Day 86: Collections Are Just Another Way to Display Your Greed

I don’t get collections. That is to say, I do not understand the motivation behind why people collect things. While I am a bit of a packrat, I’ve never been the type to collect any particular item. As a child I tried in vain to become a collector. For a while it was TV Guides, later it was bottle caps, I even tried rubber bands, but nothing really stuck. I know, hard to believe a girl couldn’t get enthused about rubber bands and bottle caps. It’s not that I really ever wanted to be a collector, it just seemed that everyone else enjoyed it and I felt like I must be missing something. My brother collected baseball cards, a friend collected dolls, another hoarded marbles, there was a vast array of collectibles on every street of our neighborhood and yet I felt only confusion as to what the hell the fuss was about.

As an adult I’ve gotten over my need to fit in with the other collectors, but I still maintain the wonderment at why people do it. Some collections I feel are just socially irresponsible in a gluttonous way. For instance, I recently saw a video about a classic car collector in Florida who has a large warehouse full of Corvettes, Impalas, Camaros, and various other classic cars. Rarely are these vehicles ever driven, they sit instead, in this warehouse that acts like a museum for visitors to come and marvel. Keep in mind that this is one man, not an actual museum and in my opinion the sheer dollar investment in these cars is tantamount to obscene wealth and gluttony.

Of course, each person has a right to do with his or her wealth as he or she sees fit, but it you have that much money I also believe you have a responsibility to help the greater good. We all need to do our part and the idea that one person has a warehouse full of cars that no one drives while other people do not have food to eat or a place to live is horrific to me. When did we become so isolated as to not notice the needy around us? Yes, there are those who simply choose to beg rather than work, but for every one of those people there are scores of working poor who, despite full time jobs still cannot afford rent or childcare. When one has so much, shouldn’t we be ethically bound to give to the needy?

Call me a socialist, I’m okay with that. The world is no longer an us against them venture, we live in a global society and as such it is each of our duties to do what we can to help. If you collect TV Guides, no biggie, but if you have a half million dollars worth of collectibles that sit on shelves or are parked in a warehouse maybe you should reexamine your priorities. Even if your collection is a bit more low-brow the money invested could likely find a better target. My brother, for instance, collects DVD’s. He used to rent, but because he is a procrastinator, his late fees to Blockbuster reached rather ridiculous levels and so he just started to buy any movie he wanted to watch.

Today, he has several hundred DVD’s and since he rarely goes to a movie, it means if he wants to see it, he will buy it. In some ways this is fine, but when you consider that there have been months when funds weren’t exactly plentiful you have to ask if perhaps instead of buying five movies, a bill could have been paid? Then again, it’s none of my business right? True. I admit I am judging the rich and poor alike for their shared habit, but even so, I just don’t get it. The closest I’ve come is in my Steelers gear, but even that is relegated to used items. I have a couple of license plates which are used, a mug, a Terrible Towel, a few hats, shirts, and a jersey – all items that see regular use. I stop at having an entire room filled with thousands of dollars worth of memorabilia that simply line the walls or sit on shelves.

For me, collecting is just a waste. If classic cars are your hobby, why not buy one, fix it up, then sell it and buy another. Why the need to keep a stable full of them? Do you really need an entire room devoted to your favorite team when your kids might not have a single dollar in their college fund? And what’s wrong with sacrificing a little of your disposable income to helping someone in need? I regularly give to the needy as does my husband and we have a rather limited income (blame me, I’m still jobless), so for those with lots of extra cash and lots more sitting around your house in the name of collectibles I say shame on you. Ante-up, times are changing and greed is no longer good, Gordon Gekko.