Treat dolls like children, friend, or simply just as an inanimate object?

Not sure how I treat them. Maybe as an inanimate object but also a friend or just something to spend time on? I mostly keep my doll on a shelf and really only take him down to take pictures or maybe comb his hair. Sometimes I move him to my desk just to stare at him for a while or to keep me company while I'm busy. I think about him a lot but I try not to mess with him so much for whatever reason. Can't say I've tried talking to dolls, talking to any object makes me feel weird.

 

They're inanimate objects to me. But living alone and being used to cats and dogs that I do talk to it doesn't seem at all far fetched for me to talk to my dolls in the same way as I talk to my pets. I mean, I also talk to my fish and I know for sure they can't understand and maybe can't even hear me... So I don't feel it's weird to talk to a doll.

 

With each doll they start off as an inanimate object— a ‘hunk of expensive plastic’, mostly. But after a while I get super attached to some of them, mostly after working on them for a while, handling them, and learning about them. I try my best to think good thoughts and put positive energy into them while I work on them or do maintenance, but sometimes a doll never becomes more than an object while another becomes something more than just a doll to me!

 

I would say I treat my dolls more like pets. I love them and will play with them some, but if I ever talk to them it's just to tell them how pretty they are.

 

I treat mine as very expensive objects, not going to lie if I were to give them personality or treat them otherwise I think they would severely creep me out ..... I like to take them out and dress them etc because they’re pretty

 

Inanimate objects.

 

That gave me a giggle haha, I want everyone to see mine but everyone around me seems to be terrified of dolls

 

I treat my boy doll and my floating head like prized possessions and talk to them occasionally, but that is only because they aren't complete yet. My Resinsoul Mei on the other hand, is my precious little girl. She is definitely treated like a member of my family! Even my sisters get her furniture and props they think she would like.

 

My dolls are objects for me. I don't give them a name.
I dress them nicely, I put them on a shelf in a natural position.
I like to look at them but I never speak to them or things like that.
I use to speak to my rabbits or even my plants because they are alive, but not my dolls.

 

i treat mine like an affectionate pet maybe i would talk to my cat in the same way that i talk to my dolls sometimes. you know, stuff like "what are you doing?" if they fall over. "stay still, i want to take a picture. fine. be like that. you're not cute"

i have no idea if that's strange or not. i'm influenced by the fact that my dolls are ocs or character inspired as well.

 

To me, my dolls are inanimate objects, but they are shells for characters which are very dear to me. I don't talk to them, but I do change their clothes and take pictures with them. But I also plan to have them out on display as soon as I can move into a slightly bigger apartment than the one I have now. Not so much friends or pets, but certainly more than inanimate objects such as the artwork on the walls. Maybe mire like my books?

 

I treat my dolls like they are my children, even though some of them in character are fully-grown adults. Part of the appeal of this hobby for me in the first place was having that aspect of bonding, which seemed much more popular in the early days. Any time I take my dolls somewhere outside the house with me, it makes me feel closer to them. My memories of my dolls over the past fourteen years are halfway between memories of times with friends and memories of writing stories, and those memories will always be a meaningful part of my life. At home, I will sit with one of my dolls in my lap or near me while I am reading or studying, or carry one with me if I take a walk on my property.

 

My dolls are inanimate objects for me. I love them because they are beautiful but I love them as objects.

 

I treat my BJDs like I treat most inanimate objects that are special to me. I treat them with care, and sometimes I say something soft to them like I would my cat, it's just fun and nice to do. I don't have conversations with them.

 

Somewhere between inanimate object and uh, maybe pet. He can spend months, even a good year on a shelf without me thinking much about him but sometimes I feel like taking him down and keeping him on my lap while I watch youtube before work or play video games. I don't really talk to him outside of when I'm working on, and I talk to him the same way I'd talk to my plants in the garden or my laptop. At least my onions are alive, but not exactly animate... But yeah. He's plastic, but special plastic that sometimes I hug. Not my "baby" or whatever.

 

I guess if I had to say the best way to discribe it is that my dolls are existintions of myself. Who live precariously in their own world experiencing the things in live that either I am unable to have or have not experienced and never will.

 

And bodies I don't have!

 

I see my dolls as inanimate objects, but at the same time I am attached to them. Buying stuff for them, dressing them, taking pictures, naming them and ect helps me "bond" with them in a way that is a little hard to explain. They are definitely my prized possessions.

 

Inanimate object ... with a personality ;-)

 

I treat them like my children. Except I know they don't actually go anywhere when I go to work.
I get clothes for them, sometimes a little prop here and there. I'd talk to them when I get home. Of course they don't talk back, but it's the same with teenage real life kids, right? lol.

 

I don't think of them as people with thoughts and feelings of their own, but I do feel affection for them. I love buying and making things for them. But I love making and buying things in general, so this is just a new outlet for that.

