If you've just done an Internet search and are now reading this article, chances are that you're an individual who has been collecting for a while and has amassed a large collection of items. Perhaps you have recently taken stock of the items you've collected, as well as the time, energy, and money you've put into collecting them, and you're having mixed feelings about it all - maybe even negative feelings such as guilt, sadness, embarrassment, and disgust. You might be asking yourself, "What's the point of all this?"
Before you get too down on yourself, consider this: According to Susan Pearce, author of the book "Interpreting Objects and Collections," one out of every three people living in the US and Canada collects something! It's probable that these numbers would be similar in other developed countries as well. Furthermore, there are many happy and healthy collectors who have been in the hobby for years, sometimes decades.
Maybe you have a friend, family member, or spouse who collects things, and you're looking for some insight into why they do what they do. Or perhaps you are the rare individual who has been feeling the urge to collect, and you want to investigate this urge before you indulge it. I say this is rare because in my experience, most people engage in collecting first and do the questioning and reflecting only much later, if at all.
Finally, perhaps you're simply a person who is curious about collecting and would like to learn more about it and perhaps why people do it. Whatever the case may be, you should find the following thoughts and ideas interesting if not helpful.
No one knows for sure, not even psychologists.
Many explanations for why people engage in collecting have been offered. Here is a list, in no particular order, of explanations I have encountered over the years. Some of these may be related.
People collect items...
- because it gives them a feeling of control.
- in an effort to achieve a feeling of completion. (Marjorie Akin)
- because doing so allows them to recapture positive feelings associated with the items. This is otherwise known as "nostalgia."
- because it allows them to escape from reality. (Kim A. Herzinger)
- because they find the items aesthetically pleasing.
- as a form of individual expression.
- because they enjoy the challenge of finding the items.
- because of a rush of excitement felt when ownership of an item is achieved.
- because of a feeling of satisfaction when a newly acquired item is joined with a collection.
- to relieve feelings of anxiety. (Werner Muensterberger)
- because the urge to collect and stockpile items is innate in humans. (Dr. Steve Anderson)
- because it enables them to achieve a sensory transcendence not unlike that achieved in religious worship or when in love. (Kim A. Herzinger)
- as a financial investment.
- because they find the items interesting.
- because the items serve an emotional and/or practical purpose to the individual. (Jimmy Rommel)
A collector's activity may be driven by any one of these reasons or, in many cases, a combination of these reasons. For instance, they may start out collecting an item for nostalgic purposes but continue or accelerate their collecting due to a rush of excitement they feel when they acquire an item for which they've been searching. Perhaps after some time has passed, they find that they are only a few pieces away from completing an entire set of the items, and thus their collecting behavior becomes driven by the challenge of completing the set.
While researching this question, "Why do people collect," you might have encountered people asking similar questions such as "Why do people collect coins?," or "Why do people collect guitars?," or "Why do people collect comic books?" In an effort to answer these questions, well-meaning people will often conclude that it must be the final reason given in the list above: Because they like the item. They may say "because coins are historic," or they'll say "because guitars have such beautiful craftsmanship," or "because I had those comics as a child." Indeed, liking an item is certainly a factor in why people collect it. However, there are people who feel that coins are historic but do not feel the urge to collect them. Likewise, there are people who are reminded of their childhood when they see certain comic books, and yet they do not feel any desire to collect them. What is going on here?
Why someone collects and what someone collects, while certainly intertwined, are also distinct. For instance, many people love to read Science Fiction books. If we were to ask someone why they read Sci-fi books, they might say, "because I love the concepts of space, space travel, and alien worlds." While all that may be true, it doesn't tell us why they love to read books. There are many people who also love the concepts of "space, space travel, and alien worlds," but would never consider reading a book.
Likewise with collecting, say, Garbage Pail Kids cards. A collector of Garbage Pail Kids cards will have reasons why they like the cards but this doesn't tell is why they collect them. There will be additional reasons that motivate the individual to collect the cards. The important thing is to recognize that the two are distinct. Just because an individual likes something doesn't mean the individual will collect it. This distinction is important, and we'll talk more about it later.
In many ways, as we've said, collecting is similar to other hobbies that people have. Like playing video games, scrap booking, mountain biking, or geocaching, collecting is simply an activity that is enjoyable to do during one's leisure time. What is it then about the collecting hobby that so often leads to collectors asking themselves, "What's the point of all this?"
Collecting is a unique hobby consisting of two phases.
While the collecting hobby is similar in many ways to other hobbies, it is also unique. The hobby of collecting consists of two phases: The active phase and the passive phase.
Phase One:
The active phase of collecting is when the hobbyist is searching for and acquiring the items she collects. This might involve visiting yard sales, flea markets, auctions and retail stores. It may also involve searching classifieds in the newspaper or online, checking Internet message boards, and online auction sites like eBay. When a collector locates an item he has been looking for, he then has to gain ownership of it. This might involve buying the item for a set price; negotiating with the seller to determine a mutually agreeable price; negotiating a trade with the seller, or some combination of a sale and trade; bidding on the item in an auction; or simply retrieving the item if it is buried in the ground, in the case of bottles or coins, or some other circumstance.
