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January 05, 2004
hoarders and collectors
dave and i discussed this at lunch. there could be a great documentary in this.
- the different types. collectors of collectables. people who hoard things. there's a difference.
- the fine line/gray area between pathology and eccentricity (as the article says).
- things that keep people from crossing that line, like having a lot of space (my grandfather, dave's father); living with someone else who won't allow it (me with my mom when i was growing up, my grandfather)
- i think this is probably a modern phenomenon, post industrial revolution
- if that's true, did these people have a role in society before that's atrophied now? if they see qualities in physical objects that others don't, were they perhaps shamen? seeing the gods in everyday objects?
- i wonder about my neighbor who is a minister and who i suspect may be a bit of a junk collector.
- do certain professions, personality types, etc tend to have a higher preponderance of collector/hoarders? you hear these legendary stories about developer offices.
- clean sweep, the behaviors that the organizers point out in people that they don't notice are non-functional (and why do people like to watch clean sweep? i find it quite satisfying, but i'm not entirely certain why.)
Posted by lisa at January 05, 2004 12:56 PM | TrackBack
Comments
i think i like to watch 'clean sweep' for the same reason i like watching 'what not to wear' or 'trading spaces' or any other "before and after" show.
because it's all about someone making a big, dramatic transformation in their lives. it's not necessarily because they'll have a more beautiful house in the end (or a more beautiful wardrobe or whatever) though i certainly admit that this is a good deal of the appeal but i am always fascinated by how these people's lives have changed by simply changing their environments.
i loved watching the holiday special of 'queer eye' because we got the opportunity to follow up with these people who had undergone a big transformation... i was fascinated to see how many (or few) of them actually embraced the change in their lives and how many went back to their old ways.
Posted by: christa on January 5, 2004 04:57 PM
man, oh man do i love queer eye. i don't subscribe to cable so i have to wait for the odd occasion that it comes on network tv. like last night!
Posted by: Joy on January 5, 2004 06:05 PM
Have you seen Agnes Varda's recent documentary "The Gleaners and I?" It's not so much about hoarding and collecting as it is about picking through detritus to find stuff you really, really want (or need).
Posted by: rick! on January 6, 2004 11:52 AM
rick, thanks for the recommendation-- i haven't seen it, but it's now at the top of my netflix queue.
Posted by: lisa on January 6, 2004 12:53 PM
invite me over to watch it with you when it arrives... it sounds interesting!
Posted by: christa on January 6, 2004 04:26 PM
A Gentle Madness -- http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805061762/ -- is a book about, loosely speaking, bibliophiles. I say loosely: one was an infamous (in library circles) thief who managed to repeatedly steal things out of numerous University collections (like Duke's Rare Book Room, to name someplace close to home). Another, not a thief but filled with hubris, built a huge library in Texas. Not all are collegiate examples, but I can't remember any others: I loaned the book to someone whom I am absolutely sure is not a book thief. :)
Posted by: Joseph H Vilas on February 13, 2004 12:01 AM
ok, so a) your comment won't post right away because i have to approve it first and b) you might get a server error but your comment probably posted anyway and c) previewing doesn't work so i've removed the preview button.