Why Do We Keep Stuff? September 13, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Art & Photography, Mindfulness, People.comments closed
We went to a Think and Drink at the South Florida Museum last night ~ “Why Do We Keep Stuff?”
We left before the conversation really got off the ground (because we had to go home and check on our stuff), but the moderator tossed out lots of good questions for consideration:
* What does our STUFF say about us?
* Why do Museums curate collections?
* Is a Library a Museum?
* What can we learn about others from dishes and pottery shards?
* How long should we hang onto relics from the past? Forever?
Most animals in the wild don’t hang on to stuff. Even if they had opposable thumbs to help them “hang on,” they don’t seem to have the need or desire to cart a bunch of stuff around from point A to point B.
They just are as they are. And that’s enough. For them.
What about us? Why are we different?
What makes us hang on so tightly to objects that have outlived their usefulness? Why to we have Junk Drawers (and Garages) overflowing with stuff, stuff, and more stuff? With caps missing bottles? And bottles missing caps?
Why do we collect things?
What types of things do we collect? Antiques, Teddy Bears, Diaries, Pottery, Art, Zebras, Paintings, Santas, Cameras, Political Buttons, Cars, Shoes, Clothes, Old Letters, Jewelry, Books, Movies, Music, Baskets, Bowls, Fiesta Ware . . . outdated electronic Gizmos.
When did we start collecting? What makes us expand our collections? Is it the thrill of the hunt for one more trophy? Or something else?
Perhaps it’s the desire to connect the dots from Past to Present to Future?
What say YOU?
Or, better yet, what do your DISHES say about YOU?
Related posts: Life and the Concept of Clutter (All That Matters) * Junk (WP Daily Prompt)
Spirit Lights The Way 