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Reborn Dolls site

Now, I don't know how many of you saw this on Channel 4 last night, since we're not all British, but the basic thing is that these dolls are made to look just like real babies, made to your specifications, and serve as surrogate children for late middle aged people and pensioners. Of course, they're advertised as being collectors items, but in fact these people treat them as if they are real children: one woman spent £200+ ($400+) on clothes and accessories. Another woman had a model made of her grandchild who lives in America now, down to the birthweight and skin type.

Now, if we can bypass the Uncanny Valley, that is, when closer things are to human resemblence, the more that they stand out and become eerie, what do we think of this?

Personally, whilst my liberal bias says we should allow people to do what they want, I wonder about the psychological damage that this kind of thing perpetuates. We have lonely people who are, instead of striving for social interaction, retreating into a world of imagination. Just because they're old doesn't make it ok. If an adult did such a thing people would be worried (indeed, people do react badly to 'reborn parents'). As collectors pieces, yes, but the people selling these know that they are doing damage, not acting as paperweights, you know?

There probably would be some psychological damage, especially if the person is delusional to begin with. So I second Larmyth's idea of a psych evaluation.

On the note of meaning, of course, I think that everyone makes their own meaning. So, to a society, nothing really has meaning because it's an individual thing. But that's what this debate is about, so let's back back to the point.

I think for argument whether or not there is proof that the action is harmful, it is kind of like the D&D/Roleplaying scandal of years past. For some people, it is harmful, but their mental state was already hanging by a thread. For other people, their not at all harmed by some healthy imagination.
Anyway, I don't seem to be affected that much by humanoid robots, like Actroid. True, I do feel a tad odd about having them, but at the same time I refer to her has a human and I have issues seeing the difference between her and an average person on the street. She's just happens to be a robot. Isn't that odd of me? I just don't feel repulsed. I find androids fascinating.

Yeah, I'm definitely more affected by CGI than android-type robotics. CGI is just... odd. Unless it's cartoony, then I'm fine.

I think you may have something on the being abandoned late in life. Then again, isn't a death of a loved one a similar of abandonment? Maybe a little bit, but I'm not sure. As for psych evaluations, they're gaining ground in the US, at least from what I've seen. I think that psych evaluations will start to gain round as people either a) realize that they have a problem (like I did) or b) become a mental hypochondriac.

My doctor actually listened when I told him I was depressed (I did have my therapist back me up on this, though). So them not helping is just a foreign idea to me. Of course, for the "just getting older" bit, I totally agree. It seems like it's hard to fine help these days...

Yeah, seriously. It's not "cool" to be depressed. It sucks. It sucks a ton.

Not necessary, but I like mine. I already have a "style" apparently (my friends keep telling me that I dress "like a college student") and I'm not too wild on diet change (though it would help). Mine was also caused by my social anxiety, and I couldn't just stop going to school so something more was needed anyway. Off the point.

Those people who feel the deep need for a child should really just adopt. It's healthier than getting a doll that can't react or grow or anything. It's also a lot less creepy. I realize that adopting may not be best for everyone, but it's a better option than a Reborn, honestly.

As for delusion... well, the human mind is an interesting place. That's all I can really say to that.

You've got a point, Sanguvixen, it is better to poorly nurture the nonliving than to mentally unbalance the undeveloped. But in essence how would one know if those who care for the nonliving are not mentally unbalancing themselves.

True being furrie or even a collector can be balanced on the same scale of lifestyles as nurturing the unnurturable. And I suppose it is just as possible that one who takes up this hobby of caring in such a way can easily confided in others that do just as much.

I'm only worried for those who believe that the Reborn "is" the child that they lost or want. These poor souls have lost their grip on reality. That they believe that these Reborns are actually alive or that they want them to be alive, the latter being worse. They may deteriorate too far into their delusion that they may soon do nothing but care for the not-child. A human should be productive for the living not the lifeless. I guess I'm worried for others. Shouldn't I try to supply my time and efforts to help those in need, if all it cost me are time and companionship.

Much the same with Ol' Yeller. It is a care of familiarity. We can imagine how it would feel to lose what you have come to know. You have experienced such an emotion to a real thing some time previously in your life and can relate to the new current object. But the case is still being aware that it is not real and should not hold sentimental value. How would one determine what is real? This is irrelevant since it is the people and environment around that person that should know if that person has lost touch.

I do not speak of those that only influence me from a distance but those that interact with me at home or throughout my daily life. As part of that person's environment, or social life, or whatever you may consider it, they are also a part of mine. As such I feel the need to bring comfort to myself by influencing my environment, I will make compromises since I am aware that I am also theirs.

I understand the concept of "A fool and their money are soon parted." but why should a barter (most likely the wrong word, but I feel the concept is the same) be allowed to take advantage of the unknowing. I'm sure there must be some legal guidelines they have to take from the incidents of past vendors but this item strikes to such a low demographic that it should consider some, possibly obvious, outcomes.

(This may seem a little warped, but it's pretty late for me.
P.S. also had some quotes from the previous post but currently felt better to leave them out.)