Participating in the online doll community?

I actually think the online community contributes heavily to negativity in the community; that is establishes a sense of fear in sharing and inhibits individual enjoyment of the hobby. It's essential for communicating with other members of the doll community, but as for being essential for sharing your enjoyment of the dolls themselves? Hell no. It does the opposite.

 

I think... without being a member of the community, I wouldn't be able to understand so much about the dolls. I would probably only know a handful of sculpts, and nothing about what makes them different from each other, etc I also wouldn't know about any of the RL dollie people nearby!

Without some sort of a community for any of my interests, I think I'd get bored of them very quickly. I enjoy playing with my dolls and such by myself of course, but what drives this hobby the most for me is being able to share the frustrations, the questions, the results and the joy with other people. For me, a lot of the whole doll thing would be pointless without people to share it with. And also, having the pool of resources the BJD community provides is invaluable for finding what you want, whether it be parts, clothes, wigs, face ups or whatever. I wouldn't be able to do half the things I do with my BJDs without that resource.

 

Before the Internet became a part of my life, I had many hobbies I enjoyed the living daylights out of. The primary one was reading. I read voraciously. It did not matter to me that most of the people I knew did not share my taste in reading material. The act of reading itself, getting lost in a world completely unlike the one we can touch and feel and see, was its own reward. Reading and enjoying a good book was always a magical experience, and still is. It did not and does not matter to me that 10 or 10,000 people must read the same book I have. It did not and does not matter if I discussed the book or not. I read, and I enjoyed, and that was all that mattered.

By the same token, I feel it isn't important at all for one to play an active role in the online doll community in order to enjoy one's doll. If one enjoyed being active online, one may be fulfilling a need to be social first. Some people do feel a great need to belong and to be accepted by one's peers, in whatever they do.

There is a fine line to be treaded upon when one tries to fulfill one's social needs by being actively involved in a hobby. It's one thing to be a doll owner; it's another thing to be owned by a doll. Some doll owners actually feel hurt, slighted or unhappy, when their dolls are not perceived to be attractive or unique by other doll owners. The hobby becomes a means to an end, a way of getting attention and soliciting approval for the purpose of maintaining or enhancing one's general sense of achievement and self-esteem.

It isn't because we collect dolls. It's the nature of the Internet, which has given everyone and anyone with an Internet connection the ability to be sociable or popular, regardless of real-life circumstances.

I think Loki struck the nail on the head when she wrote: "Without some sort of a community for any of my interests, I think I'd get bored of them very quickly... For me, a lot of the whole doll thing would be pointless without people to share it with." I believe this is probably how many of us feel, but are reluctant to admit. There is a certain and undeniable sense of self-satisfaction to be had from being a part of the online doll community, when one posts doll photos or offers opinions on this doll or that on a forum or a blog and receives a response from one's peers within minutes.

There is no doubt that the online community is important because of the sheer amount of essential and useful information that is available. However, the attraction of using the hobby as a means of attaining social visibility and peer approval is hard to resist and, often, is not only a cause for cheer and inspiration but one for dismay and disappointment as well.

(Did I veer completely off the topic? XD)

 

I feel the online community is vital to this hobby. I don't think it's necessary for everyone, no. There will always be exceptions. But, assuming "part of" means either active or passive participation, I do think members get a lot more enjoyment out of the dolls when there is a knowledgeable group to interact with.

What online communities have done for me in any fandom or hobby is extend or keep my interest where it would have waned before. When I take in some of entertainment, after it's over, I tend to move on. Having others presenting similar items and activities, coming up with discussion topics, and in general encouraging interaction keeps me interested. If the online community were not here, I would still love my dolls (provided I had actually found out about them some other way) but I would play with them less, and I don't know if I'd bother so much with things like photo shoots or taking them outside. (Very similar to what Loki said.)

I'm not sure what is meant by "should trends influence how we play with our dolls". Should they? Well no, obviously, everyone should do what they like. But do they? Yeah. That's always how it works. I've seen a number of threads started asking, "I don't play with my doll the way others do, is something wrong with me?" It's the belief that because it's common to play with dolls a certain way, that it must be the only right way. (I find this kind of topic juvenile, like the way kids in middle school always worry about dressing the right way to be accepted...) I wouldn't be seriously critical about anyone who enjoys their dolls a certain way, whether it's part of the bandwagon or completely unique. Both are valid.

 

i'm not going to say anything new really.

Is it necessary? only if u want to. Let's say i haven't posted and been part of a forum this active for ages! The closest was a Jpop idol one.

Back on the topic. It's via the net i saw these dolls and were interested. BUT it was in real life that i feel in love and wanted one by all means.

I personally think if there is a lot of other dollies in the area it's very easy to set up a proper community. But for us that have very few dollies in the area it's best to be on-line.

My friends all support me, my parents aren't very supportive. Still they all respect my doll and can tell how much i luv him. But they don't seem to get why. Like "they can't do anything in return for what u do for them" it's like unrequited love for an object but it's happiness all the same.

