I see it Merari. I'm pretty sure people who are happy don't cling to pillows with anime girls on them, on public transport.

I can't see his eyes.*

*Not a racial slur. The picture's grainy.


Well, aren't we special. There could simply not be more than that layer.

I guess I'm mentally ill then

What?
When did I ever say I was special?
You can do what everyone can if you just pay attention.
When did showing skill and perception ever become a bad thing? Who are you, the mediocre police?

Nevertheless.
I cannot believe, well I can believe but not comprehend that an empathic gesture to a fellow man in distress gets this sort of resistance.
Way to go, human race.

Nay, he is Oof! Lord of the pillowmen, and he plans to conquer us all by diverting our attention away from his followers. We non pillow loving surface dwellers have lived with empty arms for far too long! Doom is upon us! Beware, worm!

Well..
I suppose thats all right then.
Do I get a free pillow?

Only if you are among the first to throw yourself into the Gorge of Dust Mite Droppings.

I think that picture is blackly comical... I feel sorry for him, but the near cartoon levels of sadness give it a sort of... humour? I dunno, I guess I'm just an awful human being.

Anyway, I don't get where the 'omg all girlfriends/women are high maintenence so forever alone' argument is coming from. You're clearly talking to the wrong women.

I'm pointing out that everyone's projecting onto this guy what they want to see -- you do it with everything; photos, movies, books, video games -- and I'm getting attacked for it by the uber-"perceptive" and "empathetic" Merari?

Good job, irony. Good job.

I've known a few people who owned a dakimakura/had a fictional character girlfriend. I can assure you they are mostly normal people. Some are shy, others are outgoing. One had incredible success with the opposite six before he started "going out" with the fictional character.

I can assure you that by-and-large they are not lonely or scared. There are those that are, but that can be said for the rest of the world too.

I see nothing in the article relating to any clinical study. Basically this doctor or whoever he is is just guessing. And calling something an illness without sufficient evidence to suggest the condition is detrimental in any way is just wrong.

Also people need to realize that we are humans, not animals. Our actions are not solely dictated by instinct or our hormones. We are capable of using logic and reason to make our decisions.

I just realized I'm starting to sound like Doctor Breen.

This, and the fact that we aren't getting the information directly from him. It's likely a bit more nuanced then what the "article" (and I use that term loosely) is telling us - plus the language barrier / translation issues.

Also, not an illness - at least not by the DSM or ICD that I know of. Now, if what we are actually talking about is suppression of desire (which seems not too much of a leap), that's a different story.

I would certainly like to have a girlfriend, I just admit that I lack the personality and looks to build a lasting relationship so I won't waste the time to try.

Pfffft, the little bit I've seen of you has left me with a generally positive impression. Even the scary bits. I'm sure you'll find somebody equally as frightening.

I'm mostly joking, but you're a pretty decent guy. Don't put yourself down like that. Only I can put myself down

Not to be incredibly nitpicky but I could not care one single hoot for what any DSM has to say, especially since these days its mostly farmaceuticals that get to call the shots.
Apart from that appaling method of acting, the history of the institution needs to be taken into account.
Seeing as as early as 30 years ago one can determine what we know as normal neurological behaviour such as homosixuality classed as being an illness one has to put major question marks at anything it has to say and carefully examine the determination process for every entry instead of just copy/ pasting.
Those that read it off a list and tell people what to do are really, really bad councillors.

I agree, he seems like a good person, better than a few people I know, who somehow managed to get a GF.
Im sure most people will find someone eventually.

Also keep in mind that this researcher is a professor in Japan, so the study (assuming this was even based on a study) was more than likely conducted in Japan, which is a collectivistic society that stresses the importance of the "group" over the "individual", where individuals tend to be much more interdependent than in individualistic societies.