this post was submitted on 09 Dec 2024
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[–] [email protected] 32 points 2 days ago (2 children)

It's funny, but more realistically, a hoarder at this mangetude usually has strong emotions tied to items. It can be that it reminds them of something or someone, or they feel a huge amount of guilt at even the thought of tossing it. Could be guilt of climate change or guilt of the item's purpose being wasted. It could be as simple of being afraid of being in a situation and needing one again.

Even the hoarders that explain their horde by way of earning money (this will be worth something) is just using it as an excuse to horde. They tend to like the idea of what it could be and enjoy imagining the project, but don't actually enjoy the action of doing the project. The connection to hoarding items is hoarding the imagination of it, and having the physical thing makes that imagining much more real to them.

Still, it's a funny comic.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

There's a really good YT channel called Midwest Magic Cleaning, who cleans hoarder houses for free. He talks a lot about the "potential" of an item vs it's current value.

Hoarders will keep an item because it has potential, but the item will never "actualize" that potential. Thus the current "value" of the item is just taking up space

He also talks a lot about the emotional attachment, as well as the actual panic disorders that can be triggered by someone attempting a cleanup.

The comic is funny, but it's not really a good representation

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA 10 points 2 days ago (2 children)

we still have grandpa in a box in the garage because my mother refuses to get him an urn or go sprinkle him over the lake he liked. he's followed us through three houses and I'm concerned I'm going to inherit grandpa.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well, this just took an interesting turn.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA 3 points 1 day ago

I can't wait for the moment I get to introduce him to my niblings. "Hey cats, this is your great grandfather. Treat him with respect, change his box twice a year."

[–] Evotech 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

At least you can sprinkle grandpa then

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA 2 points 1 day ago

Yeah but how much of him? Both of his husbands got ash we can pretend are him and put him in urns. It's a family tradition now to go out to the garage, look up in shame at the box of grandpa as you grab five popsicles just for yourself.

[–] [email protected] 84 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Due to inflation 10-20M is worth about 60 cents today.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 days ago

That much ?

[–] someguy3 37 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

I know it's just a comic strip but I don't think that's the thought pattern behind trash accumulation.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Real thought process for this when it's ADHD:

"I'll take care of this when I get up."

Forgets to take care of it when he gets up

[–] BugleFingers 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There's that and the "this could be useful later" mentality. Things like empty cans, bread ties, old computer bits, loose tools etc. And though I'm not even close to hoarder (more of a minimalist) saving some stuff has really come in handy, like old cables or aforementioned bread ties

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Every tech geek got that box of old cables just because they might need one at some point.

And I for sure keep some extra bread clippy things around because I like them more than the twisty ties. But they also break a lot.

I also have a bunch of random crap in my drawers. I am organized in so far as everything has a place; but the place itself isn't organized at all and, like, my nightstand drawer is just a box of random bullshit with 3 or 4 things I use daily. I got a bunch of those little pin-like things that go in Crocs. I don't even have Crocs. 😭

[–] Noodle07 7 points 2 days ago

Today I cleaned the last 6 month supply of empty ritalin pill boxes, felt great! Can't wait to pile up the next 6months supply

[–] Landless2029 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] someguy3 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You don't typically hoard trash, you hoard stuff. Trash accumulation is more from depression.

[–] Klear 19 points 2 days ago

Stuff has a funny way of turning into trash when you're not looking.

[–] puck2 2 points 2 days ago

But it's a joke

[–] [email protected] 42 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Ah - my depression era grandparents never threw things away. One reason: they could re-use the object if it were durable enough. And they did.

By the '80s (maybe earlier?) they were complaining about the culture of trash. Their survival instincts were telling them to save and re-use. Their shiny new culture was telling them to throw that shit away.

I won't link it, but an image can be found easily. Right now I'm looking at a New Era Potato Chip canister that lives in my office. (It's weird - seriously, google it. "Feast Without Fear.") It's still good for storing things.

[–] logicbomb 12 points 2 days ago

I save things expecting to reuse them, but then I am disorganized and often can't find them. Often with little computer accessories. So, even if I do need to reuse a dongle or cable, I can't find it and order a new one anyway.

I am glad that I am not the type of person who collects items thinking they'll increase in value, or I'd probably become a full blown hoarder.

[–] roofTophopper 4 points 2 days ago

My pops would keep all his old underwears because to him, they made great rags to clean off the stove and dry the car after a wash.

The first time my friend helped me wash my dad's car, he just stared at the underwear like he was on some alien planet.

Get to drying, dum dum.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 days ago (3 children)

A modern example of an exception is Smart Water. The value in the product is almost entirely the lightweight, durable bottle with a common threading.

[–] Bach37strad 2 points 2 days ago

I used to buy the glass Voss bottles and reuse them. Made one into a bong once.

[–] serpineslair 4 points 2 days ago

Hell yeah! The water itself tastes like shit imo, but that bottle is wonderful!

[–] someguy3 3 points 2 days ago (2 children)

In what ways is it useful?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 days ago

As the other user said, I found them from backpacking for roughly the same reasons.

Subsequently I've found them to be extremely convenient whenever I travel. They fit into a vehicle cup holder, will last months with daily use, and are cheap enough that I don't care much if I lose or abandon them. If I'm flying I can buy them at the destination. They're lightweight, durable, disposable, and easily replacable across the US.

At home, regular life, I avoid the cost and waste with Nalgene & stainless steel. My oldest Nalgene is thirty years old, my oldest stainless steel a third generation hand-me-down that's eighty years old. This is the way.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

I use two of them for backpacking. The Sawyer (and a number of other) water filters screw onto standard threads, so I can use 1L potable and 1L non-potable when I'm on shorter trips and not using my gravity bag.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Not how mental illness works, but go off, I guess.. 🙄

(but don't really, this kind of bullshit only deepens stigma and misunderstanding of how it does work, and makes those who suffer feel even more alienated)

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

how does it work? ive only ever seen the really bad scenarios on those sensationalist tv shows and i think thats what most people are exposed to tbh.

[–] Anticorp 17 points 2 days ago

They don't know, they just wanted to criticize.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 days ago (10 children)

Pretty uncool to be making fun of people with a mental disorder.

The person depicted in this comic is clearly a hoarder and is clearly drawn to be visually reminiscent of a Neanderthal or another less evolved variant.

Hoarders need help and treatment, not made fun of.
...But I guess punching down is how people have fun.

[–] yokonzo 30 points 2 days ago (9 children)

Homie that's just the art style, look at how fucked up the professor dude looks. No one is saying hoarders are Neanderthals but you

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[–] LesserAbe 8 points 2 days ago

That's not what I read here at all - it says "I should keep this." Many of us have an urge to keep things, and in many cases we're justified in doing so. Every person has had the experience of evaluating whether or not to keep an object, and I would guess most people have come up with specious reasons to tell themselves they should keep a thing. Hoarding is just taking that to the extreme. Because this comic is recognizing a tendency in one's self it seems completely misplaced to say it's punching down.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago (5 children)

If the people who need this kind of help see the comic and get upset maybe it will spur them to get the help.

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