So going on-line helps me not talk to ppl uninterested in dolls about dolls and allow me to learn more things while i'm at it!

still i haven't' found a way to open Rae's head or detach him from his body yet >__<

 

I think my point of view is explained pretty well with this other forum example.

There's a forum about gerbils or hamsters or something like that. You dont "enjoy the hobby more" because youre talking about your animals online. But it can be helpful to someone new to the hobby to find out how to treat the animals, which is important. And if you have a problem, you can ask the online community for help, which is sometimes vital in the case of pets.

I think the same thing goes for the doll community. I, for one, am mostly here to buy things for my dolls and sometimes on a rare occasion share pictures of them. But if I had a problem with staining/faceups/anything concerning dolls, I would turn to the "older and wiser" dolly people to give advice and help. Just as in a gerbil forum I'd ask the person who's had 150 gerbils. Who'd know better?

In a nutshell, I think the online community is useful, but not vital to the amount of enjoyment. I would do stuff with my dolls, and I would probably have dolls (in a way or another) even if this forum did not exist.

I dont know if I did any new points, but I just wanted to share the example.

 

I don't feel it important at all to be part of the online doll community to get ANY enjoyment out of one's doll. I think that if someone enjoys something, they will truly enjoy it regardless of whether or not something like a forum or a discussion board exists.

Trends are something that bothers me. Unless you do a search in the galleries, it's hard to see pictures of anything BUT the popular dolls. I feel that alot of people follow trends just to be part of something that really isn't all that important in the first place.

Trends SHOULD be superfluous, however, they rarely are I feel. One should buy their dolls based only on what interests THEM, dress them how they want to dress them, play with them how they want to play with them, however, I've seen alot of people upset by the trends because their dolls don't get as much attention on these boards/other boards.

The boards can be helpful, sure, but alot of the time I feel people are re-hashing the same material over and over again, just hoping that somene else with a different opinion will come by and say something slightly different from everyone else before them.

 

I like to get the news on new releases, see and patronize other people's work (for instance, dollmakers like donn and batchix), and have a place to shop. I find looking at nice customs or artist dolls to be pretty inspiring. The rest of it, I don't have much use for. I barely have time to socialize with my family and close friends, much less meet a lot of new "dollie people", and I've had some people react negatively to my dolls, to the prices I choose to pay for them, or just to me in general, so it turns me off from meeting people.

I've also noticed that a great many of the doll community have interests such as photographing their dolls and posting the photos, or writing backstories about their dolls and creating characters, that I do not share, so basically we don't have anything much in common other than we both own a doll.

I get the impression that a lot of other people have much more time to devote to the dolls and the hobby, and that in some cases it might be the main thing in their life. This is fine, but my life isn't that way, and dolls are something enjoyable but not The Main Event. So that limits my participation in doll online communities. In order for me to enjoy meeting other "dollie people" we would have to have interests and parallels in our life besides just the dolls.

 

yes, this is also my impression, unfortunately.

 

Do you feel it is important for one to be a part of the online doll community to get full enjoyment out of one's doll?

-No I don't feel this way. The way I look at it; a few children playing ball in a yard with a dusty bat and bases made out of Frisbees. Do they get any less enjoyment out of the game than those who get to play on a field while wearing uniforms? Of course not. Many people DON'T spend much time in the 'doll community' and still have just as much fun. What I do feel it helps with is getting questions answered easily and networking. If it wasn't for the online doll community I wouldn't have made so many friends to share the hobby with. Can I still enjoy my dolls at home by myself. Of course! And I do, but it's also nice to pack up and dolly trip from time to time.

Should trends in the hobby influence and affect how owners enjoy and play their dolls, or are they entirely superfluous to the hobby?

-Trends? That seems kind of horrible. I have this image in my head of doll people standing in line to get the 'latest fashion' for their dolls before anyone else does. A person's doll should be whatever they wish him or her to be and not be influenced on whether or not they'll be 'popular' or 'hip' to the 'doll community.' It'd be like buying a doll just because everyone else does. I've seen PLENTY of threads that say the most popular doll is not always the one for you. It's the doll that you can bond with, the doll that calls to you and wants to be part of your home.

 

Personally, I think that the online community /is/ important to getting the whole experience of owning one of these dolls. I mean, I'd have been completely bloody lost without some of the help that I've gotten from other around here. Trends come and go, that's just how life is. The great thing about online communities is that you can either hang with the trend followers, or with those that don't. It's also a wonderful way to connect with other doll owners and form real relationships with people. Before I came to DoA my only two real friends had moved out of state so I didn't get out much at all, but when I came here, and got my own dolls, I was able to hook up with some other doll owners for a meet, and I've never looked back since. It truly is a great thing, you know being able to meet with people who love the same thing you do.
And then there's the whole other facet of doll relationships, I mean, how fun is that? Things like perfect match and stuff only exist on forums, and it's another great way to form relationships, make new friends, etc.
So yes, personally, I believe that one really should take part in the online community to get the full benefit of having a ball jointed doll(s).

 

I think an online community is really helpful! It answers all those noob question we all have and is a great resource. It may not be strictly necessay but it's great fun. I also enjoy the news threads a lot! And the marketplace even if I can't afford anything.

