A SAD HOBBY

`````I really enjoy watching documentaries, and some while back I came upon a BBC production called "My Fake Baby." It was on the topic of reborns; dolls which look like actual babies. Until watching this show, I hadn't a clue as to the interest in these dolls. I knew people collected dolls, much as some people collect spoons, or beer cans of the world. Watching the documentary, however, I realized that there was a sad edge to some of the fans of the dolls.
`````One of the women, who was older, was crying on camera. She held up a photo and spoke of the little boy she had lost. As it turns out, the boy in the picture was her Grandson. At first I thought that he might have died. He had moved away to New Zealand, and as she lived in England, she no longer saw him on a daily basis. When she held the doll, she stroked him and made references to how much the toy reminded her of the missing child.
`````Another woman was going to travel to the United States to pick up the newest arrival. She would literally push her pram about town, and pretend to feed it with an item which resembled formula. By the way, this came from a Dior bottle. There was a scene in which she went shopping, not for doll clothing, but for actual infant clothes at a high-end boutique and dropped a wad of cash.
`````The blond woman who sells the dolls relates how she got into it and states that she missed the attention that having a new born brings. She's very attractive and this comment lead me to believe that she might just be the sort of woman who needs to be the centre of attention. She was single and already had several young children of her own.
`````In each of these cases, there seemed to be some void that the dolls filled. Many of us have hobbies, and it's a fantastic way to pass the time. There's a problem when the edges of reality begin to be blurred and the hobby interferes with the here and now. It can happen in other ways; those people who move into hoarding, for example. But, these people are treating an inanimate object with the emotions usually reserved for other beings (human or animal). Are they scared to make that connection? Is there something else going on, such as loneliness?
`````I was astonished, when doing some research, as to how many websites are devoted to this topic. The posters often have names such as "so and so's mommy." There are videos on Youtube about the arrival home of the newest doll. I think it says something about the alienation in our society today that adults need to find fulfillment in this way.
`````By the way, the video I have posted makes reference to another documentary, which I have also watched and which is highly disturbing. This one is about men who can find love only with adult sized plastic dolls. They blame women for not accepting their looks, which is a cop-out. In watching the documentary, I noted that it was poor social skills, bad English, etc that would have turned people off. Women are not as image driven as men are; they are the ones who are apt to reject their counterparts merely on appearance. I highly recommend that video, but be prepared to be disturbed. If I recall correctly, the documentary is called "Guys and Dolls."