Mine do have names, and a rough sketch of a personality. (I just got them)

I think they are so amazing looking and so much fun to create for, I love planning an outfit to sew, or buying one. I'm making them rooms, but I'm making these because I love to make miniature rooms, not because I think they need a real bed to sleep in, lol. It's been a lot of fun to create in a different scale, previously I had worked in 1/12 and 1/6, so this is new for me.

I do talk to them a little, but like a lot of you, I also talk to my car and my computer. I talk to my dog a lot too, and although I know she doesn't really understand what I'm saying, she likes it when I talk to her and I like her, so that works.

I don't really enjoy socializing that much. I'm pretty introverted and also have a demanding job, and other things that take up most of my time and tire me out. My idea of a big fun night is staying awake long enough to watch some youtube videos and cutting out an outfit. I do have a daughter a mother and two sisters that live close by, so I think I probably get enough people interaction with them.

SO I"m kind of in between I guess. I don't consider them JUST a hunk of expensive resin, but I don't kiss them goodnight. Ifeel free to let them sit on my bed for days if I am busy or tired or not feeling the doll thing that week. Real people would not deal with this well. Children definitely would be off of that bed and all over you after about ten minutes! I know-I have four-they are all grown up now and not at home any more, but I remember well the days of meeting needs.

I would rather that the dolls did not come alive and start having needs and opinions and requirements. It may be a little selfish but I like to decide what those are for them, and not deal with any of it unless I feel like it. However I don't THINK I have replaced real people with dolls, because I didn't have a whole lot to do with real people before I got them. I like reading about other people's dolls, watching them create on youtube, looking at pictures, etc. I don't think I will get as in depth with stories and things as some do, but I enjoy their creations.

 

I notice many people said they are inanimate objects... To which I ask are they then "it" instead of "he" or "she"? I think something that gets a gender (in English anyway!) has a little more life to it than just a rock. To me not having some affection for a doll is more strange than talking to them.

 

Inanimate objects but with a big 'charge' of energy, if that makes sense. They have a presence for sure. None are children so not that feeling at all though. Not exactly friends because at least 2 don't like me at all.

 

I guess I treat them as inanimate objects, kinda like how I treat stuffed toys? I take them out once in a while to play with and take photos, but most of the time they're stuck in the cupboard. ^^;; I do like having them sitting around to watch shows with or look at and talk to when I'm bored.

 

My dog is my baby but I don't feel any sort of maternal instinct towards him, I just happen to talk to, love, and adore him, and same with my dolls. They're under my care and I will love and protect them, but I don't feel motherly towards them.

 

This is a hard one. I only have 1 doll, so I'm fairly new. When I first got her I didnt know how I would react, but it was love at first sight. She was perfect.

She quickly became something much more than just a doll for me. She hangs out in the house wherever I go - on the couch to watch TV, on the desk when I'm on my computer....shes not allowed in the kitchen though.

I have named her and I take lots of photos - usually of her doing mundane things like staring outside the window.

I don't think I could ever treat her like an inanimate object.

 

I treat my dolls almost like fashion accessories or props, I use them in order to play up the image and aesthetic I'm trying to achieve, oftentimes this does mean treating my big "companion" dolls (i.e. MSD size or larger) like my children or even an objectified version of myself.

My little ones (Yo-SD size and smaller) I treat literally as just playthings and dolls, but even that's all done in order to convey the sort of image I want to project.

 

A very precious, therapeutic inanimate object. Anything beyond cheapens life, imho. There's a huge difference in actual consequences between neglecting a doll and neglecting a pet or a child.

 

I don't see them as my children, but they have their own stories etc. I guess you'd say I treat them as friends. I don't talk to them, but I take good care of them and treat them to nice things, but I don't call them 'it'. They have pronouns of 'she'.

 

For me, while I'm logically aware that she's just a doll, I think of her kinda like a new roommate. Because of my school work, I spend a lot of time alone, so I kind of got her to keep my company. She's so new to me though, I feel like I haven't earned the title friend yet. like yes I know shes technically not alive, but I kinda feel like shes a person that I'm growing a relationship with. A really adorable small roommate.

 

I think I treat my doll like my sister.(although I always call her daughter)
Indeed, I prefer make her dress up clothes, wigs and colored eyes that isn't suited on me.
(or that isn't possible appear in human beings accesorries)
like white, tiffany green wigs or cat eyes and so on.

And also I will take their pics.
They are my perfect model rather than real people Lol

When I don't have time to play with them.
I may let her sit down in a conspicuous place.
When I’m tired I can look up her and healed.

