When two worlds collide - Toy collection as an addiction

[Mr. Green]

so there is such a thing as an organized hoarder

 

[Darth Snoopy]

True!

To defend myself, I wanted to get my stuff.




Hell no! I even checked the community before opening this thread.

You're sure he didn't have a couple of other "guests" in the other room?

 

[The Ween]

The only difference between a hoarder and a collector is deltofs and organization.

And dead cats.......and bags of feces......

 

[mr.thrifty]

Last time I invite you over to my place!!!

 

[crows]

He couldn't even be bothered to oprn the door, he left a key for you to let yourself in. He's obsessed with more then just toys. But as far as calling him a weirdo, isn't that what others think when they see our collections. Who are we to judge?

normal people probably look at hot toys collectors and have the exact same reaction as OP.

"300 dollars for a dolly figurine? no saving? no spending it on traveling the world or buying a house?"
"do these people have mental issues?" "are these men just grown kids mentally that never matured" "

and my favorite: "these toy collecting neckbeards probably live in their mom's basements and drink nothing but mountain dew and eat nothing but mcdonalds"

 

[The Ween]

normal people probably look at hot toys collectors and have the exact same reaction as OP.

"300 dollars for a dolly figurine? no saving? no spending it on traveling the world or buying a house?"
"do these people have mental issues?" "are these men just grown kids mentally that never matured" "

and my favorite: "these toy collecting neckbeards probably live in their mom's basements and drink nothing but mountain dew and eat nothing but mcdonalds"

And you'll find that these guys spend thousands a year on something that they're into. They just don't see where it's the same thing.

 

[willocrew]

It's not the hobby. It's the person. And for them, it's all about uncontrolled indulgence in escapism. If he wasn't into comics and toys, he would be into drugs and alcohol.

All of us are guilty of a little bit of escapism, whether it's gaming or collecting sideshow/hot toys stuff. And for the most part it's fine, and even healthy because it affords us some mental respite from everyday crap we have to take.

The thing is most of us are able to control ourselves and are able to put our careers/studies and loved ones at a higher priority. Some people cannot.

Sometimes you can only hope that they wake up from their dream world and start living life a little.

Collecting isn't a way of life. It is just a small part of life that you hopefully can enjoy in good physical and financial health.

 

[HulkCollector]

You stood in a room with strangers for 45 minutes with not a single word spoken. Hmmm. Not sure who is strangest in that scenario.

Haha, quoted for truth.

 

[HulkCollector]

And ignore them for 45 minutes.

Haha, yes.

 

[crows]

And you'll find that these guys spend thousands a year on something that they're into. They just don't see where it's the same thing.

some things bring more joy than others, generally speaking.

I remember reading this article where they were saying that human beings find the most joy and happiness out of experiences rather than out of material things.

doing fun things with families and friends bring more joy to a person than buying stuff, specially because your memories of those events will get better with time but the material stuff will break or deteriorate.

like, spending 2 thousand bucks on a trip with close ones will bring more fulfillment and satisfaction to that person than spending that money on shoes or handbags or plastic dollies

that's what the experts on the subject were saying anyway. but, if you think about it, it does make sense

 

[Cap'n Cook]

Bizarro.

 

[The Ween]

some things bring more joy than others, generally speaking.

I remember reading this article where they were saying that human beings find the most joy and happiness out of experiences rather than out of material things.

doing fun things with families and friends bring more joy to a person than buying stuff, specially because your memories of those events will get better with time but the material stuff will break or deteriorate.

like, spending 2 thousand bucks on a trip with close ones will bring more fulfillment and satisfaction to that person than spending that money on shoes or handbags or plastic dollies

that's what the experts on the subject were saying anyway. but, if you think about it, it does make sense

Actually, I'm talking about people who spend thousand of dollars on sports tickets, cars, trains, anything, but collecting something for the same or even less money, they can't understand.

My brother has spent a ton of money for his model trains, but thinks what I buy is silly. He calls them knicky-knacks or dust collectors.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Actually, I'm talking about people who spend thousand of dollars on sports tickets, cars, trains, anything, but collecting something for the same or even less money, they can't understand.

My brother has spent a ton of money for his model trains, but thinks what I buy is silly. He calls them knicky-knacks or dust collectors.

No offense meant, but any adult still playing with toy trains definitely should not be casting stones. Buying a figure or toy and putting it on a shelf for decoration is one thing, but those "model" train guys actually play with that stuff. To me, that's no different than getting down in the floor with your GI Joes and making pew pew noises.

 

[DiFabio]

You got balls for meeting the seller in person. I'd never do that I don't think, too weird. I don't want to see where I'm getting my stuff from, especially if a crazies on the other end. I recently sold something on ebay to someone 15 mins away from here for the first time and meeting up with them didn't even cross my mind.

