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. LOL!

[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 :bigmac:

[jb143]

Here's the characteristics of hoarding according to the mayoclinic website (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hoarding/DS00966/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis):


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 (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hoarding/DS00966/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis):
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. :oops:

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

[wiggyx]

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.

There are plenty of instances where people hoard non-trash and even items that have actual monetary value. It's absolutely not about what you hoard, but rather why.

[Daria]

There are plenty of instances where people hoard non-trash and even items that have actual monetary value. It's absolutely not about what you hoard, but rather why.

You ever see the show "Extreme Couponing"? Perfect example of people who hoard useful items, with monetary value, in an organized fashion.

[Atarileaf]

There are plenty of instances where people hoard non-trash and even items that have actual monetary value. It's absolutely not about what you hoard, but rather why.

It seems in about 9 times out of 10 cases (at least in the hoarding tv shows) its the tragic death of a loved one, be it a child, parent, etc that triggers this need to cling to material items and never throw anything out.

[Ed Oscuro]

There are plenty of instances where people hoard non-trash and even items that have actual monetary value. It's absolutely not about what you hoard, but rather why.
You can be mistaken about why you hoard something. I could believe that I need to hoard propane tanks and ammo for the apocalypse but end up not helping myself because the apocalypse never comes and in the meantime I can't get around the house and have spent all my money. For a case like this, it is impossible to demonstrate that hoarding is going to be futile, which seems to be part of why it's so difficult to convince some hoarders to give it up.

lol, philosophy. We always find some angle into things like this to make it sound bad; if I tried to redefine hoarding as being based on other people's thoughts it's a problem (I mentioned that before), if I try to say it's based on the outcomes it's asking people to do something impossible, and ditto for saying that "why" it is hoarded that determines whether it is good or bad hoarding. :popcorn:

[wiggyx]

You ever see the show "Extreme Couponing"? Perfect example of people who hoard useful items, with monetary value, in an organized fashion.

No, I'll have to look it up. Thanks.


It seems in about 9 times out of 10 cases (at least in the hoarding tv shows) its the tragic death of a loved one, be it a child, parent, etc that triggers this need to cling to material items and never throw anything out.

Yup, it's all about very literally filling a gap and the inability to let go for a lot of them. Hoarding is a coping tool, unfortunately it's not a particularly helpful one :(


You can be mistaken about why you hoard something. I could believe that I need to hoard propane tanks and ammo for the apocalypse but end up not helping myself because the apocalypse never comes and in the meantime I can't get around the house and have spent all my money. For a case like this, it is impossible to demonstrate that hoarding is going to be futile, which seems to be part of why it's so difficult to convince some hoarders to give it up.

lol, philosophy. We always find some angle into things like this to make it sound bad; if I tried to redefine hoarding as being based on other people's thoughts it's a problem (I mentioned that before), if I try to say it's based on the outcomes it's asking people to do something impossible, and ditto for saying that "why" it is hoarded that determines whether it is good or bad hoarding. :popcorn:

Hoarding isn't a conscious effort though, like preparing for the apocalypse. These folks aren't trying to fill a house with stuff, it just happens are a result of their behavior. Even the folks that have been made aware of their hoarding can't help themselves. Behavioral problems like hoarding takes YEARS to work through. Talk therapy is a really useful tool for such things, but unfortunately insurance companies favor medicating people anymore since it's (perceived to be) FAR cheaper than years of talk therapy. Behavioral problems aren't physiological, unlike bipolar or ADHD/ADD, so meds may only mask the problem(s) for an amount of time. Without actually working through the WHY of the problem, the behavior will continue.

If/When the DSM recognizes hoarding as its own disorder, it'll likely get classified with the other anxiety-related disorders. It doesn't appear in any of the proposed revisions that I've seen for the 5th edition, so it may be another 10 years or so before it officially gets its own diagnosis (if it ever does).

