Yes I agree with you. I happen to be a very new collector of this fascinating artistry. I currently own 2 from Debbie’s Daydreams with a third on the way from a differnt artist. There are many good reborn artists out there unfortunately there are too many more that think they are and actually draw away for the idea.
I love to hold mine. The feeling is amazing. JMO>

As stephanie pointed out, it IS certainly fascinating stuff, I am not going to condemn it, it’s just interesting to see how people handle their hobbies/collections of material. Are the feelings of a stamp-collector exactly the same when he/she comes across the stamp he/she was looking for years compared with a reborn collector who buys a 1000 dollar doll which looks exactly like a newborn?

Reborn baby enthusiasts obviously love their dolls to eery levels in the eyes of other people.

However, I am fascinating by them as an example of something that falls into the valley of eeriness: I do feel that this happens because of a mismatch between what we expect from a newborn (movement, noises) and the lifeless and silent reality of these dolls. I think that most traditional dolls manage to avoid this because there’s still an aspect of caricature and they are clearly recognisable as dolls and not babies - with these, they’re so close they trigger reactions of empathy that are then confounded by the lack of realistic sound and movement.

Fascinating stuff, certainly.

I don’t think “baby” dolls are necessarily any different than a dog or a cat. A doll would be less work. Less chance of abuse or neglect by someone who really can not take care of a pet.

I am pretty clear on my feelings about this. Not claiming to be a therapeutic professional by any means, but I just don’t see how this is a healthy.

Maybe a good analysis of the ‘plastification’ of western people would reveal that we need petrol even to have a relationship with cubs…but maybe it is also that it does not make any difference, anymore, how much alone one can be: it is not scandalous to live alone, or to care for none, or to love none, or to feed none, not even yourself.

Communitarism has been repressed to the deep root as such that any form of love and sharing has been offered in the plastified form, too, just to show that life is cool, yes, but it could be always replaced…and it does.

Just some initial thoughts…such a rich argument!

You have wrote a great insight on why people would choose to purchase the REBORN BABIES.

Anyway, check out this link on how the ‘baby’ caused a slight misunderstanding…

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/07/16/police-smash-car-win.html