"During the holiday season, it becomes all the more apparent that we are all awash in useless stuff. From the once-a-year seasonal outfit to ornaments without sentiment, trinkets we soon discard, and gag gifts that don't make it past opening day, the world pushes us to buy more of it all - stuff that we don't need and, frankly, don't really want. This puts us collectors in a troubling spot."
"There's not just nostalgia and dopamine-chasing in our collections; there's something bigger and better. As John Laroche, the protagonist (and thief) in Susan Orleans' The Orchid Thief, puts it, "It's not really about collecting the thing itself ... It's about getting immersed in something, and learning about it, and having it become part of your life. It's a kind of direction.""
Holiday consumption produces many useless, sentimental, and disposable items that flood homes during the season. Collectors who seek carefully crafted figures, special edition media, and signed posters pursue more than nostalgia or dopamine; collecting can create immersion, knowledge, and life direction. A curated list of meaningful items emphasizes connection with art and lasting value over gag gifts. Recommended items include a crisp 4K restoration of an Orson Welles noir with special features and archival material, a Target-exclusive Tron soundtrack vinyl scored by Nine Inch Nails, and a George Oliver storage unit for arranging vinyl and blu-rays.
Read at Inverse
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