Are we really just hoarders? in Off Topic Discussions Forum

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Are we really just hoarders?

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taraco		#61	[-]
Nov 28 11 6:34 PM Burgomaster Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	>>I'm in it for the movies, not the box they come in. Those are wise words, but I am so not there yet. I'm envious of the discipline...
SiBurning		#62	[-]
Nov 28 11 6:35 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Oh, my! This is embarrassing. I'm a confirmed sufferer of AD (acquisition disorder). I hoard collect new hoards collections at the rate of about one per year. Just google collect soldering stations for one year's hoard collection. Another year was coffee makers, and while I now enjoy roasting and grinding fresh coffee daily, I'm sometimes at a loss to explain the educational chemistry set that I used to build a model of the caffeine molecule. Guide to Resources on CHFB Last Edited By: SiBurning Nov 28 11 6:42 PM. Edited 1 times.
Rakshasa		#63	[-]
Nov 28 11 6:42 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	taraco wrote: >>I'm in it for the movies, not the box they come in. Those are wise words, but I am so not there yet. I'm envious of the discipline... It never ceases to astonish me how much I don't miss the 'things' I thought I could never live without (or never want to live without). Sometimes you just have to get rid of something in order to realize just how meaningless it was to keep it laying around, I swear! Links To All The Classic Monster Stills I've Posted: http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/30758 Last Edited By: Rakshasa Nov 28 11 6:46 PM. Edited 1 times.
Ghostwriter		#64	[-]
Nov 28 11 6:45 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I imagine there were far fewer collectors of the pre-"Baby Boomer"generation. Our parents and grandparents might have collected coins or stamps, or cigarette cards, or jazz and opera 78s, but I would imagine that collectors of what we might term "pop-culture" artifacts today were relatively rare. And, of course, after surviving the Depression and the WWII years, people were more understandably careful with their money. This would change, of course, with the the Baby Boomers and the advent of television. But I find that, even today, 90% of the people I work with - my age and younger - aren't particularly passionate about anything. Maybe football. Most people think it insane that I collect old movies, especially as most wouldn't watch any film (new or old), perhaps outside of a personal favorite, more than once. Practically no one - even people of my age (50) - recognize the name of Karloff, Lugosi, Chaney, Lee, Cushing, or Price. Though the guys my age were reared on B&W movies, they have no intention of returning to them and dimly remember any they've seen. My seventy-one year old mom had a fall two years ago and broke her wrist. She had it set by a very nice young doctor, a corn-fed young and all-American type. During one follow-up visit my Mom brought up in passing conversation the name of her childhood heroes Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. The Dr., in his early forties, I guess, simply had no idea who my Mom was talking about. Finally, a light-bulb went off in his head and he said, "Oh, the roast beef guy." He had no idea that Roy had been a singer and actor and "King of the Cowboys." He thought he was only a fast-food figurehead ala Colonel Sanders of KFC. The point is... We really are the archivists of cinema's past.
sthorntn		#65	[-]
Nov 28 11 7:13 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I find that a little bit of indulgence goes a long way in satisfying my collecting urge. I once dreamt of owning a complete collection of FMs and with the advent of ebay that dream might have become a reality. But a few select issues were all I needed to get the nostalgic buzz out of my system. Then I moved on to more important things...like picking up the early issues of CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN.
Rakshasa		#66	[-]
Nov 28 11 7:37 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Someone mentioned earlier and I agree, that if you are feeding your collecting jones by racking up credit card bills and spending money you don't have, then it's time to grow up, get real, and get a grip. Buying all this stuff (DVDs, CDs, collectibles of all kinds, bigger TVs, etc...) just because it temporarily makes you feel good is a downward spiral you may never recover from. That's when "collecting" stops being fun and starts being disturbing, and I think it happens all the time in fandom. It's an addictive personality flaw. Maybe that person doesn't drink or use drugs, but spending money you don't have on hoarding non-essential luxury items is equally as reckless and sad. Links To All The Classic Monster Stills I've Posted: http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/30758 Last Edited By: Rakshasa Nov 28 11 7:40 PM. Edited 2 times.
Rider		#67	[-]
Nov 28 11 8:02 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Rakshasa wrote: taraco wrote: >>I'm in it for the movies, not the box they come in. Those are wise words, but I am so not there yet. I'm envious of the discipline... It never ceases to astonish me how much I don't miss the 'things' I thought I could never live without (or never want to live without). Sometimes you just have to get rid of something in order to realize just how meaningless it was to keep it laying around, I swear! +1
Tim Hammell		#68	[-]
Nov 28 11 8:08 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks for the thoughts placed here. I'm kicking at 60 this year and though I'm not the hoarder I was (moving 60+ 2' square boxes from one province to another, nuts) I still have a fair bit of stuff but it's not out of control. Been doing some purging but thinking of what I should do with the rest. No one in the family has an interest so will leave some collectibles to friends who do have an interest, maybe those abandoned could be auctioned for a charity, books and dvd's to wherever. Do need to do some sort of inventory though.
