At the start, there was just an object. It may have been purchased, inherited, or obtained long ago and never parted with. Somewhere in time this object ceased to be just an object but became a symbol of something more, something larger than just itself. Its appeal is more than visual pleasure or functional satisfaction; it gratifies in some way that is unseen. Over time this object has been joined by other objects which meet, exceed, or build upon this fancy. The group of objects is called a collection, the addition of objects, the actions of a collector. But neither the addition of objects nor the actions taken are the foundation of a collection itself.. The foundation of a collection lies in its meaning.
So why do I fancy these objects so? what motivates me to pursue them?
Simply, it just happened to be one of things I’ve tried to get my hands full at and my money allotted at, so as not to divulge into something I know i would regret for the rest of my life.. You see, It was march of this year, when out of my desire to find some diversion while my partner was working overseas, trying to earn extra money for her family.. I cam across to this Toy Collecting Hobby..
Even before this new found hobby of mine, I’m already an avid collector of anime movies, original soundtracks, paper arts, and memorabilia. But the impact that this toy collecting has brought me is too overwhelming for me to just take it out of my system at an instant. I did told myself, “as for the interim, I’ll better stay in this thingy, rather then using my money for other monkey businesses”
But never did I even deemly forethought, this would turned out to be something that I’ll helplessly get hooked up to, well hopefully for the next few years, or might even be for the rest of my life.. if all resources would permit me.. and now I find myself asking the these questions again..
So why do I fancy these objects so? what motivates me to pursue them?
Occasionally, I try to figure out the answers.. and lately I realized, because this meaning is invisible it is difficult to articulate, it is both unseen and unsung it, and people with the same passion as me, can be too easily devalued.
Collectors are seen as quirky, strange, crazy and/or self-indulgent. Even the collectors themselves often devalue their own actions and objects. At some toy forums that I’m participating with, some call their mass of objects ‘junk’; they’ll call ourselves ‘wacky’; they mock ourselves in our wacky pursuit of more junk. Perhaps if we knew why we did what we did, we’d see more value in what we do.
Primarily, most collectors will answer the question “Why do I collect these things?” with “Because I like them.” But this is not a real answer. Without getting overly philosophical on the limitations of such statements, let me share with you a little something I learned from my college professor called Aesthetic Response.
Aesthetic Response is defined as: A person’s cognitive and affective response to a work of art.
At first, this only meant to me that my professor would not accept statements such as “I love this painting” or “I hate this music.” I had to say what I loved (or hated) and why. I couldn’t say “I like this painting because it’s blue and I like the color blue,” I had to say why I liked the color blue and what it meant to me based on my value system and experiences. At first it sucked. But then, eventually, something clicked.
Here was a chance to get into my own gut and say what I felt, valued and had experienced. Here was no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer, but a process — a challenge for me to speak about what mattered to me and why. And a chance for me to participate in a larger conversation about what others felt, valued and had experienced. In these conversations we didn’t always agree, but all those who really participated learned something.
I happened to have the same opportunity with my collection.
As personal as each motivation is, there is a larger context for each collection as well. Sure, future generations can learn something about me from my Anime Toys. But my collection also preserves something larger than ‘just’ my individuality and my personal history; there is also a cultural significances to be seen. Hopefully my collections would somehow preserve a period in time and illustrate the values of that time. They could also provide connections and insights to others.
My answers may not be the same as those of another who collects the same objects, for my values and experiences may be quite different. In fact since my values and experiences drive and shape my collection, they may be vastly different than that of another who collects the same objects.. and I think It would even make your conversation more interesting?!
And so, my collection itself and the motivation behind it may seem small, individual, wacky, and self-indulgent — but if you really think about it, these collectibles I have happens to be just a part of a larger collection, a larger context, a larger conversation..