In many cases, acquired items are sent through the mail. The collector anxiously awaits the arrival of newly acquired items and then opens the package to inspect the item for the first time. The collector then adds the newly acquired item to her corresponding collection of items.
Finally, the collector must maintain their collection. This may involve organizing, displaying, photographing, and some how documenting their collection of items. In some cases, the collector simply places their newly acquired items into a box never to be seen again.
Phase Two:
The passive phase of collecting is the accumulation of items the hobbyist collects. In other words, having or owning the items.
It is the passive phase of the collecting hobby that makes it unique.
Most other hobbies that people engage in do not have a passive phase like the collecting hobby does. While it's true that many other hobbies do require hobbyists to purchase and maintain gear for engaging in the hobby, it is not equivalent to the accumulation of items that occurs during collecting.
For example, someone who enjoys dancing as a hobby may be required to obtain special clothing and shoes. However, these items are a one time acquisition and, more importantly, are used while actively engaged in dancing. The same could be said for other hobbies like basketball, mountain biking, skiing, and gardening. Contrastingly, collecting involves the ongoing acquisition of items.
Burnout and the Collecting Crisis
There are two unfortunate experiences that all too many collecting hobbyists have as they engage in the collecting hobby: Burnout and the "Collecting Crisis."
Burnout is simply when a collector loses interest in the item(s) she's collecting. It's not uncommon for new collectors to enter a collecting community - be it the bottle collecting community, the toy collecting community, or the oil can collecting community, etc. - and become quickly and deeply involved. Their collection may grow astronomically overnight as they acquire large quantities of pieces at every given opportunity. And then just as suddenly as the individual popped onto the scene, they may leave the hobby. Typically they sell all the items they had just acquired at a reduced price to veteran collectors.
Burnout is not always so quick. It's just easier to identify when it happens quickly. Many times someone who has been collecting for years will grow bored with the items they had been collecting. The same sell off occurs, but typically in a more systemic, controlled manner. Often times, these veteran collectors will sell of the lesser pieces of their collection and keep the more special pieces, even though they no longer actively engage in the hobby.
Burnout is natural and normal. It happens in other hobbies as well. For instance, an individual may develop a keen interest in Texas Hold'em poker. The individual may get deeply involved in the hobby for a span of a few months, and then suddenly or gradually lose interest. Why some people lose interest sooner than others and vice versa is beyond the scope of this article.
It's important to consider burnout when entering the hobby of collecting.
How can new collectors avoid burnout? Avoiding burnout may be impossible. We all get bored with hobbies and activities at times and/or simply move on to bigger and better things. However, I do feel that it is possible to minimize many of the negatives that so often accompany burnout. If you are new to the collecting hobby, ask yourself the following questions:
- What's my history of experiencing burnout?
- Have I entered other hobbies throughout my life only to soon abandon them a few months later?
- When I get involved in a new hobby or activity do I typically stick with it for long periods of time?
The answers to these questions can help a new collector determine the rate at which they begin to build their collection. Considering my history of burnout:
- Should I start acquiring as many pieces as I can, or should I take it slow?
- Is there a benefit to being moderate?
- Should I narrow my focus? Am I trying to collect too many types of things at once?
- Should I start by acquiring the most expensive pieces or the least expensive?
- How much time, energy, and money should I invest in this new hobby?
The "Collecting Crisis" phenomena is a little more complex than burnout. The Collecting Crisis typically involves a collector whose been collecting for an extended period of time. One seemingly random afternoon, the collector may survey his collection of accumulated items and ask himself, "What's the point of all this!?" Often, this questioning is accompanied with uncomfortable feelings such as guilt, embarrassment, and sadness.
The Collecting Crisis occurs for two reasons.
The first reason it occurs is because collectors engage in collecting behavior without reflecting on why they are engaging in collecting behaviors. They're acting without (meta) thinking. In fact, the only thing the collector may have been thinking was that they "needed" to acquire as many of the items as possible, in whatever manner possible.
The second reason it occurs - and this second reason overlaps with the first - is because collectors fail to realize that collecting consists of two phases, the active and the passive. The collector experiencing the crisis is focusing only on the second phase of collecting, the passive phase. The collector is looking at her, perhaps vast, collection of items and is thinking, "Why do I have all this stuff!? What is the point of having all this stuff!?"
Earlier, it was mentioned that this crisis is unique to the collecting hobby. This is because the passive phase of collecting - the accumulation of stuff - is unique to collecting. The accumulation of stuff and the collecting crisis go hand-in-hand.
