When dolls replace humans: what's behind this phenomenon?

Have you ever thought about having a child who doesn't cry and you only have to clean his diaper when you want to? Having a girlfriend who never argues with you, but can fulfill all your sexual fantasies? Thanks to the creation of hyperrealistic dolls, this has become a possible desire, but far beyond mere gratification, there is a relational phenomenon that permeates the subject. It's more than you might expect and not as simple as you think.

The key is in hyper-realistic dolls

Hyper-realistic dolls are objects that have been customized by artists or companies to look as similar as possible to real people; one of the most popular items on the market is the reborn baby, which is usually handcrafted in a very meticulous manner, adding physical attributes such as hair, eye color, eyelashes, and nails, according to the client's taste and criteria. The majority of people who buy these products are usually children. Barry Kaufman, PhD in cognitive psychology from Yale University, believes that "make-believe" play enhances communication, creativity, and empathy, and is fundamental to the development of children's sense of responsibility. These dolls can be an important tool in children's development.

They used to be child's play until adults started choosing to be reborn instead of real babies. In the MOV.doc documentary "Parents of Reborn Babies: the routine of those who have formed families with living dolls", we can see in detail the daily lives of those who made this choice, forming families with lifeless dolls. To most people they are crazy but on closer examination, the phenomenon can be explained. Many people want to simply interact without being "bothered" and when they have unique expectations of the "individuals" they want to interact with, hyper-realistic dolls are the answer. They are the answer to some people's unique desire to interact in a way where they can completely dominate, which is impossible to do with "real people" without breaking the law.

Hyper-realistic sex dolls are now sold freely and online marketplaces are the best place to find them. Manufacturers are competing to offer the best and the increase in quality is a result of technological developments, especially 3D printing technology. We can visit the official website of YJL Doll to get some idea of how advanced the technology is in making hyper-realistic sex dolls. The brand (YJL Doll) is famous for offering hyper-realistic silicon sex dolls that are hard to distinguish from real girls. They look like real girls and of course, there are a variety of characters that accommodate a wide range of fetishes.

Another reality we see developing in the hyper-realistic doll business is sex dolls, which are used to fulfill desires and fantasies, often making up for the loneliness of those without a partner. This highlights the problematic situation regarding the distortion of reality and the ideal of the perfect woman, which is responsible for reinforcing unattainable standards and the objectification of the female body. Not all men are lucky enough to get the girl they really want from the bottom of their hearts and if their obsession is so strong, buying a sex doll and "using" it whenever they want is a great solution.

But what motivates them?

What motivates people to have a relationship with a doll instead of a real person? For example, from day to day there are more people visiting YJL Doll’s official website and of course they are part of "the people". Sociologist Zygmunt Bauman brings us to the idea of liquid modernity, where desire is based on the accumulation of goods in quantity, thus becoming something superficial that follows the fashion and thinking of the moment. Science, technology, education, health, human relations, and everything created by humans is subject to the capitalist logic of consumption. We see industry investing more and more resources in these objects, legitimizing the idealization created by its customers, while at the same time encouraging the mechanisms of passionate consumption, reinforcing the fluid imperative of modernity; pleasure at any cost.

Freud said that "the pleasure principle is characterized by the pursuit of pleasure while avoiding pain, suffering, or tension". Connecting with dolls, whether by creating a family or sexually, allows us to distance ourselves from this reality; we do not have to deal with emotions, either positive or negative, only with pleasure in its pure or fetishized form, where fantasies and ideas inevitably prevail.

Freud also warns us: ''The pleasure principle is proper to the main method of functioning on the part of the mental apparatus, but from the point of view of the organism's self-preservation among the difficulties of the external world, it is, in the first place, ineffective and even extremely dangerous''. In other words, getting caught up in an idealized world where everything seems perfect, may at first keep you away from problems, but you soon end up with difficulties in dealing with them, making you unprepared for real life and reinforcing delusional or childish behavior.

It is important to look for the reality principle, which according to Laplanche and Pontalis (1988) "is considered the regulating principle, since it modifies the pleasure principle in terms of the path taken to achieve satisfaction". This principle seeks a balance so that subjects do not distance themselves from or distort reality, resulting in psychic suffering that is difficult to recognize. It also allows them to deal with internalized frustrations and problems. The text should reflect on the extent to which the relationship with these dolls causes users to distance themselves from emotions, both their own and those of others, reinforcing the concept of liquid love, which emphasizes the fragility of human bonds. Viewed from the positive side, some of these dolls can be very representative in terms of dealing with grief or issues related to loneliness and can be a useful mechanism if used appropriately.

Today, hyper-realistic dolls in the form of babies/children and young girls like the ones offered by YJL Doll are very popular in the market and they actually fulfill the affection needs of many people even though they are far from perfect. These dolls are an illustration of how idealistic images of interaction are realized in inanimate characters. Yes, they are "completely dead" but can seem alive to their fans.