 

I DOA! Thanks for making it possible, mods!

 

I find online communities very helpful for finding information as a newbie, but also for more in depth knowledge once you're more experienced yourself. This applies to all kinds of communities, be they virtual or real life ones. Meeting other people with the same interests is usually enriching, even if you don't agree with each other on all subjects.

I don't think trends should affect how you feel about your collection. But it is inevitable that trends will cause change, no matter how much you claim to be independent of them.

These two last ones I find very interesting. I would love to hear more about your negative experiences from sharing your dolls with others. I've heard this expressed before, but never really understood the reasoning behind it. Maybe I'm naive, but I have mostly found people to be encouraging and positive within the doll community. There will always be differences in aesthetics, of course. That doesn't have to affect me personally, though.

 

I don't feel like it is important to be a part of the online doll community to get enjoyment. I'd like my boys just fine, whether or not there was someone to share them with.

In fact, I almost wish the online doll community wasn't as active as it is. I feel like it eats up a lot of my time that I could actually be spending on my boys (or non-doll activities). Still, I'm semi-constantly here because I feel a need to give back to the community in general, because it has helped me: given me knowledge of the hobby, helped in some ways to acquire my lot, etc.

And I think that trends as seen in this community aren't necessarily a good thing. Obviously you don't have to take part in them, but the people that have enough money to take part in them (and are an active part of the community) seem to become very popular and leave a lot of others feeling left out, or let down. Sometimes people in the community yearn for the popularity and the limelight. Maybe more than they should.

I agree with this. Off by yourself, you can enjoy your dolls, their fashions, and even their story without a need to fit in, or be accepted. The minute you post anything up to a community, you leave yourself open for an attack. Maybe it doesn't happen that minute, but it's entirely possible that later down the road, something you post to DoA or ConDoll or somewhere is going to bite you in the butt. Especially if you're not one of the "popular" kids. There are mean people in every community, and I've seen my fair share of them in the doll community.

That's why I don't post my stories here anymore. That's why I don't post a lot of photos here anymore. I've had my own dolls made fun of, I've had friends who have had their dolls and themselves made fun of. It's very negative, and it's not pretty, and even though it's the Internet, it still hurts because there's a person on the other end of that typed statement.

 

The whole online community helps those that don't have friends or family that support the hobby. An unsupportive friend or family member will only listen to you for so long before snapping about just talking about one thing.

Now there are negative aspects of being part of a community. There is a chance of being attacked or your perfect idea being shot down as dumb or stupid or any other harsh word or just plain not being accepted as part of the community. It happens out in the world and so the online world is no different. Some are harsh others are very welcoming. Some are going to be snobs and selfish and try to rub things in your face, just like with anything else. As a teen your friend gets a car and all they ever do brag about it when you didn't have one and it sucked and you felt like screaming at them, then other friends would ask if you want to do things with them and if you needed a ride to something would gladly offer a ride to you.

All of this comes down to whether or not you allow it to get to you. To some extent you have to put up a wall and let some comments roll off your back, knowing that eventually there will be a nasty comment you do not agree with. We're only human and we all share the same hobby, and things are going to be said that hurt, others that make you jump up and down in excitement, and some you don't know how to take. Personally I like my ideas that I'll have for the dolls I would like and kinda don't care what others might think of it. It makes me happy and that is what counts.

 

I think it also helps, especially when you're new, you don't know much about the dolls so talking to others helps you understand the lingo and the dolls better.
I can remember when I didn't know anything about the dolls other than how much I wanted one lol, now I can actually help people out with their own questions lol, I wouldn't say I was a doll expert but everything I know about doll I'd say I have learnt from here.

 

For me, participating is one of the most important things about these dolls.

I'd been a collector of antique, vintage and artist dolls for a couple of decades... but had no one to share them with, and no one to talk about dolls with except for the occasional ebay seller or buyer whom I'd communicate with briefly.

When I was introduced to Dollfies (thanks Glass_Mountain!) I was ready for something new. I was tired of the dead and fusty world of antiques and the rapacious collectors and slimy dealers. The vintage artist dolls I was collecting (Sasha dolls) were great.. but the artist was dead, and though customizing "played-with" dolls was okay, there was nothing new otherwise. I'm embarrassed to admit it now, but I even tried collecting Himstedts... as they were at least large, high quality and the artist was alive and still creating. However... with that community customization was akin to blasphemy... so again it wasn't right for me (as well as the dolls simply being too limited in physical type and downright fugly at times XD).

With BJD there were so many choices... humans of both genders (baby, child and more adult models), elves, vampires, anime characters... anything you could wish for!

So with BJD, there's not only "a neat doll", but many artists/companies creating new and fascinating things, customization is not only tolerated but celebrated, and there are lots of people to talk to about it all.

Occasionally I get fed up with it all, or put my foot in my mouth and feel like more of a dork than usual... but really, I enjoy it (participating) too much to stay away long (bwahahahaha).

Raven

 

I agree with you to a large extent. I'm honestly a little afraid to get involved^^;. But that's also speaking from other online communities with which I've been involved and the fact that I'm pretty much intimidated by anyone.