[78-L] Subject: Re: Collecting vs. 'Investing'

[Margaret Still]

From: "Margaret Still" <mgstill at bellsouth.net>
> Though there aren't too many women with the record collecting drive, I 
> don't think the impulse is different in men and women.
>
Steven C. Barr wrote:
Interestingly enough...I wonder if "the female of the species" in fact has
the same innate urge to "collect"...regardless of WHAT is being
collected...than does the male? NO sexism intended here...but keep in mind
that I am NOT entirely sure that the "collect" urge/lifestyle is fully
understood by those whose assigned task is "figuring out" us humans...?!

Having spoken to MANY "collectors" (not only of 78's!), I would estimate
that about 99% of them, regardless of what was being collected, were male.!
Steven C. Barr wrote:

The actual question here is "What drives certain humans to "collect"
as many as possible examples of a selected artifact?!...and HOW deeply is
this drive "built in" to the average Homo Sapiens mind?!

Obviously, there is effectively SFA in/about the "collecting" drive that
assists...or CAN assist (or could have?!) the survival of the human under
consideration! BUT...back in ancient days...DID our proto-human ancestors
try to collect selected objects?!
If so...WHY?!

==============

There seem to be many female collectors of Martha Stewart-type items, and
there are many female book and art collectors, so the "drive" is there.
Perhaps women tend to collect more things that can be displayed in the home
that, to them, make the home prettier, and maybe to others, makes the home
look a little crazy. You see plenty of these collections at estate sales.
And don't forget Imelda Marcos' shoes, bought in every color available, and
often in sets of two sizes.

Early humans collected feathers and gems and the skulls of their enemies.

The question remains: why so few women RECORD collectors? They are there,
and they act in a similar way to the men when foraging for records. I may
have slightly abnormal wiring, being left-handed and having been good at
math in school, but, though the other women collectors I've observed and
read the words of here may all be somewhat abnormal, they aren't abnormal in
some similar way.

Best,
Margaret G. Still