Addiction?
Again and again, I see model horse people refer to the hobby as an addiction. And as my last post implies, people in the hobby do seem to spend beyond their means, which might be one sign of addiction.
As addictions go, is it a harmless one? Are we hurting ourselves?
Or is our brand of collecting not a true addiction (in the sense that it's aberrant), but rather just another symptom of the buy-buy-buy, spend-spend-spend culture in which we live?
Thoughts?
As addictions go, is it a harmless one? Are we hurting ourselves?
Or is our brand of collecting not a true addiction (in the sense that it's aberrant), but rather just another symptom of the buy-buy-buy, spend-spend-spend culture in which we live?
Thoughts?
posted by Leslie M-B at 8:22 PM
2 Comments:
I think mule_chick hit it right on the head. I spend but my models are not my number one priority. If the need arose, I would part with my horses (though I hope that day never actually comes). Just like with ebay-a-holics and other addicts, there are different levels of addiction.
I do think that there are multiple reasons behind model horse collecting. There is the girl who grows up crazy about horses, but is never able to own one because of financial, career, educational, family, physical disabilities, or "life" reasons. There is also the artistic person who loves beautiful sculpture and art. And, honestly, who could possible afford such a stable of multiple breeds in real life? With model horses, you can have a ginormous string of ponies. However, I do believe that model horses fill a need in some way.
I have loved model horses since I was a child, but was only allowed to have a few. OK 10. When I grew up and my children went to college, I began collecting again because I had the time and money to buy real beauties, but also missed those lovely creatures in my home. I found that I had a tendency to collect "cute" ponies. I dreaded the old lady syndrome of collecting Hummel China figurine children, but perhaps model horses are indeed my Hummels!
At any rate, I cannot measure the joy they give me, painting them, making holiday set ups with them, hoping they win a ribbon here or there etc... They are beautiful and I love looking at those beauties no matter what the reason.
I think the danger lies in those that spend absurd amounts of money just to be competitive and win a few ribbons. If collecting makes you happy, why not, just know where to draw the line so its not stupid and ruins your finances or your relationships.
I support small shows because people like me with a few horses can show locally, and not have to spend money and travel hundreds of miles to show. If I have to do that, I'll get a real horse!
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