tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135301473915671680.post1465802361620406835..comments2023-12-14T18:17:52.957-08:00Comments on The Train Wreck Love Life: cold cold nights under chrome and glassEmilly Orrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245643246821826101noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135301473915671680.post-18226753235188409092012-05-24T23:27:23.098-07:002012-05-24T23:27:23.098-07:00There was a wonderful series of books by Charles S...There was a wonderful series of books by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Sheffield" rel="nofollow">Charles Sheffield</a> (specifically his Proteus series) which posited a future where humanity (with the help of machines, of course) could evolve their own physicality and adapt as needed. There were bioforms adapted for the rigors of hard vaccuum, bioforms that could breathe underwater, bioforms that were living computers, where function trumped form. <br /><br />And that leaves aside all the 'fashionable' forms that people invented to crawl into.<br /><br />We know, right now, with plastic surgery still in its infancy, pretty much, that women will go <a href="http://news.msn.co.nz/glanceview/226083/the-real-life-russian-barbie-doll.glance" rel="nofollow">insanely far</a> to match what they think people want to see; men, I think, push that envelope a bit by picking the best 'trophy wife'--which comes down to another subtle (and sometimes, not so subtle) power-over.<br /><br />Someone very wise once said that give two children the same set of blocks, and the boy will make them fight each other, and the girl will build a house. That's very biased, children will do different things, but I also think that's true in the doll community. Women, largely, want to be the prettiest, or the most delicate, or the most broken, doll in the box; men just want to play with them and see what they'll do. :)Emilly Orrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07245643246821826101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135301473915671680.post-25104033658879062022012-05-17T02:32:54.264-07:002012-05-17T02:32:54.264-07:00I think, speaking for men - we like to play with d...I think, speaking for men - we like to play with dolls but in different ways than do women.<br /><br />First, we like to use them to act out our fantasies and replay things as they are or as they should be. For example, you take a GI Joe and he faces up to the scary octopus and shoots it in the face even though you yourself are terrified of it. Or, alternately, you create an Avatar that is either more kind or more cruel than yourself - to help explore that aspect, and you go around either doing good or evil depending. More often than not, I imagine, we try to be better than we are. But this is often less physical than it is relating to the characteristics men use to establish their own hierarchy - things like nerdpower, courage, the ability to out-kink another kinkster, earning power, strength, etc.<br /><br /><br />The second aspect that, I believe, guys explore when playing with dolls - is, as you say - algamatophilic in nature. You simply like looking at one doll or another and you continue to move forward through whatever fantasy you'd explore - but not in a way to explore any aspect of your own personality inasmuch as it would be to simply admire the artificial one and watch it work in a sort of deistic kind of sense. <br /><br /><br />The most interesting question in any world, either real or virtual - to me. Is the one posed by Thomas Malthus. He placed a bet that we will all be able to provide for ourselves, but perhaps what he found out was that life transforms.<br /><br />Shapeshifters can be dangerous to hearts and minds.<br /><br />Organically, we are not suited for the rigors of space travel. What form will life take next? Humans have about 150 years, at the rate we're going. Whatever forge life finds itself made from - perhaps the next form will survive the cold lifeless vaccuum better than people who need warmth and sunlight. Even if only . Occasionally.turnerBroadcastinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966930351554884742noreply@blogger.com