When is it considered hoarding vs collecting?

[RetroRich]

I came across this video on youtube today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rbOs46Sc64

I'm wondering, if he had all those games neatly organized, would he be viewed differently? It seems to me like the difference between a hoarder and a collector is how they store and display what they own. Do you think this is accurate?

btw, i realize that the video is a parody, but i wouldn't be surprised if there are video game collectors actually like this.

[Daria]

I was going to say disorganization as soon as I read the topic title. Also hoarding has the connotations of being a "disability" so beyond simply having a nice shelving system it would also depend on how the collection affects the person's day to day life. Does the collection "control" the person, or is it in some way damaging to their physical, emotional or social wellness?

[Lerxstnj]

Yep! It's all in the shelves!

Oh, and if there are candy wrappers and garbage mixed in with your games... you might be a hoarder!

[Damaniel]

Here's how I see it:

• Are you trying to complete a full set of SNES games and display them in a prominent place in your (well-organized) gaming room? Then you're probably a collector.
• Do you buy every copy of Madden '95 and Shaq Fu you see at Goodwill, regardless of condition, just because? You might be a hoarder.
• Do you do the above and just throw it all around the room in giant piles? You're definitely a hoarder.

At least game hoarding is a few steps above those people on Hoarders who hoard their poop. Seriously, that's messed up.

[wiggyx]

It's hoarding when it hinders your ability to function as a "normal" person and/or has a measurable, rational negative impact on those close/in proximity to you.

Hoarding isn't a mental health diagnosis of its own, but rather a symptom of any number of behavioral disorders like OCD.

Essentially, when it's a problem, it's hoarding. When it's not, well, it's not.

[CatTehBus]

I also think the condition of what their collecting has alot to do with it, if they just had a bunch of useless garbage laying around their probably hoarding it. But I think you can still collect crappy sports games and not be a hoarder, you just collect crappy games sure

[scaleworm]

Collecting games, but not having the current lifestyle to play them all (as one is freaking working working working all of the bleeding time, making ass-loads of cash), but do have them and continue to collect them as one is fully intending on either:

1. Opening a store, or party haven with them when one retires, or
2. Playing them before one dies, after one retires and is sitting on one's hoard of games AND cash, or
3. Doing it because it feels good, and because you have fun doing so, and it hurts no one at all, or
4. Just doing it because you love gaming, and game collecting, and dammit who give a flying F@#k what anyone else thinks about what one does for fun?

[scaleworm]

I was going to say disorganization as soon as I read the topic title. Also hoarding has the connotations of being a "disability" so beyond simply having a nice shelving system it would also depend on how the collection affects the person's day to day life. Does the collection "control" the person, or is it in some way damaging to their physical, emotional or social wellness?

As in falling on them, crushing them to death? or, keeping them trapped in their domicile so that they starve to death as they can no longer find their abode's exit ?

[Atarileaf]

There was an actual REAL episode of Hoarders where a young guy had several video game strewn though their filthy house with the rest of the garbage. One of the early ones IIRC.

And as others have said, it turns from collecting to hoarding when it gets beyond your control and it affects other aspects of your life.

[Daria]

As in falling on them, crushing them to death? or, keeping them trapped in their domicile so that they starve to death as they can no longer find their abode's exit ?

Lol. Yeah, sure. Actually Wiggy's post better articulates what I was trying to say.

[Rob2600]

1. There are gamers who collect games they enjoy.

2. There are gamers who collect games they speculate will increase in value.

3. There are gamers who pick a broken Intellivision out of someone's garbage, bring it home, and add it to the nine broken Intellivisions they already have sitting in a pile.

[homerhomer]

Thought it was real at first (facepalm)

Personally, I think hoarding is when there's no quality control going on with one's collection. I think that there should be standards to one's collecting, while this can sliced anyway one wants to there should be some type of wall of control.

Oh and if you're hiding your gaming collection, that's probably not good. !

[LimitedEditionMuseum]

Hoarders don't really have a focus subject. They hoard, not collect. They hoard trash and everything else. This is just a sloppy nasty gamer.

[jb143]

The difference is psychological. Most collectors I'm sure would be able to part with some of their collection if the price (or trade) was right...or if they had to, for example, to pay for their kids surgery or something. A hoarder would have extreme separation anxiety to part with even the most worthless in the worst condition part of their "collection".

[Polygon]

It's hoarding when it hinders your ability to function as a "normal" person and/or has a measurable, rational negative impact on those close/in proximity to you.

Hoarding isn't a mental health diagnosis of its own, but rather a symptom of any number of behavioral disorders like OCD.

Essentially, when it's a problem, it's hoarding. When it's not, well, it's not.

Exactly!

It's not simply about organization. That is the perfect definition. Just because you're collection is neat and organized doesn't mean it isn't having a negative impact on your life.

[scaleworm]

1. There are gamers who collect games they enjoy.

2. There are gamers who collect games they speculate will increase in value.

3. There are gamers who pick a broken Intellivision out of someone's garbage, bring it home, and add it to the nine broken Intellivisions they already have sitting in a pile.

But but but..... what if I am going to FIX them (sometime, in the future, maybe, if I can find them again....0.

[Ed Oscuro]

It's hoarding when you go to the Retrogaming Roundtable and define hoarding so you aren't doing it.

I'm a hoarder, no doubt about it

[jb143]

Here's the characteristics of hoarding according to the mayoclinic website:

To diagnose hoarding, mental health providers check for three main characteristics:

- Acquisition of a large number of possessions that others would consider useless, along with an inability to discard them
- Having an overly cluttered home or living spaces — so cluttered that living spaces can't be used as intended, such as not being able to sleep in your bed, take a bath in your tub, or prepare food in your kitchen
- Having significant distress over your hoarding or difficulty accomplishing your daily activities

[Greg2600]

So according to Mayo, video game hoarding would only be if you collected only EA Sports games?

[Ed Oscuro]

Here's the characteristics of hoarding according to the mayoclinic website:

I like how the right opinion of what's useful is defined by "other people." Like doctors.

So according to Mayo, video game hoarding would only be if you collected only EA Sports games?

Video gamers aren't doctors or "other people" so their opinions don't count.

I think the rest of their criteria make sense though (including the second half of the first one).