Social Status

The very idea of Dolls as Social Status Symbol seems completely laughable in the larger scheme of things outside this hobby considering how a majority of the rest of the world seem to view doll owners. I think owners who see the need to argue the point of doll company, sculpt or money spent to other collectors says more about the insecurities of the owner than anything else.
For me, this hobby is 100% about the dolls and my love of them so it seems hilarious that there are some for whom the human social "survival of the fittest" needs to be imposed even here by trying to either to boast about their own dolls or tear others down to make themselves feel better about themselves and their own dolls / doll collections. Sure, you're going to find this everywhere in life simply as humans no longer have the need to physically fight for survival so instead some see the need to fight for social supremacy which you see everywhere from fighting for surpremacy in online gaming scores, social networking "popularity" contests to office school-yard-style b!tch!ness but why does it have to extend to hobbies? I know for me this is a hobby I have to enjoy, embrace life and creativity, and escape, overlook and transcend all that day to day nastiness. I hate having to see it here too!

 

BWAHAHAHAHA! I had the funniest image in my head.

Not so much a status symbol, but I think some people who have been in the hobby longer and have dolls from more well known companies like Fairyland, Volks, and etc. have a feeling of wanting to show off (and of course, that's understandable, they must have cost a kidney or two) but it can come across as snooty.

But on the flipside, there are people who feed their own ego by owning more expensive dolls and delude themselves into a superior mode. :]

It's not necessarily a bad thing. Unless they're daunting other doll owners or being critical. I actually sort of appreciate those "higher ups" in the hobby. Not really by monetary value but I'd give my due to someone who has been in the hobby for several years compared to several months. I'd expect them to know more and stuff.

Aaaaand I'm getting off topic again... :/

 

Amen.

I was going to add, that there are snobs everywhere. I just ignore them and move on. :-)

 

I haven't had an issue with people thinking they are better than me based on their doll preferences, for the most part. I own some "cheap" dolls, and I own dolls whose heads alone cost me more than some of my "cheap" dolls.

What I've seen more commonly treated as a "status symbol" is people that have been in the hobby for a long time looking down on the newbies or acting like time alone makes them experts in everything. You MIGHT be great at all these things, but I've seen people in the hobby for under a year take better care of their dolls and do better faceups or costuming or mods than seasoned owners. I've been in the hobby for almost 5 years now. I learn things from everybody and give tips to anybody that wants them.

 

As stated, numerous times throughout this thread, elitism and classism exisits in all forms of all hobbies. You don't wear goggles and hate Abney Park? You sir, are not Steampunk. That dress is home made and not Baby the Stars Shines Bright; get out of my tea party. You though The Phantom Menice was a good Star Wars movie? You're dead to me!

It's simply because fans live their passions. We take what we love seriously, so much so that sometimes, we forget that there are other fans out there that have different opinions than ours and who's passions run just as strongly.

And it's hard for someone like myself just getting into the hobby. It's difficult for us because at times, it feels a bit like we're unwanted guests. Going to a con to a doll meet when you personally don't have a doll you get that who are you and what are you doing here vibe. Trying to ask questions about this company or that and getting the answer "of you don't want XX company, they do poor work, what you really want is a _____________" instead of just answering the question you asked.

That's why I like it here. You're all so willing to invite new people in and give us advice. We were all new fans once and I think sometimes that's a little fogotten by those who've been in it for years. Because there is a small social stigma involved there. "Oh you're new to the hobby? While I've been doing this since dinosaurs ruled the earth"

 

/\ This. I agree 100%. And it's things like this that should always remind us to be nice. =)

 

i do not consider dolls to be a status symbol. i have over 12 dolls (not all resin), my most expensive doll cost over 1k, but my favorite doll in my collection goes for $250-$300 new (she's an Angel of Dream doll, and a not very popular sculpt either). what i paid for a doll and how i keep it (the only dolls that are being kept in boxes are for reselling) has nothing to do with anyone else or its emotional value, nor do i look down on people who own cheap dolls. i own Dollfie Dreams, Soom and Fairyland dolls but two of the dolls on my very long wishlist are from 5stardoll and Resinsoul.

i think that people who DO view dolls as status symbols have insecurity issues regarding money and their own self-worth and perpetuate them in a negative way by putting down others to feel better about it. i am not really interested in being around that kind of person either, thankfully my local meet doesn't have anyone who i've noticed show this kind of pointless behavior.

 

The social class thing is BS. Come on now.

 

I think there are definitely some people who do this. People who try to make groups within groups within groups.... It's pretty sad. We all share this cool thing in common - why can't we just focus on that? I've been lumped together with others and I hate it! Yes - I only buy from Fairyland. But then I also only buy yosd and smaller sizes. And only girls. Who cares? We should all just enjoy each others collections and leave it at that.

 

This is so sad that it actually exists in the BJD community :[ I can't even stand it in real life! thankfully, I have not seen this ugly behavior here or maybe I'm just oblivious.