While I can't relate to ignoring you for 45 mins, telling you to let yourself in, yelling at you for coming in with your shoes on, playing video games like a robot or being divorced because of my habits, I do think my collecting has become hoarding and a bit of an addiction. For the past year and a half I really haven't bought too, too much (my 1/6 purchasing definitely dwindled), but I have accumulated in excess. The thing I have a problem with is a focus. I got vintage figures, 12", a couple of 1/4, 7", Hot Toys, NECA, Sideshow, Hasbro, even ****ing Lego. It's gotten to the point where I'm way past having room to display everything, especially with all those boxes. I look around and think, "what have I done, do I really need all this stuff?" I have sold quite a bit, but I do personally think I have way too much. I'd definitely think it's an addiction, especially around this time of year. It's tough to resist when there's so much new stuff that draws my interest.

There are some pieces that mean a lot to me out of nostalgia, sentimentality and such, but 70% of my collection is frivolous crap. Best example I'm currently grappling with are mass produced action figures. Why have I bought the last couple of waves of McFarlane Walking Dead figures? I like the show and the characters, but do I really need the figures? I don't even open them, I have a stack from Wave 3 to now that I've looked at maybe once. I just recently found the latest wave and bought them but had almost immediate buyers remorse. There's a lot of **** I do this with too, and I don't think it's exactly normal. I should cut back and I know it.

 

[The Ween]

No offense meant, but any adult still playing with toy trains definitely should not be casting stones. Buying a figure or toy and putting it on a shelf for decoration is one thing, but those "model" train guys actually play with that stuff. To me, that's no different than getting down in the floor with your GI Joes and making pew pew noises.

There are ALOT of guys around here who do. For one thing, trains are big in my area. My town, as small as it is, was on the German maps to be bombed because so many trains came through here. I still can't go across town without having to wait on a train, even though I can drive through it in less than five minutes and several tracks have been taken out. We have two overpasses and four underpasses. We have people come from all over just to photograph the trains.

I've seen some really impressive layouts. My brother is into N gauge scale and his whole set up can be lowered from the ceiling of his "man cave". My father used to have HO scale trains. They're still here actually.

 

[The Ween]

You got balls for meeting the seller in person. I'd never do that I don't think, too weird. I don't want to see where I'm getting my stuff from, especially if a crazies on the other end. I recently sold something on ebay to someone 15 mins away from here for the first time and meeting up with them didn't even cross my mind.

While I can't relate to ignoring you for 45 mins, telling you to let yourself in, yelling at you for coming in with your shoes on, playing video games like a robot or being divorced because of my habits, I do think my collecting has become hoarding and a bit of an addiction. For the past year and a half I really haven't bought too, too much (my 1/6 purchasing definitely dwindled), but I have accumulated in excess. The thing I have a problem with is a focus. I got vintage figures, 12", a couple of 1/4, 7", Hot Toys, NECA, Sideshow, Hasbro, even ****ing Lego. It's gotten to the point where I'm way past having room to display everything, especially with all those boxes. I look around and think, "what have I done, do I really need all this stuff?" I have sold quite a bit, but I do personally think I have way too much. I'd definitely think it's an addiction, especially around this time of year. It's tough to resist when there's so much new stuff that draws my interest.

There are some pieces that mean a lot to me out of nostalgia, sentimentality and such, but 70% of my collection is frivolous crap. Best example I'm currently grappling with are mass produced action figures. Why have I bought the last couple of waves of McFarlane Walking Dead figures? I like the show and the characters, but do I really need the figures? I don't even open them, I have a stack from Wave 3 to now that I've looked at maybe once. I just recently found the latest wave and bought them but had almost immediate buyers remorse. There's a lot of **** I do this with too, and I don't think it's exactly normal. I should cut back and I know it.

I've always had big ideas that never came through all my life. Things have never gone the way I wanted them too. My collections over the years, or even decades has shown that. Long story but, between getting sucked in at an early age into my mother's business to taking care of a sick parent and now with my mother, nothing has gone the way I wanted. Now I have a lot of things still in boxes and it's caused a lot of fights with Mom. I've had to stop buying things that I really wanted and I'll be selling off things that I've never gotten to enjoy. Stinks.

 

[GeneralZodLives]

I'd say I'm addicted to collecting. I'm always thinking about my collection and what I'd like to add to it or how I want to change my displays. Always looking for deals on pieces, which usually leads me to other pieces I didn't know I wanted until I found a deal on it. Running out of room and have a storage building for boxes, comics, and pieces I don't have displayed. However, I'm not spending money I don't have and my wife isn't ready for divorce yet so it hasn't gotten out of hand. I don't spend money on other things if I want to use it for buying a collectible. I'd like to think I'd be able to pull back if collecting started to become a problem, but I'm sure a lot of people with problems say that

 

[KingGrayskull]

Really appreciate all your answers! Didnt expect people to talk so honest about their collection and if it is already an issue.

 

[Mr. Green]

good thing Mr. Green got a humble collection.

 

[toylion]

Since my collection has been in storage for the past two years I haven't really been buying anything. Till recently. Preorder a few figures I never thought would be made. Rocketman being the main one. I do miss my collection, but have learned I can live without it. Doesn't have an plans to sell any of it. Still hoping one day to have room to display it again. (Been rent s room for two years). I just look back at when I did have most of it on display and got to enjoy it. Don't regret the money I spent on it either.