 

Definitely not an object to me. They are like my "kids" so to speak. I get attached easily. I get offended when people say they're creepy looking

 

I suppose I err towards thinking of/treating mine like inanimate objects, albeit very special ones. My BJDs are artistic projects to me and a means of creating a physical representation of the characters that live in my head - they're elevated in my mind to a status above most inanimate objects through that association (and because of their beauty/the skill that goes into creating them), but there's definitely a big divide between how I feel about/interact with my BJDs versus my friends and pets (and children I'm sure, if I had any).

 

I treat my dolls as inanimate objects but I like to play pretend that they have their own doll spirits/energy and have feelings.

To be honest with the energy and time I give them I do believe that they do harbor some kind of good energy, like some believe a ring passed down from their loved one would. That's why I find it funny when people ask if I ever get scared of them; I give them such positive energy, I feel like they radiate it too I know there's a term for that idea although it's slipped my mind

Edit: Talisman maybe?

 

I enjoy living in my own little world sometimes, so I consider my dolls as friends. They share our family home and are always set up in their elaborate displays for us to enjoy on a daily basis. Yes...creative, artistic, unique friends that always have an entertaining story to tell! This way, they're constantly fueling my imagination.

 

I get this... because I'm the exact same way. While they may be "just objects" I tend to treat them almost like children. I've even started making clothes and even shoes for them. I took a sewing class in college and bought a sewing machine so I figured this is just one more reason it can be used.

But, I'm glad I'm out alone on the talking to inanimate objects thing... makes me feel a little less crazy!

 

I guess friends is a kind of Choice phrasing, but I don’t treat mine like an object. He feels like company, and has an energy to him. I talk to him and have a sort of communication with him haha

 

Okay, this is going to be a weird analogy, but do you know how guys think of porn?

Hear me out for a second.

Logically speaking, masturbating to porn isn't anything like actual mating. Yet, when the average person does it, they suspend their disbelief and pretend/imagine that they're genuinely doing it with an actress. Same thing goes for playing with your dolls. From a rational perspective, you know that they're not conscious, but you suspend your disbelief in order to feel a form of enjoyment from "bonding". You want to trick your brain into thinking it's an actual person, because it resembles one, so your brain can produce those pleasure hormones it typically does from socializing.

That's one way to look at a doll. And typically collectors have dolls designated for that. That's the "friend" aspect.

The other two you mentioned manifest for different reasons: when a someone simply thinks of their doll as an inanimate object, it's usually because they want to see it as a work of art, rather than something you bond with. And the "child" aspect is, I'd say something that every collector does when they "take care" of their dolls - when they buy them clothes or the like, or maintain their quality. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the reason that mostly women are interested in the hobby is because they can scratch that reproductive itch, or "the maternal instinct", as it were. That may be why cutesy, baby-like dolls are so popular.

I don't think collectors in general do it for one specific reason. It's more like they have some dolls that serve one purpose and others who serve a different one. But of course there are some who predominantly use dolls for, say, having a proxy child and have more BJD's that are baby-like, while others see them as primarily inanimate objects used in artistry and thus want more subversive designs. It depends on the person, really, but again, I don't think most people see dolls as just one of the things you mentioned.

 

I'm aware they're inanimate, but I get attached to inanimate things. I talk to my computer, I talk to my blankets of all things, I talk to my fan, suitcase, and bags.... I'm just that kind of person.

My dolls to me are my kiddos. Never gonna have real ones, NOO way sir, but dolls? I can have a million and each one is my lil munchkin. .) Closest to kids I'll ever have, ha.

 

I treat them as inanimate objects... definitely with more care than to a cup or a spoon though!! When talking about them, I refer to my dolls as "she/he" instead of "it". My dolls are stored in a box without any wig, clothes, and accessories, and only dress them up when taking pictures. My dolls are precious to me as they are 1.EXPENSIVE and very valuable 2. I really admire the artistic aspect of a bjd (i.e. sculpture, stringing, expression, customizability, etc.).
TL;DR my dolls are valuable to me, but they are no more than materialistic objects.

 

I treat them like an inanimate object but i feel very attached to them. But i still maintain my social habit outside.

 

The doll is not an inanimate object to me. He's alive in my imagination, just like a human. But I don't talk to them in life.

 

Since I get attach to even inanimate objects very easily, I do talk to them, but usually only about what clothes should I make, apologizing when I hit something with them, and such. They are precious to me, though, and the only humanoids, albeit lifeless, that I see all day, so I can say that their presence makes me feel a tad less lonely. I do not treat them as children, unless they are, and certainly not my own children anyway.
(Once in a while I get the need to cuddle with them or let them sleep with me, but I feel like they would not want to? I dunno, it's weird )

 

I feel the same way, I don't have a doll yet but I will be happily calling myself a parent.
Most of the 1/3 dolls, and the bigger of the BJD dolls do resemble children at least in height.