For instance, someone who is involved in mountain biking is not going to experience a similar crisis. They will not awake one morning, see their mountain bike in the garage, and think to themselves, "Why do I have this mountain bike!? Why have I been spending my time mountain biking!?" The answer is simple: Because they have been enjoying the active behavior of riding a bike outdoors. There is no passive phase to confuse and confound mountain biking hobbyists.
How can a collector avoid the Collecting Crisis?
Collecting is about more than simply being interested in the items collected. This point cannot be emphasized enough. We know this is the case because not everyone who is interested in items collects them. Individuals who engage in collecting must be honest with themselves and do a bit of reflecting. The items we collect obviously interest us in some way, but why are we accumulating them? To avoid the Collecting Crisis, the collector must be aware of both phases of the hobby.
Disregard for a moment the characteristics if the items you collect. What they look like. How big they are. What color they are. Instead, take a look at the first phase of collecting above. Is there a step or two in that first phase that brings you a lot of enjoyment? Do you enjoy discovering new items at yard sales? Do you enjoy orchestrating huge deals with fellow collectors that leave both of you pleased? Do you enjoy getting new packages in the mail in the middle of the week that make it feel like Christmas? Do you savor the satisfaction of finally acquiring that piece you've been hunting for 3 years? Does it bring you comfort to see your collection sitting neatly and quietly on a display shelf? Do you like nothing better than cleaning newly received items and placing them proudly among your collection? Are you filled with positive emotions when you look at the items in your collection? Do you love photographing items in your collection and sharing those photos with other collectors? Do love sharing your knowledge of the items you collect with other collectors?
If you've answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may have also answered the question, "Why do I have all this stuff?"
The answer is not, "because glass marbles are beautiful." That's certainly part of it, but the real reasons you collect have less to do with the characteristics of the items you collect and more to do with the active phase of the collecting hobby.
Think carefully about the items you choose to collect.
Not only can this understanding help hobbyists avoid the Collecting Crisis and feelings of confusion, disgust, embarrassment, and anger, it can help them engage in the hobby in a manner that provides the maximum level of satisfaction.
For instance, let's say someone has an interest in antique cars and considers collecting them. Unless she is a rich television host such as Jay Leno who is well known for his large collection of cars and other vehicles, maintaining such a collection will be impossible. In this case, the individual might consider collecting antique, factory photographs of cars.
Things to consider when choosing an item:
- Can I afford to collect these items?
- Do I have room to accumulate a collection of these items?
- How available are these items? Will they be too hard or too easy to collect?
- Are there other people who collect these items? How do I feel about that?
- What would be the social ramifications of collecting these items?
What if none of the facets of phase one are enjoyable?
If you find that you have a large collection of stuff, but you take no pleasure in the act of acquiring it, organizing it, looking at it, and/or interacting with other collectors, then it's possible that your motivation for accumulating items stems from deeper psychological needs. If upon reflection you find that phase two, having ownership of a large collection of items, is the main driving force behind your behavior, then I think an argument could be made that for you, collecting items is not a hobby. It is something else.
What is hoarding?
The excellent, free online resource WebMD defines hoarding thusly:
"When your junkaholic behaviors involve acquiring and keeping objects that appear to have limited if any value, and they begin to take over your living space, you meet the definition of a hoarder. Such people can't make a decision about the worth of anything, from food tins to tattered receipts, and over a period of years, they may accumulate mountains of "stuff" that can eventually leave them isolated and almost incapacitated in their own homes. Their possessions may cover their floors, couches, chairs, tables, and beds. They may have to wade through knee-deep piles of debris just to get to the bathroom. ...
In most cases, hoarders rarely look at the possessions they've saved, according to Fred Penzel, PhD, a Huntington, N.Y., psychologist and author of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders. Nevertheless, they feel some sense of security knowing that these items are there "just in case."
Hoarding is not a hobby one engages in because it is fun and enjoyable. It is a symptom of some form of (mental) illness. Ownership of things has become paramount. If you or someone you know is hoarding, get help. Start by talking to your family doctor.
As a long time collector, I know collecting things can be a fun and enjoyable past time, just like any hobby. People who enjoy collecting are also susceptible to burnout and getting carried away, just like with any other hobby. Taking some time to think about the collecting hobby can have huge benefits. I hope you choose to do so.
If you have any questions or comments about this article or collecting in general, please contact me at soupiestoyarchives@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Soupie
Toypedia webmaster
Resources:
http://clarity2010.b...ect-things.html ; Relax Max
http://ezinearticles...h...&id=2950472 ; MaryLou Driedger
http://www.horizonli.../why/index.html ; Diane Fricke
"Why Do We Like Old Things? Some Ruminations on History and Memory" ; Terry Shoptaugh
"Passionate Possession: The Formation of Private Collections" ; Marjorie Akin
http://www.webmd.com...le-hoard?page=2 ; 2003 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
Edited by Soupie, 08 February 2013 - 07:26 AM.