Rider		#69	[-]
Nov 28 11 8:10 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Rakshasa wrote: Someone mentioned earlier and I agree, that if you are feeding your collecting jones by racking up credit card bills and spending money you don't have, then it's time to grow up, get real, and get a grip. Buying all this stuff (DVDs, CDs, collectibles of all kinds, bigger TVs, etc...) just because it temporarily makes you feel good is a downward spiral you may never recover from. That's when "collecting" stops being fun and starts being disturbing, and I think it happens all the time in fandom. It's an addictive personality flaw. Maybe that person doesn't drink or use drugs, but spending money you don't have on hoarding non-essential luxury items is equally as reckless and sad. I've pointed this out with what I now call digital hoarders. People who have hard drives full MP3's that they will never listen to, or spend mountains of money playing farmville or other crap collecting games. Most games like Warcraft have collecting built in and that's what causes people to go nuts playing them constantly. I know people who have literally spent thousands on Farmville. People think the problem with hoarding is the mess, it's not. There are mental and financial issues here. This stuff triggers off some really primordial stuff in our brains. My mother spending money bothered me, but what bothered me more is I think she watched maybe one or two of the DVD's she ever bought, that just seems really disturbing to me, this need to acquire.
cjh5801		#70	[-]
Nov 28 11 10:31 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I think there are three levels to "collecting" in general. A true collector usually is extremely focused, usually concentrating on one easily identifiable category of items, such as first editions or film posters, and often even further restricted to first editions of one author in particular, or film posters for one genre or specific time period. They are also completists. They have a goal of collecting every example of whatever it is they are collecting. Also, condition is of primary concern. A true collector is extremely disciplined in their collecting. They may have more than one collection building at the same time (depending on resources), and may move on to collecting something else once their current collection is complete, but their ultimate goal is to complete their collection(s). Most of us, I suspect, are more "accumulators" than true collectors. We accumulate items that interest us, but we aren't as focused or disciplined as true collectors, and our interests are broad enough that we most likely will never consider our collection "complete" (though we may have complete runs of certain items in our collections, such as an entire run of FM--the difference being that once we complete the run, we aren't done collecting--there is still a ton of stuff in our area of interest that we continue to accumulate, such as genre DVDs, etc.). And finally, you have the hoarders, who must keep everything, possibly including garbage and jars of urine, and collect impulsively without any limits, focus or a goal. These are the ones who show up on cable TV and need help. I'm not focused or disciplined enough to be a true collector, but I consider myself a discerning accumulator. As for collecting in general, some of us are and some aren't. Tom doesn't sound like a collector to me, even though he may have a number of items that duplicate items in my collection. He seems too indifferent regarding his possessions to be considered a "collector". I'm not as obsessed about condition of items as a true collector, but the thought of tearing pages out of a book or magazine frankly appalls me. I think collectors, accumulators, and hoarders all share a desire to exert control over their lives by collecting and classifying things. Some may also be seeking control over death by hoping to amass a collection that will survive them in some form. Personally, I have no need to see my collection survive me, and don't care what happens to it after I'm gone. But by gawd, I'm going to have control of it while I'm alive. - Clark hollowaypages.com
Rakshasa		#71	[-]
Nov 28 11 10:48 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	cjh5801 wrote: I think collectors, accumulators, and hoarders all share a desire to exert control over their lives by collecting and classifying things. I agree. In fact, I'll go a step further and say that for some people, obsessive collecting/spending is an easy distraction from the things in life they really should be focusing on, be it their career, their personal relationships, or whatever. "I should be out looking for a job, but I just bought all 90 episodes of such-in-such a TV show on DVD with my near-maxed-out credit card and I'm watching all 90 episodes in the order they were originally broadcast all day everyday this week. Then next week I'll be very busy going to all the used book stores in my area looking for old issues of such-in-such a magazine for my collection, so I won't be able to look for a job next week either. Oh, and I just applied for a new credit card because I maxed out my last one buying up all the new Blu-ray releases of those movies I already own on DVD but never watch...." Brrrrrr.... Links To All The Classic Monster Stills I've Posted: http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/30758 Last Edited By: Rakshasa Nov 28 11 10:54 PM. Edited 2 times.
