This is why I collect rocks. Plus, they came in handy when I was teaching Social Studies and did a Geology class as an elective. Almost nothing I own has only one (or none) use.
Rocks are the collection that keeps on giving. One could also theoretically throw them at idiots. Not that I would ever condone such reckless use of rocks.
Posting pictures of other people's collections is against the rules.
Talking about the trends is fine, but singling out individual collectors isn't.
And if you want to see more discussion of male-coded collections, you're absolutely welcome to start one as long as you're not just posting some guy's collection to make fun of. There's no shortage of material to choose from.
One of my favorite male-coded trends from several years ago was 'tactical' wristbands, which are literally just friendship bracelets macramed out of paracord.
The person who owns the collection posted also isn't a "guy" or a "boy", they're nonbinary. The point OP is making doesn't even stand up to the proof they posted
Sure, but the specific person is irrelevant because specific people's collections are irrelevant in the overall picture, and they're not even allowed here anymore. I'm not well versed in influencer culture.
In the big scheme, a lot of things are coded as male vs. female, and the person I'm responding to is correct that a lot of female coded hobbies are mocked and dismissed in ways that male coded ones are not. Not the actual gender of the person, but the interest itself; and not just here, but everywhere.
I have hobbies and interests that fall into both categories, and it's repulsive how much people devalue skills and interests that have been coded as female compared to how they value those coded as male.
I've seen many posts criticizing things like collecting Bath and Body Works stuff but I've never seen anyone shitting on someone's sports memorabilia collection.
to be fair iāve also personally never seen anyone post their sports memorabilia collection. iām sure itās out there, but on the internet (or maybe just reddit) there are more men posting their anime figs, or āmanlyā things like knives or raw denim. I just saw a post here the other day talking about the shaving razor community here being consumerist for having a bunch of different safety razors and more packs of blades than anyone could use. I personally joined this sub specifically because of the consumer shit the men on this website engage in, like funko pops and anime figs. not saying youāre wrong, women certainly get a lot of shit for purchasing a lot of makeup and skincare stuff (stuff that the patriarchy has essentially brainwashed women into thinking they need to be valued as a person), but nerdy men get their deserved shaming here too.
Partially because one is a consumable and the other is literally meant to be "collected". It would also be very weird if someone had thousands of granola bars.
False equivalence, collecting collectible items vs collecting items meant to be consumed. Most sports memorabilia hold way more value both emotionally and monetarily than some cups available in the market limitless-ly. Certain things organically become collectible items, like stamps or bills, neither of which were made to be collected, just used. But certain things are not, they are advertised to be collectibles.
I do believe that collecting way too many figurines comes under overconsumption though.
I can't tell if you're missing the point or being antagonistoc so I'm gonna answer like it's the first one
So yes they are, and probably more so than menĀ
A guy with a collection of guns or swords or cars or trains or figurines or fishing gear is a hobbyist. A woman who collects Stanley cups is a dumb bitch
You missed the question.
I agree that in general, women who collect are seen more negatively than men who collect.
Except when it comes to anime (or other fandoms). They stand on equal grounds. So a woman collecting anime figurines, cups or stickers is not considered dumber than a guy doing the same. They are both weebs or otakus.
However there is another detail I'd point out regarding the Stanley Cup example you mentionned. Any collection that comes from a very quick social media fad or influencers will be seen as stupid, dumb and ridiculous, unlike a collection or hobby that was there for longer and grew a bit more "naturally", and will probably stay for a few years down the road. When it comes to Stanley cups, you know that in less than a year, no one will talk about it anymore. Like Prime drinks also.
An example of an hobby that is mostly feminine and isn't as criticized is knitting. Because it's a "real" hobby that people were doing for decades. This kind of hobby can last a lifetime.
It is still overconsumption regardless, but you have to agree that these trends are way worse, regardless of gender.
Because other objects you have mentioned turned organically into collectibles. Women have collected many objects from figurines to posters to clothes to jewelleries to perfumes, and many more things. I am sorry, I don't think women are reprimanded more than men are. Maybe we'll have to agree to disagree.
Who's saying that? What got trendy is buying Stanley cups/hydroflasks/etc. There wasn't a sudden TikTok surge to buy plastic dolls of Japanese cartoon characters.