[Ed Oscuro]

If hoarding isn't the result of a conscious process (like preparing for the apocalypse), how could anybody be a hoarder? Doesn't it seem to you that people who hoard things usually have some kind of story about why they are doing it? For example, "this could be useful someday." So if there is a part of their brain thinking something like "why do I have cages of dead and dying chicks in my house" then the Reason butts in with "THIS COULD BE USEFUL SOMEDAY! awesome"

We conventionally call things "hoards" that were consciously hoarded, don't we? And it's certainly possible to hoard things consciously. I have a few games that other people would like to own and I don't get much use out of them, so it's quite possible somebody feels I am hoarding them. Admit it, I'm a terrible person because I am keeping happiness and profit from other people. Commence the hand-wringing!

I think the issue here is that people have a (correct) common language notion of what words mean, but professionals want to butt in with definitions that suit their own purposes (which I have little problem with when you're talking about something as dysfunctional as the people seen on Hoarders, but it's still funny at least).

[Gameguy]

The difference between hoarding and collecting is whether your house would be featured on Hoarders or American Pickers.

[wiggyx]

Ed,

Hoarders know that they're saving, buying, not throwing crap away, but filling a house with that stuff to the point where it's a huge problem is not something that they're consciously planning or are able to keep themselves from doing. The same way some people with OCD need to wash their hands 50 times a day, or touch a doorknob 5 times before leaving a room, or perfectly align the forks in their drawers. They're aware of the action, but they don't have control over it, nor is it a conscious effort. It's an impulse caused by anxiety.

Many people that hoard or have OCD will readily admit that it's a problem, but that doesn't mean that they consciously make an effort to cause the affect that they do.


I don't know what you think is funny about it. Amusement at other people's expense and distrust in those that are trying to help (in this case, mental health professionals) are actually indicators of borderline personality disorder. Just sayin'.

[Gamevet]

They should have sold his games to buy the guy a house. He was living in a really small apartment.

[The 1 2 P]

Hoarding is when you keep acquiring a bunch of useless stuff(that you don't ever plan to sell) until it gets so unwieldy that you need to use a step ladder inside your house to get over it. Collecting is when that step ladder is made out of neatly stacked Nes carts. Or something like that:confused:

[Gamevet]

We've been duped. I noticed a few red flags when the different segments had games and hardware moved around and after looking at that guy's channel, it's pretty obvious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=medMsqnbmLA&list=UUILVN0x3-koiHHm3J_JtmSQ&index=6

[The 1 2 P]

We've been duped.

You obviously didn't read the first post of this thread.

[scaleworm]

"I don't know what you think is funny about it. Amusement at other people's expense and distrust in those that are trying to help (in this case, mental health professionals) are actually indicators of borderline personality disorder. Just sayin'. "

Funny as in let's make a television show about it, call it game hoarders?
OR, let's just call it Classic Gaming forum on Digitpress trying to justify collection stuff we can't eat, or wear to stay warm!

:)

[Gamevet]

You obviously didn't read the first post of this thread.

I didn't read the last line. ;)

I thought that was from a real episode of Hoarders, but then you see a Mario coin block in the doctor's office and piles moved around like they were setup for the next day of filming.

[PROTOTYPE]

This hoarding topic made me think about this as I look to keep adding to my collection. When do you stop? I have over 3,000 games and counting and they keep coming out with better games. My wife thinks I'm obsess with this so call hobby of mine.I hate to say it, but sometimes it just feels as good to get that game in your collection over just wanting to play it.Yea, sounds sick to me too.As for the money? I'm OK but we could used the money for other things like anybody.What is normal when it comes to game collecting? When are you to old? When do ever have enough? My games are all on self's and being displayed but I'm running out of room. So,now some are being store away is that normal? Is this hobby consider normal as my friends think why have all this crap? just download the ones you want to play...People just don't get what its like to play and collect games and probably never will. Watching You-tube videos of people's collections and think to myself what the? How do guys really feel about this?:roll:

[RetroRich]

