid it all together. I've been told I have an 'active imagination' and I just got used to censoring myself when it comes to certain topics to avoid the issue. Occassionally my husband still gives me that look that says 'I'm worried for your sanity' when I talk about the dolls too much, but he knows I don't really think they're alive.

 

No one's ever told me this. I thought the fact that people could talk to their dolls, and be so in-tune to their doll's characters was a cool thing to some degree. Unfortunately, I'm just not that kind of person; I tried to do the 'talk to my dolls' thing, and I couldn't. I also don't take my dolls out, and feel really awkward if I ever do.

I think people might see sewing clothes specifically for a couple of dolls is a waste of time. I can see how someone would think that... but it gives me something to do, rather than go on watching TV or mindlessly surfing the web. I'm also not confident that I can sew anything for myself, yet, since I got into sewing because of my dolls; I would rather make two or three of the same pair of pants out of 1yd of fabric rather than have to pay for a couple of yards and botch it up. I also find that sewing for smaller dolls makes sewing for bigger dolls a breeze. But the only thing I've ever done in terms of sewing for myself is repairing a fallen hem.

I think I'd probably be the one to say those words, though. Sometimes, if you ever find yourself getting carried away, it's a good sentence to keep you grounded. I know that when people say "my doll wants/thinks/likes" it's tongue-in-cheek and not serious. Even in the memes section, when we ask "would your doll do..." we don't see the doll as a real person, but we do ask what the character behind the doll would do. It's a great way to think about your doll's character.

I think the only time where I'd actually worry is when the person insisted I talk to the doll.

 

Yeah in the beginning my sister frowned a little when I called Takanori a him instead of it.
But I didn't say anything about it since she doesn't mind my hobby. I guess for people with autism it's normal to have a rather vivid imagination-that's how my sister sees it. She works with mentally handicapped kids. ( and yeah I have autism)
I don't really see him as a real person but I talk to him and tell him to sit still XD No idea where it came from but it just feels natural to me.
His character's kinda old (created when I was still 15) and really precious to me.

 

My family is a bit loopy when it comes to me owning a doll.

---

Younger Brother: Uhh...hey, sis!

Me: Yeah?

Bro: He is staring at me again.

Me: He is just wondering why you always play female characters in your video games.

Bro: >:/

---

Older Sister: He is sitting on your bed!

Me: Yeah, so?

Sis: Did you position him there? I swear...he moves around on his own!

Me: You're paranoid.

Sis: He is staring at me now.

Me: >:/

---

Aunt: Hey look! He has boy bits!

Cousin: No way! That can't be a boy!

Me: >:/

 

Ferris is deffinally real to me. i do share emotions with her and spoil her very much.
i do have a 'friend-like" love for her.
When someone shoots my ideas or sayings towards Ferris down, i just contiune and act like their opionion doesnt matter, it doesnt, but i still get uncomfy. its a very touchy subject

 

I had this problem today actually.
I'm one of those doll owners who think my kids have sort of 'feelings' and i apologize for taking their clothes off and things like that. Though it kind of annoys (?) me when people want to pair dolls up from other countries/states and buy them kids and have them RP in character....and skype...
Maybe it's just me. lol Though i don't look down at anyone for doing it~ It's your doll and your choice :3

 

Just reply "Duh!" next time

We all know they aren't real, we're just playing. I think some people might be embarrassed when they don't understand something. But you should never feel that way, you should enjoy your hobby.


How many of you see your dolls as real people? And treat them as such and have feelings for them as such? Empathy, Love, etc.
I don't know if I treat them 'real', I care for them and fuss over them, why else would I have them? It's what they are for. I see them as characters from a story I've written, or a TV show I love. It's the same kind of attachment.

Have any of you had a situation like this where your ideals were shot down or objected? How did you react?
No not really, I've had people make the 'creepy' comment but we all have, some people just don't like dolls, that's fair. There are lots of things I don't like or understand but I won't go out of my way to force that opinion onto other people that do.

You just need to stick to your guns, people will have to get used to them when they realise they are gonna be around to stay, and if they are true friends they won't mind you touching your dolls while they are around. those are the keepers!

 

So this morning I had my boys sitting on my bed stand and started changing after getting out of the shower. I looked over and saw one of them (Mr. Sassy-pants) just had this look like 'Hey baby~'

So I was wondering who feels it is a little weird or doesn't care.

If you want to give an extended answer or a story, feel free to share.

 

I think there was a discussion about this a long time ago. I'm not sure if it's still around or not. It was something about "being human around you dolls," or something like that.

I can't find it, but I do remember hearing people who said both yes and no.

 

i don't see them as "real" but they are "characters". i think every doll or toy i own i project upon to some extent. that's what small children do when they play with toys and it's still acceptable to do it as an adult if you're not running around loudly insisting that they be treated like humans (to clarify, roleplaying is fine, pushing opinions like that as truth and making people uncomfortable is not so much)

one thing that i have noticed, is that i am especially bothered if i leave my dolls and figures in what would be a physically uncomfortable position. so when i am not using them, they have to be situated "comfortably". i feel very uneasy putting them in a box or bag, and if i am going to leave them naked for a long period of time they have to be covered with something (like a scarf, fabric).

that just says something about my own psychology, it doesn't make them real. you can 'love' them like some people love characters in books, but what people 'love' is their own perception of how the character is, which is different from person to person. so in the end they're at most a physical extension of your psyche and at least an expensive collectors object.

 

I don't really have this problem with anyone that I know in real life... mostly because they are used to me treating inanimate objects as though they have personalities. ("My laptop does not get along with me" and "I lost a fight with a cardboard box" are non-doll-related examples...)

 

I look at my dolls as real people they after ll give me different expressions and see to have personalilties of their own. I but Also understand how non doll collectors see things, and in the end I just agree to disagree with them.

 

Of course my dolls aren't real people, but that doesn't mean I can treat them as though they don't have a certain liveliness to them. I don't like the idea that they are "just toys"--it underestimates other functions they have. My dolls are my therapy, and they are my antidote to when I feel lonely. If they were "just dolls", I don't think I could stand to be in this hobby much. I prefer being sentimental towards them. They have their own attitudes and they emit their own vibes. That doesn't make them real people but it makes them come alive enough to me that I'm comfortable with dropping hundreds of dollars at a time to bring another one home.

I've been discouraged by similar comments a few times, but never enough to make me think of the speaker distastefully. People view the hobby differently, inside and outside of it. But as long as I enjoy how I see my dolls, then I'm fine with anything.