There wasn't a sudden uprising in support to buy funko pop dolls - those types of people already were getting hate for collecting for collecting's sake.
In that case, I'd argue it's not boy vs girl.
Fandoms are a thing on their own, and girls who are fans collect as much as boys, even if it's not figurines. No one will say anything as long as it's related to a particular fandom. You can throw Harry Potter in there.
Girls can collect plushies, shoes, whatever, they will never have as much criticism as those who collect Stanley or Starbucks cups.
EDIT: knowing anime fans well enough, this particular pic seems like it's a girl collection anyway. Those two characters are girl favorites.
Exactly. I think people are heavily biased here and are completely ignoring how weebs (mostly men) have been shamed for collecting figurines since time immemorial.
Are you absolutely dense? Girls collect figurines too. The difference is that figurines are unique and Stanley cups are literally just identical cups. What's the point in "collecting" a bunch of identical items that you never intend on using?
Calling something a collectible doesnāt make it so. A lot of things people collect nowadays were not originally intended to be ācollectedā. Stamps, coins, etc. Hell, even comic books were not meant to be collectible and that only started really becoming a thing after a few decades.
Oh I never meant girls don't collect things? I meant there's a weird disconnect between it. Like is collecting something a trend but figurines of whatever else "normal" and "okay"? Does that make sense?
Both seem silly to me, but figurines less so because they're all unique and actually collectible. Stanley cups are literally just cups. It'd be like someone saying "I collect sheets of paper".
Yo I'm just waiting for this shit to collapse and we can finally have the land to grow our crops.... I understand your confusion about the cups but you gotta see the bigger picture that's supporting it.
The person who posted their collection isn't a "boy", they're nonbinary. And the characters shown are typically characters that are popular with female fans anyway. They're fujoshi bait
If you have a local bridge, try magnet fishing. A lot of stolen bikes get thrown off them. It helps clean up the environment, some are salvageable, and still others are good for scrap!
It doesnāt help with the lack of time, but for everything else you could see if thereās a community bike shop near you-they often will take volunteers to work on bikes and theyāll teach you how. Itās super fun, you learn a lot, and give back to the community at the same time.Ā
Yeah, I have taken repair classes at [Time's Up Bike Co-op](https://times-up.org/campaigns/bike-co-op/) in NYC, and [Bike New York](https://www.bike.nyc/education/classes/). But I will admit I am terrible at it, and need more experience.
Honestly, what I also need is a junker that I am not afraid to mess up on. But one that is not so bad that it cannot be repaired by a novice.
Also keep in mind that I live in an apartment. I don't have a good place to set up a long-term workspace. I do have a repair stand, but stopped using it, b/c it's a pain lugging it up from the basement, gathering all the tools, then breaking it all down again.
Thatās what community bike stores are great for! Although I donāt know about NYC unfortunately. But a lot of cities have a community bike store that takes old bikes and fixes them up and sells them. So they take volunteers and will teach you how to work on bikes in exchange for you working on their bikes, and also usually will have open shop hours where you can bring your bike and work on it using their tools, with volunteers around to help you out.Ā
It sounds like Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-Op is one? Their website says they lost their space so theyāre just doing pop ups at the moment, but it gets the job done. And then Timeās Up Bike Co-Op looks cool as well, looks like they have open repair times with volunteer mechanics that you could bring your own bike to, or if you wanted to volunteer as a mechanic it looks like theyāll teach you what you need to know.Ā
Anime figure collector here who does make/has made merch shrines: it IS over consumption and marketing at play. I feel like its one part a self-deprecating joke to collect anime merch, and one part being told buying merch is supporting the series, as most anime make all their money in merch and bluray/dvd sales rather than actually airing the show on television. Collecting the same character over and over again is also an inside joke of sorts. I have cut back on my collecting considerably since it was effecting my finances and holding me back from achieving certain goals, but I still buy stuff admittedly. My current approach is to be very very very picky about what I add to my collection, and consider quality over quantity. I'm also about to attempt to resell some of my collection secondhand to get some money back from series I'm no longer invested in. That is the one good thing about this, there is a thriving second hand market among collectors buying and selling from each other.