This hoarding topic made me think about this as I look to keep adding to my collection. When do you stop? I have over 3,000 games and counting and they keep coming out with better games. My wife thinks I'm obsess with this so call hobby of mine.I hate to say it, but sometimes it just feels as good to get that game in your collection over just wanting to play it.Yea, sounds sick to me too.As for the money? I'm OK but we could used the money for other things like anybody.What is normal when it comes to game collecting? When are you to old? When do ever have enough? My games are all on self's and being displayed but I'm running out of room. So,now some are being store away is that normal? Is this hobby consider normal as my friends think why have all this crap? just download the ones you want to play...People just don't get what its like to play and collect games and probably never will. Watching You-tube videos of people's collections and think to myself what the? How do guys really feel about this?:roll:

I have a list of every game i want for each system I want to collect for. When i finish the list, i'm done. If you don't have a specific goal, then I don't think it ever ends

[Daria]

Watching You-tube videos of people's collections and think to myself what the? How do guys really feel about this?:roll:

I don't understand the videos of people showing off their collections. I mean, I like looking at photos of impressive collections now and then, but to watch a 10 minute video of someone showing off the games they own is just so damn boring to me. I'd much rather watch gameplay, review, or a skit.

Unboxings baffle me too. But people seem to really enjoy that stuff.

[IHatedSega]

I don't understand the videos of people showing off their collections. I mean, I like looking at photos of impressive collections now and then, but to watch a 10 minute video of someone showing off the games they own is just so damn boring to me. I'd much rather watch gameplay, review, or a skit.

Unboxings baffle me too. But people seem to really enjoy that stuff.

People want to live vicariously through people who want to get attention and show off. Works out good to me.

[scaleworm]

People want to live vicariously through people who want to get attention and show off. Works out good to me.

"Reality" TV is what they call it. (I don't have cable and do not "watch" TV nor sports, have not done so in almost ten years now, and it feels really good. I have no time for it.

Unboxings... they are kinda silly really.

Oh well, people do what they do to feel good, and who is to say that feeling good, at no one else's expense, nor discomfort, or pain, is bad?

Similar to some bloggers showing off treasures. Some folks dig it, while others, not so much.

I like games... They are a unique form of hobby, like vinyl or books/comic books, (as well to me) that has (all of them) artistic merit, design merit, and a pleasure principle. They do cause the user, or collector that spends time with them, a sense of relaxation and "personal being".

Victorians used to collect snail shells, or skeletons, or hunt for game trophies in game rooms of Elk, Kudu, Elephants. They collected tea cups and saucers, now folks collect jewelry, art, Elvis Plates, Beany Babies, cars, cards (all kinds), CDs, Speakers, etc...

I think we as humans have a natural innate tendency TO collect.

We are hunter Gatherer scavengers by design after all (Omnivore dentition, stereoscopic vision, bipedal, weapon use, etc...). When we became civilized about 10,000 or so years ago, we started to farm, our families grew, and we started to collect goods for personal use, or for trade: Commerce is born, civilization flourished.

It is natural, and fun to have a collection hobby. Some people do, some people do it a lot, and some people frown upon it.
We have a certain, unknown amount of time on this planet. Life is what we make it, and we need to enjoy our own, again, if at no on else's cost or harm though, as this is it Y'all.

My only current issue is space, but then I do work on my house, and plan on building a large personal room, dedicated to my "audio/video/game" collection to more fully enjoy them. :)

We are who we are.

Don't think too much about it (again, as long as no one gets hurt) just Enjoy yourself.

http://youtu.be/7jAAft_Kjjc

[Daria]

"Reality" TV is what they call it. (I don't have cable and do not "watch" TV nor sports, have not done so in almost ten years now, and it feels really good. I have no time for it.

Unboxings... they are kinda silly really.

Oh well, people do what they do to feel good, and who is to say that feeling good, at no one else's expense, nor discomfort, or pain, is bad?

Never said it was bad, and I also can see why people make the videos. Everyone wants a little attention now and then. I just don't fathom the appeal of watching them, again I just think its boring. But other people obviously enjoy it because those channels get subscribers. Oh well.

