From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

Primetime Live's piece on obsessive compulsive packrat behavior featured a woman who had been unable to throw anything away for years due to a psychological problem in which she feared she would be losing something of extreme value. Her home was littered on every horizontal surface with a disorganized mess of used fast food containers, most notably. They called this "hoarding."

There was no mention of Y2K, but my suspicion is that these editorial decisions were made in hopes of further discouraging folks from stocking up. This subliminal technique allows them to get their message across without being held accountable for having explicitly instructed folks to not prepare.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), December 25, 1999

Answers

LOL! Then might I assume that in all fairness they showed the rations "hoarded" in the White House basement as well?

Related thoughts on the hoarding verses stockpiling dichotomy, and mental illness:

Hoarding and stockpiling are not psychiatric terms, so it is amusing to me that the media looks to this godlike field for its understanding.

In order to meet the diagnostic criteria for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV, by the American Psychiatric Association, one needs to view one's behavior as irrational or at least extraordinarily excessive.

Compulsive behavior in lay terms is the inability to stop the repetition of a behavior which one believes is excessive or unreasonable. The compulsion relieves the psychological distress generated by obsessive thoughts.

If my stocking up is viewed by myself to be a reasonable response to a potential threat, then I do not meet the criteria for OCD, regardless of Primetime's opinion that my stocks are excessive. Their opinion is irrelevent for making a diagnosis.

Webster defines hoarding as the transitive sense of hoard which is:

Main Entry: 1hoard

Pronunciation: 'hOrd, 'hord

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English hord, from Old English; akin to Gothic huzd treasure, Old English hydan to hide

Date: before 12th century

: a supply or fund stored up and often hidden away

---So what? Now my shopping patterns are criminal and immoral? That is just plain stupid. The government/media's obsession with my shopping style, and their compulsion to monitor, manipulate, and control my shopping style, in order to relieve the distress they experience by their obsession with how they potentially have f*#ked up societies chances at preparing and surviving y2k, is closer to meeting OCD criteria IMHO. I would further suggest other diagnostic labels more befitting, but I digress.

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), December 25, 1999.

This is why it's best to march to the beat of a different drummer.

Do what you need to do, and don't worry what the neighbors think. It is after all your life and as far as anyone knows this is your only shot at it.

If you live your life doing what others think is right, then you've miss the whole point.

-- Mabel Dodge (cynical@me.net), December 25, 1999.

I didn't see the segment, but am a little concerned. Was this filmed using a hidden camera? Did the woman have a black and white cat? No? Good. Wasn't me. Oh wait.. I don't do fast food... couldn't have been me.. no simalarities at all. Nevermind.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), December 25, 1999.

Oops! That's it folks! We're all fruitcakes...time to get rid of our 'hoards'...including our savings accounts! };-]

-- Satanta (EventHoriz@n.com), December 25, 1999.

It's criminal, all of those people hoarding money in the banks like that. Wait, can't the banks be held as accessories to the crime? Oh my god! And Greenspan is the leader of this vast conspiracy because he doesn't want us to take out our money!

-- wondering what (it.is.all@about.com), December 25, 1999.

I saw this article too. It reminded me of the glory days of the Soviet empire when they believed that anyone who held an opinion contrary to the State was insane. How could it be otherwise? The State loves you. The state cares for you. The State knows what's best for you. Surely anyone who disagrees with the State is self destructive, and this is a clear sign of mental illness.

In its infinite compasion, the State institutionalize the poor victims where they could get the professional care the needed: Electo- shock, drugs, and "re-education".

Surely this is just like those poor, sick, "hoarders" in the US. The Federal Government loves them and only wants the best for them. Since they are clearly mentally ill ("Didn't you see the article on 'PrimeTime Live'?"), then the all caring State must take care of them, and protect them from themselves.

Geez!

-- Holly Douglas (hollydouglas@hotmail.com), December 25, 1999.

I saw the segment on tv. The woman was "hoarding" old hair from the drain, used bandaids, garbage (decaying food on paper plates.) This was not stockpiling unused supplies. Part of her treatment was to go through and organize - including categorizing things by easy, medium and hard to throw away. I don't think that unused items were to be discarded.

-- anon (anon@anon.calm), December 25, 1999.

Hmm.. hoarding drain hair. Definitely WAY worse than me. Still.. I went to one of those living history demonstrations a couple of years ago. You know, restored old house. People in period dress demonstrating old time ways. There was a little ceramic container on the dresser of the mom-n-pop's bedroom for saving HAIR from when the lady of the house would clean her brush. The menfolk would use the long hairs for fishing. Those of us in our JIT/throwaway lifestyles find it difficult to relate to prior (or possibly future?) times when people didn't have the luxury to throw things away unless there was absolutely no use for it whatsoever. Be careful what you scoff at. God has a wicked sense of humor.

-- Linda (lwmb@plsn.com), December 26, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

Well, I haven't saved any drain hair, but I have done something the hoarding police might lock me up for... I go to my favorite hairdresser a few times a month (whenever I'm in the neighborhood and have time) and volunteer to sweep up, and then keep the hair. I'm saving it all in a big garbage sack. Reportedly it makes a good garden varmit deterant, for deer, especially... I'm not sure I'll use it, though... I might prefer to attract these animals and eat them.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), December 26, 1999.