Spoiler II		#72	[-]
Nov 28 11 11:03 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	One thing that should divide collecting vs hoarding is where all that hoarded/collected stuff is kept. Do you have well displayed one sheets,nicely laid out book shelves and display cases that are actually pleasing to the eyeball or do you have piles of junk everywhere stacked like firewood and waiting for a Navin Johnson like special purpose in life? Keeping all of your stuff organized so it actually creates an environment rather than detracts from one makes a huge difference. I've been to peoples houses who have so much random junk stacked everywhere that you could probably walk out with several things and they wouldn't know they were gone until years later when they wanted to show off that MARK OF THE DEVIL vomit bag someone stole 6 years prior.
Spoiler II		#73	[-]
Nov 28 11 11:19 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Rider wrote: Rakshasa wrote: Someone mentioned earlier and I agree, that if you are feeding your collecting jones by racking up credit card bills and spending money you don't have, then it's time to grow up, get real, and get a grip. Buying all this stuff (DVDs, CDs, collectibles of all kinds, bigger TVs, etc...) just because it temporarily makes you feel good is a downward spiral you may never recover from. That's when "collecting" stops being fun and starts being disturbing, and I think it happens all the time in fandom. It's an addictive personality flaw. Maybe that person doesn't drink or use drugs, but spending money you don't have on hoarding non-essential luxury items is equally as reckless and sad. I've pointed this out with what I now call digital hoarders. People who have hard drives full MP3's that they will never listen to, or spend mountains of money playing farmville or other crap collecting games. Most games like Warcraft have collecting built in and that's what causes people to go nuts playing them constantly. I find this one pretty annoying because it ties in with the "instant expert" syndrome. Getting music/film off of the internet is staggeringly easy and some people feel the need to own as much as they can without any real interest aside from telling anyone within an earshot that they have all of some obscure bands rare back catalog.
Wich2		#74	[-]
Nov 28 11 11:56 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Spoiler, that syndrome has existed for years in OTR fandom: You'd hear many Old Heads brag, "I own (fill-in-the-blank)-thousand shows!" But when you'd touch on the point Rak, Rider, and others have made, by asking "...and how many have you listened to?", there'd be much mumbling and scuffing of shoes on the ground...
Rider		#75	[-]
Nov 29 11 12:07 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Wich2 wrote: Spoiler, that syndrome has existed for years in OTR fandom: You'd hear many Old Heads brag, "I own (fill-in-the-blank)-thousand shows!" But when you'd touch on the point Rak, Rider, and others have made, by asking "...and how many have you listened to?", there'd be much mumbling and scuffing of shoes on the ground... I ran several large tape trading groups over the years. You quickly learn that trading live shows has nothing to do with the music for most people. I have personally leaked shows that were heavily sought after by traders, for decades people would beg for these tapes and post angry diatribes against anyone in possession of the tapes who would not leak them. A month after these shows leak you find out everyone rushed to get a copy and never bothered listening to them. Trading live shows and the idiots that ruin the hobby is something I am very very glad to leave in my past.
MyDarkSide		#76	[-]
Nov 29 11 12:35 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I don't have a LOT of collectibles, but what I do have isn't something I would look forward to moving. I've gradually felt less grateful for some of it, too, as the last four years have wore on. This is because the thrill I used to get out of everything/could get out of everything I have singularly has hampered more and more as I wish I had someone to share it all with/show it to. This last calendar year, I've felt it all the worst I ever have felt it. And as I've mentioned in other posts before, with all the current events/SHTF over the last four years gradually, that has also hampered my enjoyment. I've done the Amazon route as far as selling things goes, even had dozens of sales. But three bad sales out of all the sales I had, coupled with continuous rising postage and packaging, the continued risk of sending through the slowly depleting US mails (THERE, Karlosi, I mentioned it again![joke between Joe and I]), as well as the continued threat of increased taxation on ALL kinds of sales (much like that Reaper in Meaning Of Life), it all is rather overwhelming..... That being said, I'm currently going through my comedy selections (A&C, Road Pictures, Marx Brothers, Don Knots, and Sandra Bullock) and trying to enjoy them the best I can manage...
todmichel		#77	[-]
Nov 29 11 1:21 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm not talking about hoarders or compulsive collectors, but people collecting "reasonably" something generally live much longer than others who don't care for anything. Most of them have a precise interest for the object of their collection, for instance a movie poster collector is (generally) interested in movies, history or movies, etc. And when they become old they are in better health as they aren't constantly thinking to themselves like people who don't care for anything - or anybody, by the fact. Just like people who like animals are certainly more happy in their lives than the ones who don't. People who aren't interested in anything generally don't make old bones... Last Edited By: todmichel Nov 29 11 1:25 AM. Edited 1 times.