I believe that people, whatever they have, materialistically speaking, doesn't matter because we are all the same and we're going to the same place in the end and what matters is on the inside.

I see it the same with dolls. If the owner loves it then that doll is 'high class' to me. In other words, the dolls are what the owners make of them not where they come from or how many things they have.

 

N00b here but have been collecting ABJD's since 2006. I have found at doll shows, that some of the older collectors and Volks owners, do seem snobbish or proud. If you carry around, lets say an Elfdoll, no one really approaches you, but carry a Volks and those that know what they are, are quick to run up and talk Volks. May I ask, what is it about this brand that makes it worth the price and give it the status that they have? Or is it just me and my lack of knownledge of Volks.

 

It's not a "typical American culture", but a typical human trait. In all cultures, from all ages, to show you social status, to declare your worth, or sense of social standing, has always been an ingrained desire in each of us.

 

When I first came upon this hobby, I had the same view about Volks owners. But after so many years collecting, having dozens of dolls from different manufacturers, and met a lot of people, I realized that Volks "people" who may seem snobbish and proud are simply people who love their dolls. No more, no less.

They're not really snobbish if they gravitate towards someone with a Volks doll vs someone who has an Elfdoll. It's simply people being drawn to what they love. And if Volks owners seem proud of their dolls, well, aren't we all?

As to why the Volks brand have this kind of status? Maybe because they were the first to create this hobby of ours, the "modern" ABJD hobby. It's also about the nostalgia factor. The older collectors who have been buying Volks BJDs in the late 90s, when you can only get them in Japan, and by using Japanese shopping services, they remember how very difficult, and how long sometimes they have to wait for their beloved dolls.

And Volks have GREAT presentation of their dolls. That is why collectors salivate over each and new release. Dolpas are a great way of bonding collectors together. Not to mention Volks makes really pretty dolls.

 

Exactly. At the meet I went to, I gravitated towards the owner with the Dollmore dolls. Why? Because I had one, too. I wanted to see what sculpt it was, what they did with it. I wanted to ask them questions about their doll to see if my doll's problems weren't unique to just my doll. You can't really ask those kinds of questions to someone who has never owned a doll from the same line.

I'm betting a lot of owners do this to some extent. They may not become friends with these people, but they share a common bond of sorts.

 

I definitely think there's a lot of snobbery afoot in the BJD community.

I've run across are people who think new/fullsets/limiteds or dolls from a certain company are "better" than cheaper or used dolls. The things I've noticed even more are the owners who freak on character/no backstory dolls because their "original" character is soooo much better. Then there are the people who fight for superiority, street cred or whatever because they've been in the hobby since resin was invented and therefore had better be recognized as the ultimate authority about BJDs.

No matter what scenario you're in, there will always be people who can't get over middle school. I enjoy giggling at them.

 

like everyone said, there are snobby people everywhere and in all hobbies. I's normal, but it really upsets me sometimes..


I don't mind that people show they super valuable dolls, I think they're right...but I feel so sad when I see some people make fun or underestimate a doll because of the price or company.


I think all the dolls deserve respect and to be admired, because everyone puts a lot of effort on them and all the dolls have they own beauty.

(sorry for the bad english xD)

 

Well, Volks were the first makers of resin ABJDs, so a lot of people who have been in the hobby since the beginning started out with Volks dolls. There are a ton of Volks head sculpts in a wide range of sizes and styles, so they appeal to a wide audience. Maybe those already familiar with Volks dolls feel more comfortable approaching someone carrying a Volks than a sculpt they might not be familiar with. So that's why you may find a lot of collectors standing 'round chatting about Volks.

Or it could be that Volks dolls have souls. I'm not sure if they have their own souls or if they get a bit of their owners'. If they get a bit of their owners' soul, does that make them like a Horcrux? Maybe someone familiar with the Omukae ceremony can answer. (oh volks, you make me lol)

Seriously though, some people are just snobby or have poor social skills, no matter what brand of dolls they own.

 

Actually, I think it's pretty normal. The BJD-community is pretty large and wide-spread. So it's the normal thing to search out people in your area (group within a group) and get together with them. Of those people, there'll be some you'll get along with (again, group within a group) and some you won't, cos even though you all got the same hobby, that doesn't mean you all get along with each other nor that you HAVE to get along with each other. "But we're all doll-owners, we all MUST be bestest friends ever!!!" - erm, no. I, at least, insist on my right to make up my own mind whether I like or dislike other doll-owners and refuse to like them all solely based on "but we're all doll-owners!" ...

As for snobs and people who think they're THE authority on all things doll-related - well, you get that kind of person in EVERY hobby. Just because we're all BJD-owners that doesn't automatically make us better persons.

 

I really think that Dolls are in a way like designer bags lol. Soom MD is like a Prada. I don't think its right, but it defiantly seems that way.

 

the sad and ugly truth is yes.
but there are people like this in every hobby who want to be better because they buy more expensive more limited more exlusive stuff...