[Pete Diak]

nice collection none the less.. even if he does walk on his stuff

[PROTOTYPE]

About You-tube videos, I was watching this certain auss channel and he was building on to his house so he could fit in more games, TVs, Arcade machines, ect The guy has more stuff [ me want ] then he could ever play in a life time! He got a little mad when I ask how he could afford all this stuff? Well over 200,000 dollars and he said.... I been collecting for over 35 years! This brings up another point, If money was no object? Would you or could you stop? Maybe not watching this... @_@

[wiggyx]

I don't understand the videos of people showing off their collections. I mean, I like looking at photos of impressive collections now and then, but to watch a 10 minute video of someone showing off the games they own is just so damn boring to me. I'd much rather watch gameplay, review, or a skit.

Unboxings baffle me too. But people seem to really enjoy that stuff.

This. I don't care for it one bit and I don't have time to watch a 10 minute video of someone talking about their stuff.

[AlphaGamer]

.........................

[Atarileaf]

I've kind of gotten away from "pickups" or "finds" videos. I did enjoy them just to share what interesting things I'd find, classic gaming wise, with the youtube gaming community. I've noticed lately that some are half an hour to an hour, or even more. I just don't have the time to sit through an hours worth of stuff from yardsales and ebay. If I can't commit that much time to a tv show, I'm not going to do it for a "pickup" video.

Frankly, I'm getting a little tired of making videos at all lately. I do a lot less than I used to. I just don't seem to find it as fun as I used to.

[Ed Oscuro]

We've been duped. I noticed a few red flags when the different segments had games and hardware moved around and after looking at that guy's channel, it's pretty obvious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=medMsqnbmLA&list=UUILVN0x3-koiHHm3J_JtmSQ&index=6
I left a comment like "I saw it on YouTube, it must be true" and got a reply back saying it's "reality television" and so on. Had to explain it's not reality TV.

I didn't really watch the segment but I noticed straight away the grainy and poorly white balanced video was not what you'd see on daytime TV. Not to mention the use of the name "Hoarders" and "Intervention" in the video title / description, while it obviously has no connection to either of those series.

[xelement5x]

I've kind of gotten away from "pickups" or "finds" videos. I did enjoy them just to share what interesting things I'd find, classic gaming wise, with the youtube gaming community. I've noticed lately that some are half an hour to an hour, or even more. I just don't have the time to sit through an hours worth of stuff from yardsales and ebay. If I can't commit that much time to a tv show, I'm not going to do it for a "pickup" video.

Frankly, I'm getting a little tired of making videos at all lately. I do a lot less than I used to. I just don't seem to find it as fun as I used to.

I personally can't stand finds videos, I'm not going to invest a couple of minutes (at least) unless it's something ridiculously rare or unheard of.

However, I love flipping through finds threads with images when people do them that way. Pictures plus how/where they found it and maybe how much someone paid is neat to see. It doesn't take long to read and absorb, and it's also fun when someone makes a great score. I also get my interest piqued for a lot of titles I've never heard of by seeing them pop up on a finds thread.

[Tron 2.0]

I've kind of gotten away from "pickups" or "finds" videos. I did enjoy them just to share what interesting things I'd find, classic gaming wise, with the youtube gaming community. I've noticed lately that some are half an hour to an hour, or even more. I just don't have the time to sit through an hours worth of stuff from yardsales and ebay. If I can't commit that much time to a tv show, I'm not going to do it for a "pickup" video.

Frankly, I'm getting a little tired of making videos at all lately. I do a lot less than I used to. I just don't seem to find it as fun as I used to.
I can't say i am a big fan of pick up video's either.Now ive watched yours but there not to long so i don't mind them one bit.Still others ive subscribe to can have really long ones,and after awhile i get bored and i just skip to the end.That's to say i never seen the point to one at all.The same also can be said for unboxing video's if any thing there for bragging rights.