What's the difference between "collecting" and 'hoarding"?

[jleon92f]

It is something to do when I retire. Fix all the electronics I have stored.TT's too.
Great hobby!
It is nice to rotate out another tt to listen too every so often.

Thanks,
John.

 

[Hyperion]

There have been some emotional responses in this thread - and it's not surprising. There is something very 'male' about collecting things, who as a child (especially a male child) has not collected something in their youth?

You know the sort of thing:-
Model cars, Model aeroplanes, Cigarette cards, Tea cards, Stamps, Rocks, Fossils, Magazines, Birds eggs etc - you name it...

Collecting stuff like this, and the memory of the pleasure it gave us to do so, often carries over to adult life. (sometimes seamlessly !)

So here we are guys - somewhat helpless in the midst of something inbuilt, and some of us sometimes loose control over. We love to collect - even if we are not actually certified hoarders.

Enjoy

 

[willyrover]

Collections are put together with rational thought. Items are held, touched, examined, displayed, organized, and the collection is constantly being "weeded" and improved.

Hoards are made up of items that are acquired without much rational thought then quickly forgotten...sometimes literally buried by other items that are acquired.

If you can't spot the difference between a collection or a hoard....you are probably a pack-rat.

 

[Spellbinder]

Collecting = Having a goal or goals set, knowing what you want and knowing when to stop. Also knowing when it's time to let go of something.

Hoarding = no goals, impulse buying, letting things sit there collecting dust, no purpose, not knowing when to stop or when it's enough, unwilling to let anything go, sacrificing anything else in life just to get that next piece.

Collections are put together with rational thought. Items are held, touched, examined, displayed, organized, and the collection is constantly being "weeded" and improved.

Hoards are made up of items that are acquired without much rational thought then quickly forgotten...sometimes literally buried by other items that are acquired.

If you can't spot the difference between a collection or a hoard....you are probably a pack-rat.

These two explanations make the most sense to me.

 

[PoppaSteve]

I'M a collector.

YOU'RE a hoarder.

There, isn't that simple? Unfortunately, a lot of people see things in that way too black-and-white manner.

And it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the actual amount of the item collected/hoarded.

(For the record, I really am a hoarder. Just ask my wife.)

 

[reggaenaut]

I don't care how hard you were going at it, there were still turntables available on ebay or elsewhere for anyone who 'needed' one.

Beyond that, where do you draw the line? Some people have more money than others. Some have more property (real estate) than others. Somebody always has more of something than someone else. So now who, exactly, gets to decide how much of anything people are allowed to have? What's the exact number or amount? What a bunch of nonsense.

Seems with the recent fascination with hoarding (which I can only assume is spurred by the TV show) has created whole group folks who now want to pass judgement on those who collect things. The whole notion of people being denied the use of something because someone else is collecting is a lie, and has now become a myth that just keeps getting repeated endlessly.

As stated in my earliest post here. I'll manage my house. People need to manage their houses.

There is this concept that I am responsible for my brother in all things. I believe this is a bad projection.
Recently an Aker posted that he was foolish when he had the oppurtunity of buying 2 Pioneer RT707 for $20 apiece and only bought one. I replied that he was considerate. After I posted I realised I had erred. He later explained that the second one would have been handy for spare parts.

Ruminating I conclude he owes no OBLIGATION to another consumer.

To emphase how foolish my post was: I have THREE Sony 6060F receivers. I really love this model Sony receiver and they are all 40+ years old. Spares and backup...nice! Am I inconsiderate?

 

[jhinkel]

The difference for me is that collectors care about each individual piece they get and use it for some greater purpose. For example I'm a collector. I use each piece I get as a learning experience about how to repair stereo equipment and how electronics work. That, and repairing audio equipment is an awesome thing that my dad and I love to do together, so for me, it's not about how many pieces I have. It's about the great experiences and increased knowledge that comes out of them!

 

[Ohighway]

:yes: I think it is a good idea to buy a spare or two of your main equipment...one never knows when disaster will strike, and you need to get back up and running. (happened to me just last week!) And it is natural to upgrade something you already have. It is also understandable to try to complete a series of some brand of equipment that you like.
But, just grabbing everything that comes up...like owning 40 turntables and storing them in the attic or garage...is just keeping them from someone else who needs one.

Spares = good. Desire to upgrade is pretty universal I'd think. Indiscriminately grabbing everything up serves no purpose that I can see. Just my opinion.

Or on the flip side, it's giving them a break from regular use and preserving them to be enjoyed by the next few generations. Viewed this way, it's a service. Just not one intended to benefit us today

Very interesting point and one I agree with. I think back to some of the items I acquired and a majority came from homes where they were sitting unused, many for 30 years or more. And thanks to that they have avoided the wear and tear they would have suffered had they been in constant use. I'm genuinely thankful that the previous owners held on to these things for as long as they did, otherwise they wouldn't be there for me at the point when -I- was looking for them.

Apply that notion to the things I now own, but aren't in regular use. I have stuff.... lots of stuff. I make no apologies. I'm retired and my plan is to enjoy, repair, rotate pieces in and out of systems, etc. over the next 20+ years. I've acquired items , but also sold and even given away items. The important thing to note , however, is that all this activity has and will happen on a schedule that I dictate, not what someone else dictates.

Maybe that offends somebody that wants one -right now-. However, I'm sure that some time down the road, whether 20 days or 20 years, when I decide to part with an item, the new owner will be glad I got rid of it WHEN I got rid of it.

