quote:

Only the obsessive compulsive or the insecure egotistical feel the need to collect things

- Wall Steet: Money Never Sleeps

From a sociopath's money based reality I can certainly see the point. My personal opinion is that these ultra greedy types that only find happiness in monetary gluttony have the least to offer socially or mentally. Now obviously there is some compulsion at work in the collector mentality and we have all seen the egotistical collector. None the less, all collectors will display both these and more amiable qualities in varying degrees. The main problem is that dismissing anyone's hobby is completely missing the point of a hobby. I would not enjoy climbing to a level of success that would require me to pit peoples lives against my stock performance. It only stands to reason that said CEO would also not enjoy a quite night at home wasting money and time on family, nature and sofubi.

I'M NOT CRAZY I TELL YOU! I JUST LIKE TOYS. LOTS AND LOTS OF SWEET, SMELLY TOYS

I agree.

Collecting "rocks", maybe. Safeguarding pieces of art, i wouldn't say.

...but they collect money...and houses...and cars...and power. Everyone collects something they just don't always recognise that they are collecting something.
How do you classify those people who collect things, sell them all straight away and start on something new? They are neither of those classifications.

Wasn't there some vinyl toy doc in which someone interviewed claimed that they linked "collecting and being a genius" somehow? Not that I'm a genius I just remember that clip.

Knew I was sick.

I dealt with an obsessive compuslive disorder to some degree at a very young age. From obsessive hand washing, object placement, anxiety over my bedroom being even slightly disorderly or not 100% cleaned-up in my mind, to an irrational fear of a fire potentially stemming from light switches and the compulsive need to turn them on and off until it felt "right" to prevent said fire. This had all occured from around ages 9-13, which is unusual.

I overcame most of my compulsions by age 14 or so. However, during and since that period of my life, I've collected everything from action figures, to comics, to cards, to fucking Sqeeze-It drink bottles with the little faces on them, and now as an adult, sofubi. My collections at any given time have always been fairly refined and focused, and I've always felt very in control over that aspect of my life. I would not label my collecting as compulsive, as I am very particular and selective, and can turn something down if I disagree with the price, condition, etc. However, I have pondered that maybe I've used collecting as a coping mechanism, as it is something that I feel very in control over, versus having seemingly no control over the compulsions of my past.

As an adult, I no longer deal with obsessive/compulsive thoughts and actions. I'm still very organized and I get a little anxious over clutter and disorder in my home, and that's about the extent of it. Sofubi stands as the longest running stint of collecting in my life thus far, and something I genuinely enjoy and love. I'm not stoked that I had to deal with OCD as a child... but if played a part in landing me here, in a way I am grateful. I love this hobby.

I have a system for naming files on my computer so that they show up in the order that I want to see them. No worries, brah.

Cool cool thread.
I'm actually 38 and as you I've started collecting US comic books when I was 12. In the 90's I decided to stop and started with vinyls (Lps, 7", hardcore and metal). Three years ago I went into japanese toys.
But I never considered comics, vinyls and toys as an hobby.
Maybe  painting is the only hobby I have.
Collecting for me is like an happy obsession: I found myself to check 15/20 times a day the words Pushead, Bullmark, etc. on Ebay or on YAJ. I call it obsession, an happy obsession.
This is me. 
When I was 16 my mom gave me some cash to go to UK and visit London for my very first time.
I remember that water and bread were the only things I putted inside my stomach for ten days but only God knows how many comics I bought on that trip...
20 years later I was searching a rare LP. Four years of search and nothing. On a metal forum one guy from Oslo posted some pics of my grail and said he wanted to sell it.
Dozens of bootlegs existed of that piece of vinyl but I knew how to recognize the original.
Unluckily pics were not enough to understand if that was the original one.
In less than 48 hours I was in Norway to check and buy that LP...
Collecting  is a mix of obsession and dedication.
It's an extension of our feelings, of our vibes and tastes. It's ourselves.
As always: sorry for my bad bad english...

Quote from a fictional character in a movie that had the idiot Lebeef.

No way. Collections are extensions of people's personalities.

god did that movie suck...

Thanks for the replies.

I''m going through some shit and I appreciate the discussion.
And yes, it was a lame movie.....

Off topic, but Frontline on PBS (one of my favorite news shows) is doing a 4 part series of the Financial Crisis/Meltdown and is definitely worth watching. Watched part 1 & 2 last night. Fuck that Money never sleeps Hollywood BS. The truth is much scarier than fiction.

As long as you define your possessions and they don't define you, I think you are fine.