# Collecting Is Dangerous

Source: https://www.theminimalists.com/collecting/
Published: 2012-08-08
Updated: 2024-06-12
Author: The Minimalists

---

Collecting material possessions is not unlike hoarding. Take it from two former hoarders—ahem, *collectors*—of stuff. The word *collector* just sounds nicer.

No matter how hard we try to hide behind euphemisms and other semantic trickery, though, the truth will always find us. Don’t believe us? Look it up. *The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus* lists the following synonyms under the first definition of *collection*: HOARD, pile, heap, stockpile.

It’s strange: there are myriad TV shows, websites, and clubs all dedicated to collecting things—not *creating* things, but *collecting* them.

We don’t believe there’s anything inherently wrong with owning material possessions, but we do wonder why so many of us *collect* things: why do we give our belongings so much meaning?

The things we collect become elements of us: our collections become part of our identities. But what happens when we take away our collections—are we not the same beautiful people?

Actually, when we jettison our superfluous possessions, we discover [we’re already perfect](https://zenhabits.net/perfect/)—beautiful through and through.

Subscribe to The Minimalists via [email](https://theminimalists.com/subscribe/).