ryanbrennan		#78	[-]
Nov 29 11 2:01 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	todmichel wrote: I'm not talking about hoarders or compulsive collectors, but people collecting "reasonably" something generally live much longer than others who don't care for anything. Most of them have a precise interest for the object of their collection, for instance a movie poster collector is (generally) interested in movies, history or movies, etc. And when they become old they are in better health as they aren't constantly thinking to themselves like people who don't care for anything - or anybody, by the fact. Just like people who like animals are certainly more happy in their lives than the ones who don't. People who aren't interested in anything generally don't make old bones... I'd add that owning a collection or collections can bring a person a great deal of satisfaction, gratification, pleasure, and happiness. I imagine that in the right circumstances the possession of certain objects brings a sense of calm, lower blood pressure, and less stress. Immersing oneself in beautiful music or beautiful art brings joy and, for some people, collecting can serve the same purpose. I'm sure that can be a factor in an extended lifespan. But I agree that it becomes sickness when one jeopardizes their financial standing or places objects before people. My own collections have gotten out of hand over the last several years. I've made that psychological leap that I must rid myself of books that I will never read, music I will never hear, movies I'll never watch, or other possessions that I simply won't ever need or use. I've gotten rid of much stuff this year and next year will continue the campaign to divest and clean out. Because I've owned so much, owning much just isn't important anymore. On the other hand, much of what I own I use as research material. So, I have a lot of stuff that I hold onto for that purpose. I've taken to tearing articles out of magazines rather than hold onto an issue that is otherwise of no interest or use. I've been transferring my DVDs into paper sleeves and shoe boxes to save space. Soon, I hope to be tossing thousands of record albums I don't need. And I'll be winnowing out my duplicate books with an eye to selling them or handing them over to my movie mad 15 year-old daughter (though she'll be getting the other copies when I'm gone).
Rider		#79	[-]
Nov 29 11 2:11 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	ryanbrennan wrote: todmichel wrote: I'm not talking about hoarders or compulsive collectors, but people collecting "reasonably" something generally live much longer than others who don't care for anything. Most of them have a precise interest for the object of their collection, for instance a movie poster collector is (generally) interested in movies, history or movies, etc. And when they become old they are in better health as they aren't constantly thinking to themselves like people who don't care for anything - or anybody, by the fact. Just like people who like animals are certainly more happy in their lives than the ones who don't. People who aren't interested in anything generally don't make old bones... I'd add that owning a collection or collections can bring a person a great deal of satisfaction, gratification, pleasure, and happiness. I imagine that in the right circumstances the possession of certain objects brings a sense of calm, lower blood pressure, and less stress. Immersing oneself in beautiful music or beautiful art brings joy and, for some people, collecting can serve the same purpose. I'm sure that can be a factor in an extended lifespan. But I agree that it becomes sickness when one jeopardizes their financial standing or places objects before people. My own collections have gotten out of hand over the last several years. I've made that psychological leap that I must rid myself of books that I will never read, music I will never hear, movies I'll never watch, or other possessions that I simply won't ever need or use. I've gotten rid of much stuff this year and next year will continue the campaign to divest and clean out. Because I've owned so much, owning much just isn't important anymore. On the other hand, much of what I own I use as research material. So, I have a lot of stuff that I hold onto for that purpose. I've taken to tearing articles out of magazines rather than hold onto an issue that is otherwise of no interest or use. I've been transferring my DVDs into paper sleeves and shoe boxes to save space. Soon, I hope to be tossing thousands of record albums I don't need. And I'll be winnowing out my duplicate books with an eye to selling them or handing them over to my movie mad 15 year-old daughter (though she'll be getting the other copies when I'm gone). A bit of advice, records are having a huge resurgence and even stuff that was crap a year ago can bring very good money today. Seriously I go to swap meets and laugh at what kids are paying $25 a piece for.
gorgozilla		#80	[-]
Nov 29 11 2:53 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	todmichel wrote: I'm not talking about hoarders or compulsive collectors, but people collecting "reasonably" something generally live much longer than others who don't care for anything. Most of them have a precise interest for the object of their collection, for instance a movie poster collector is (generally) interested in movies, history or movies, etc. And when they become old they are in better health as they aren't constantly thinking to themselves like people who don't care for anything - or anybody, by the fact. Just like people who like animals are certainly more happy in their lives than the ones who don't. People who aren't interested in anything generally don't make old bones... I think there are many people who don't really have hobbies and interests of their own, so they look to other people to tell them what they "should" want or like. They focus mainly on how much money and status they can get relative to other people. These individuals spend their time and money on things that they can show off to other people, rather than on what they can enjoy by themselves. As for hoarding, I think most normal people want to keep some souvenir or memento of a fondly remembered time or place. But to a hoarder, it seems EVERY SINGLE OBJECT in their house has some sentimental memory attached to it. A normal mom may save her baby's first pair of shoes, while a hoarder mom would probably save all of them, along with every dirty diaper. Hoarders just can't bring themselves to get rid of ANYTHING.

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