 

Inanimate, but I project my OCs into them, so I associate anything done by the doll with the character? If that makes sense? I guess I see them as "alive" in that respect, because I'm projecting so much into them... but I'm not crazy enough to think they're actually really alive! When people say they're scared of my dolls/find them creepy, I tend to scoff because, for real, they're lumps of plastic and glass etc.... There's nothing they can do to harm anyone, even if they cause an uncanny valley affect!

 

I treat my dolls like inanimate objects. Most of the time my dolls sit on the shelf and occasionally I'll fix them up for some photos.

 

Some movies say other wise, just imagine a horror movie of BJDs.
But yes that is true, they are simply dolls who can only stare with dead eyes, stuck in a position they can't change.
Oh how I love BJDs.

 

To elaborate on what has been said a few comments above, dolls are in general inanimatie objects but don't blame people who find themselves uncomfortable in their presence. They don't move on their own but I do believe there are things other than us, humans, that can animate them. To each their own but it's pretty normal that there are people who find them 'creepy' even if you dress them up all sugary sweet and cute.

In Japan I found out that they believe that each doll has a soul. Over there dolls are not only considered objects of decoration or entertainment but living beings as well. They hold actual doll funerals there too. When the doll's owner must reluctantly throw it away they take it to a temple where old and new dolls, both costly and ordinary ones, are piled together. After the owners say their last farewell and express their deep gratitude, the dolls are burnt to ashes. It's a beautiful custom although not so good for the environment.

 

I'm not sure I'd say I treat my dolls as children, but they are characters of mine, as it seems most people have that with their dolls. And like my characters who don't have a doll, they come alive in my head world, I think up stories and head canons for them, silly fun stuff like that.

The only difference is that they have a physical piece I can hold onto and dress up. So no, I don't treat them as inanimate, but they aren't my friends or children per se, but more like a little piece of me.

 

They are my friends!

 

Definitely a combination of all 3 at times. He will sit in his room box posed for a while, like a week or two without me touching him. But when I have the interest in messing with him, i might talk at him, and sometimes I’ll have him on my desk or end table so I’m not “alone.” But none of that is a consistent thing and is only periodically as I feel like it.

 

I treat my dolls as my decorations sometimes and they are also my friend when I am alone. Dolls help me to release myself when I feel pressured in the work life. And I think that whether other peoples treat their dolls will not bother me because i only care about my dolls.

 

I treat them as very fragile children basically. I only handle them when I am 100% clean,in a clean enviroment and very delicately.

 

I'm getting my first doll in a few days... I'm going to use him as a therapeutic friend, sort of like how some people use those Reborn Babies. I've wanted a BJD for years, and I finally was able to. My therapist says that using dolls as a friend could really help out my situation, so I'm excited! I'm sure that I'll talk to them, and maybe carry around my less expensive ones.

 

I live only with my cats so I talk to myself and them a lot. I only see them (my on topic and off topic ones, though they only make 2 so far) when I take them out of from their "rooms" to take pictures and try out clothes etc. So yeah I rarely but do talk to the dolls sometimes haha, but I'd say I treat them like a very prized (and pricey) object like my tamagotchis but they're all kind of my babies really xD (yes the tamas too) Like a part of the family like pets are. I don't know everything about them though. They are part of or become my ocs so I guess they're a part of me too, but I'm not the type of person who comes up with intricate backstories etc, so I figure they don't tell me that kind of thing about themselves yet ^^

 

Somewhere between inanimate object and friend. I don’t fuss over him all that much and to me, my doll is mostly just a character I created and a way to be creative with sewing and such. I even use him as an art model or let my sister do the same. But he’s also my comfort. Like, I’ll study for school by “Teaching” him because it helps me if I explain things. Or Is watch TV or read to him. Because he makes me happy, I like to treat him in a way that would make him happy if he wasn’t inanimate. He does, however, spend a lot of time on my shelf (or in his box if I’m busy).

 

I think of my dolls as my children. They are all little girls. I will say things like, "Mama wants to give you a hug." or "You are being such a nice girl for Mama." My doll friends are "aunties" to my girls and I am an auntie to their dolls.

 

I have friends. I have kids. Dolls just...aren't either one. But they do fill their own special niche, and I am fond of the space they fill.

 

If I have to choose between children, friends and inanimate objects, I will go for friends (more precisely family members). My boys are mostly too mature looking for me to call them my children....I simply reject that concept, haha. They are neither inanimate objects to me. I treat them as equal living beings.

 

It's a mix for me. While I see them overall as dolls, which are inanimate objects, they're still like my babies who I clean, dress, and sometimes talk to(albeit usually in frustration when a limb gets kicky, or to comment how nice a wig, eyes, or clothes look on them). They all have their own characters I've made for them, some of them being tributes based on my pets who have passed away, so it adds that sentimental value to them that makes them my babies.

Sometimes I don't give them much attention, I'll admit. There are times when I'm simply too busy or just not in the mood, so they sit on their shelves left alone. At other times, I'm fussing over them constantly.