Published on 12, July, 2020
I was wondering today if this is an autistic thing.
I've spent several decades collecting objects and the last decade+ trying to rid myself of the majority.
However, I have given up on the idea of ever being minimalist.
I notice that I remember where everything came from, even, when purchased, which shop in which town.
I try not to be sentimental about things, but sometimes I can't help it.
My mother, who I believe was autistic, was a hoarder in quite an extreme sense.
My autistic friend finds it very hard to part with belongings.
Everything has an association.
Are others like this and are there contributors here who are genuinely minimalistic and don't have an attachment to things?
I just Googled feeling that inanimate objects are alive, having feelings, as this is something I experience.
I found this article.
I haven't read it myself as I'm just about to go out but will read later:
https://adultswithautism.org.uk/autism-feeling-sympathy-for-inanimate-objects/
It's dated 2015, so possibly there is now more up-to-date research.
this is exactly what I was trying to describe with the clothes shopping as a child experience and not wanting to reject items as it would hurt their feelings. obviously I knew they were not sentient beings :) but it's a feeling that happened. no logic. I'm not 100% sure this isn't still here in a way. I've bought both a car and a bike in the last couple of years that I knew were not up to scratch but felt some kind of sympathy for them, like they're underdogs. it's hard to describe. interesting link!
I have those feelings but I try to keep it in check. For me it's empathy that I feel for everything. I have to be careful in charity shops because I want to rescue everything and worry about where it will end up (especially if it doesn't sell, will it go to landfill?) I actually care about some things more than I care about people and I've realised that's not how mainstream society feels so I don't express it. I wouldn't even say it's a sentimental thing, like I don't have to have had a history with something to feel empathy for it and want to take care of it. It's not as strong as objectphilia though, like the person that married the Eiffel Tower, which is associated with synesthesia (But I'm not sure if I experience synesthesia.too. How are you meant to know if your experience of things isn't normal or average, apart from trying to gauge how other people feel).
Snowman said:this is exactly what I was trying to describe with the clothes shopping as a child experience and not wanting to reject items as it would hurt their feelings.
This reminds me of a technique used in Japan when it comes time to throw old or damaged clothes in the bin.
They say "thank you for your service" and bow to the item before throwing it out - a very nice and respectful touch. I have to say I started doing this now.
I do the same with classic cars, I feel sorry for them and can see how they once would have looked. I’m definitely a Bagpuss and love watching The Repair Shop, all the items have a history and mean a lot to the owner. I have a tote bag I use for shopping, only a supermarket one, I came home one night and my wife had packed it with things for her sister to take home to Devon, my wife saw my face and that I was getting anxious. I still have the bag and now keep it in my car.
I suspect we both share this 'oddity' then.
I knew I'd read somewhere on this thread someone feeling similar to me, but couldn't find it.
Thanks for coming back about it.
Fascinating stuff.
(My second post has a more up-to-date link to a paper on the subject).