" It's a byproduct of a capitalist and materialistic society."
You may be on to something here.
However, I wouldn't call it a 'byproduct', it's the MAIN product. What would be the main product, if this is just a BYproduct?
In any case, I think this show and these people exemplify the endgame of materialistic path.
When you don't have spiritual basis or core from where to live your life, or on which to build your existence, you are lost. These people got lost in materialism, other people get lost in drugs and other attempts to gain some kind of pleasure.
In the end, I wonder if it's the same thing - seeking pleasure, seeking something to fulfill yourself without understanding where true, spiritual satisfaction comes from. I mean, hedonism can come in many forms; food, hoarding, drugs - it all seems to be the same thing to me. The disease is the same, only the manifestations and symptoms change and vary.
When you are basing everything, even your identity, on materialism, selfishness is the only way through which you live your life.
If you learn to be selfless and spiritual, you can make the choice to give up the materialistic, selfish crap and help others.
These people don't know how to 'take the pain'.
I have experienced many addictions, I have had phases in my life during which I used alcohol, smoked cigarettes and indulged in very unhealthy food in enormous quantities, I would probably not have been that far away from hoarding, either, but I have something within me that makes it possible to give up things and to go through pain to reach my goal.
I guess I have something people call 'willpower', that has helped me go through all kinds of pains - I just decide to 'take the pain' and I can go through withdrawal symptoms, things I know are going to be physically, mentally and emotionally painful and devastating without any support or encouragement from people, and so on.
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avortac4 (3449)
2 years ago
It's amazing to me that these things can't sit down, think things through, realize what's ACTUALLY important, realize what they NEED to do, and take the 'pain' as a kind of adventure they never experienced before, something new. They know what it is like to have lots of hoarded crap, they DON'T know what it's like to NOT have it, so it should be possible for it to become an excting adventure into the interesting, unexplored unknown.
There are things you can do to not fight addiction, but to USE addiction to go to the direction you want to go. It has to be real, but you can do it - you can anticipate pain and withdrawal, so when it comes, you know what it is and you can go through it.
There is a strong spirit within you that can keep going even if your body is aching or your mental or emotional side is screaming of agony. I know what it is like to crave something so powerfully you can't think straight, and yet not do it because you decide to do something else instead, and your will is what matters, not what your body wants.
You are like a director of your life, where actors are grumpy and complain, try to strike and go against your will, and you have to get it all together and make them do your bidding, you have the power to make everyone obey and eventually work for your vision, not any instant gratification.
Of course there are moments of weakness, and you may need to use 'psychological tricks', like enjoying breathing fresh air more than that heavy feeling of smoke tearing your lungs apart, or enjoying the sober clarity more than the intoxicating feeling of your brain on confused disorientation or depressing delirium.
In any case, it seems like these people are identifying with trash, and not willing to take those few minutes to think what's real and what's important, and that they could help others, and to let go and go on this new adventure. It can be hard to 'let go' sometimes, but these people need to realize that they HAVE to let go eventually anyway.
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avortac4 (3449)
2 years ago
No one can take their hoarded crap, money, wealth, accumulated crap like that with them when their body dies. You can't take your mug collection with you when you leave this world, so why not get rid of it earlier? You have to part your materialistic possessions at some point anyway, you might as well do it earlier than you have to.
The thing is, there are many kinds of 'parting'; you can own a fancy car without attachment to it, you can 'let go' of something while still having and owning it. You can let go mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and then it doesn't matter if you own it or not - the IMPORTANT 'letting go' is not the physical part, as important as it seems due to hygiene and other practical reasons.
If you can let go internally, the external letting go is just a routine, almost symbolic, just a practical matter anymore. If you can't let go internally, you can explode the whole building and your problem still won't be solved, you will just start over and do it again and soon you will be in the same situation again.
Our attitude is often more important than the topic/thing itself.
It's the internal that -causes- the external. You could even say, the external is just a symptom of the actual sickness, which is always internal first.
So the hoarding itself is not _THE_ problem, it's the outcome of the problem. The urge and decision to give in to that urge to hoard is the problem.
I don't think it can get quite to this point without some kind of mental breakdown or letting yourself go internally beyond a point of 'common sense'.
However, these people seem to be too afraid of pain, too afraid of change, and listening to their fears too much. They could make the decision to just take the pain, go through and confront their fears, and find a new and better life. It's amazing how many people they have in their life supporting and wanting to help them, and yet they remain selfish and materialistic.
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avortac4 (3449)
2 years ago
This proves that 'friends, relatives and people in your life' are NOT the solution.
The only real, lasting solution to ANY problems like these is always going to be internal, a spiritual insight would heal most of problems of this type. Then it's all about endurance and going through the difficulties and pain.
Hoarding is an interesting thing, it's like a phase an imbalanced spirit has to go through to find themselves and their true selves.
It's sad that this world has so many problems like these that could be preventable, and into which so much money is poured; money, that could be used to help people that are much worse off.
I begin to notice these hoarders are pretty darn wealthy and lucky; they have actual -houses-. Most people on this planet can't afford that kind of lifestyle. Of course poor people can't be hoarders, because they can't afford it..
If we look at people that are worst off in this world, these hoarders start to look like selfish, rich, first-world donkey orifices that do not deserve the help and attention they're getting, and who get to live in extremely luxurious circumstances.
I guess their luxury is turning against themselves.. they get to live in a house, but they RUIN that lifestyle instead of reveling in it or optimizing it or making it as great as house-living can be. What I or most non-hoarders could do with that kind of circumstances.. how amazing a lifestyle people could have if they were wealthy enough to live in a house!
No noisy neighbours, no annoying smells of disgusting 'foods' or cigarette smoke and booze smell from other balconies, stomping parties upstairs or animalistic noises in the hallway, or messing up the garbage place or breaking the ordinances or messing up your laundry turn... what a luxury it is to live in a house, and these idiots ruin that luxury.
They should be just left to their own devices so karmic justice would bite them as hard as they deserve to be bitten.
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