 

[ta131js]

Collecting is what I do.
Hoarding is what other people do.

 

[SA-708]

I have decided to sidestep the whole "collector" vs. "hoarder" issue, and refer to myself as a "curator".

 

[terra1]

I like this because it agrees with my view ... nothing wrong with that ...

Collecting = Having a goal or goals set, knowing what you want and knowing when to stop. Also knowing when it's time to let go of something.

Hoarding = no goals, impulse buying, letting things sit there collecting dust, no purpose, not knowing when to stop or when it's enough, unwilling to let anything go, sacrificing anything else in life just to get that next piece.

Collections are put together with rational thought. Items are held, touched, examined, displayed, organized, and the collection is constantly being "weeded" and improved.

Hoards are made up of items that are acquired without much rational thought then quickly forgotten...sometimes literally buried by other items that are acquired.

If you can't spot the difference between a collection or a hoard....you are probably a pack-rat.

These two explanations make the most sense to me.

I can see why. Tidy, black & white. No accounting for individuals to be a little of both. No middle ground where it can confuse. Just the right tone needed to imply the other person is unworthy. Yes. It does fits in with your expressed feelings and concepts easily.
.
However, if we strip the judgment, then we have:

http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/collector
col·lec·tor Listen to audio/k??l?kt?/ noun
plural col·lec·tors
[count] 1 : a person who collects certain things as a hobby
? He is an avid stamp collector. ? The painting was purchased by a private collector.
2 : a person whose job is to collect something (such as trash or money)
? The trash collectors came early today. ? a tax/bill/debt collector

http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/hoarding
2hoard verb
hoards; hoard·ed; hoard·ing
[+ obj] : to collect and hide a large amount of (something valuable)
hoarding money food.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoarding
Hoarding or caching is a general term for a behavior that leads people or animals to accumulate food or other items in anticipation of future need or scarcity.

So a collector or hoarder could be good or bad based on how we want to portray them.

We can villify or praise them to our advantage.

Stripped down even further:

Collecting is what I do.
Hoarding is what other people do.

It doesn't get any simpler than that.

 

[jeremyjustic]

I think this is an easy one. if you have a functioning kitchen and bathroom then you are a collector, if you have so much gear you have to sh!t in a bucket outside , you are a horder.

 

[melofelo]

I think that as long as you enjoy what you have...that's all that matters.

Whilst i may not see the purpose of someone collecting or possessing 60 turntables...i always appreciate any advice they can give based on the experience they have gained as a result...and in many ways that variety of experience is a great benefit to the hobby as a whole.

whether your a 1 system guy...or 10 systems float your boat...If you think the relentless "collecting" "hoarding" or "upgrading" of audio equipment is dangerous....make sure you stay clear of any shop that sells slotcars !

 

[sheltie dave]

The estate sale high flying goodies were gone - the B&W 801 Matrix 2s and Parasound amp and preamp, but there were still plenty of opportunities for hoarders.

I had my eight year old helping so we picked up...
Eric Clapton Crossroads 4 album collection
Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat
John Mayall The Turning Point
Heart Dreamboat Annie
James Brown 20 Alltime greatest
Alan Parsons Best of I and II
Head East Flat as a Pancake
RickieLee Jones RLJ
Sonny Clark Trio SCT
Billy Holiday Love songs

all for a twenty. And to think, I'm never going to sell them, and will only listen to them a couple times a year...it's a crime against nature, I tell you!

 

[frankxbe]

Hugh Hefner is a hoarder. Wish I was one.

Yea I really like The Hef's collection, hoard, harem bunch of cute bunnys , employees ,girlfriends , babes
or whatever you want to call them

 

[Ohighway]

You need more copies of those !!!! They make very comfortable bedding. Also, you need to figure out a way to set up 40 turntables to play simultaneously, cause if you're not using them somebody is gonna get mad.

Gotta go. I need to use the plastic bag and mason jar..... errr... I mean I need to use the bathroom.

 

[Windup]

People who call others hoarders fail to see the value of their collections. I usually set people like that on fire with my mind. Hehe.

 

[ta131js]

Two pics to illustrate my point.

Pic #1 - hoarding (my wife) :nono:
Pic #2 - collecting (me) :yes: :thmbsp:

 

[terra1]

The difference is attitude: A primer ... live it, own it, be it ...

and two pics to illustrate my point ...

Hoarding

Charlie Sheen
Poster child for Hoarders everywhere ... Of Goddesses and Excesses

Admiration: Winning instead of being a victim ... Winning not whining. The scoreboard doesn't lie ...

Attitude: I'm not getting my proper allocation of goddesses and excesses all because of Charlie!

A satire of Original pic Source: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...a=X&ei=7h22TojmGcGnsALluu3IDw&ved=0CC4Q9QEwBw


Collecting
Jay Leno
~ 100 cars + ~90 motorcycles

Admiration: Jay Leno's a Collector and Car Enthusiast

Attitude: Conan may rightfully think Leno's hoarding the Tonight Show. It should have been mine!

A satire of Original pic Source:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...a=X&ei=8ym2TtnpKoq1sQLeodXLAw&ved=0CDUQ9QEwBw

What's the point? A sense of humor.

 

[Duckzilla]

Audio collectors dust and polish their vintage cassette decks that aren't in use; audio hoarders have petrified cat poop on their Quads....and I'm not joking.