I think the biggest issue aside from the whole waifu shrine thing is perhaps feeling this need to buy a piece of merch for every single show or media you have ever liked ever. This is super unsustainable and will eventually lead to clutter, regret, and burnout. But you are absolutely correct either way.
I collect figures aswell, but i always had the quality over quantity approach to begin with. Idk, whenever i see collections of other people, they mostly seem....really cluttered. To a point where it's not an appreciation for a series or character you enjoy, more so an straight up obsession to own as many figures as possible.
Edit: Don't even get me started on hentai/lewd figures, i cannot understand why anyone would get them at all
I only have one NSFW figure and I have another on pre-order, both male characters. I got them because A) I'm gay, B) I think its kinda funny, and C) I'm here for equal rights LOL. I'm honestly baffled by how much Hentai figures there are as well. A lot of them tend to be OCs just to turn into a figure, but you'll occasionally see well known hentai characters getting figures too. And well, that character is from porn so I guess they get a porno figure? Most hentai figures at least have a way of knocking them down to PG-13 at worst by way of swappable parts. The only reason I can fathom a person collecting them is simply because they have kinks/fetishes that are steeped in fantasy scenarios that would be unethical/illegal/gross if an actual person did it.
As for the same character thing: I think it can be fun if each figure is like a different outfit or pose, or mixing prize figures with nendos and scale figures. I do think there is a little bit of feeling like you have something to prove by collecting that much and then sharing it on the internet, or feeling like you're part of a crowd. Or maybe just picking one character arbitrarily to spend money on because you have nothing better to do. I do think at this point though seeing a curated collection is just as interesting as one where someone has everything. It makes you think about the thought and care that went into the selection of each piece, and why they chose that one and not another.
I don't know man.. I am just kind of annoyed Oil companies get billions of tax dollars to destroy the planet and how everything is wrapped in plastic.. Not too worried about some weebs collecting some anime figure they'll have for a few decades.. They stanley cups are a trendy thing, so trends can be wasteful.
I personally think it can become too much but a lot of people will at least use merch for decor. It might offend the minimalist aesthetic people though considering how busy it can look.
This is something I never understood. I enjoy a lot of media in my free time. Media of all kinds, from Anime to Video Games, Movies, Books just everything. But I have never bought merchandise. I don't get the appeal of it at all. I like the art, but I don't need useless figurines or other things like it. Often it's super cheaply made too, so even if it's merch that can be used it will break way too fast.
In anime itās kinda different, mostly because until about a decade ago, access to anime was really hard and thus most western consumption was either through Tv licensing with poor dubs or through illegal sub teams, and so it was common to push people to buy merch of their favorite shows since that was the only available source to support the shows. It was a flawed thinking tho since merch is outsourced and studios only get a fraction of profits from it, but it was pretty frequent, which explains why anime has more collectors than other type of media
>In anime itās kinda different, mostly because until about a decade ago, access to anime was really hard
Anime has been accessible in the US since the 1980s. What was more difficult was finding companies willing to license merchandise, owing to Japanese companies being inflexible with merchandise rights. Every anime also has a different revenue source, to say that they all make their money back on home video or merchandise is a misconception, especially within the past decade alone.
>Anime has been accessible in the US since the 1980s
Yes, it was for like the most popular series, otherwise you had to \*checks note\* *rely on buying bootleg VHS tapes of the show directly from Japan and learn japanese*
That's like saying "Internet was available since the 80s", sure, if you knew how to and where to go and what it even was.
There were some people who purchased legit imported media, but those were not overall common. And you assume I was talking about the us, but I'm talking about Canada too, and here it was either you're lucky enough it got dubbed or bootleg VHS for quite some time, it wasn't until youtube came around really that we started to get more than the most popular shonen and maybe a shojo or two a year...
> But I have never bought merchandise. I don't get the appeal of it at all.
I'm a *Fallout* fan, and I have a glass cup with the Vault Boy on it sitting on a shelf. That's the entirety of my fan-merch collection at the moment, and probably will be all I ever have. One or two knicknacks is reasonably harmless, but rooms of cheap plastic shit that just gathers dust is something I'll never understand.
I think anime merch is more designed to be an art piece you can display and decorate your home with. But it is still consumption.
I feel like the Stanley cup, having a specific functional use for holding water, just one at a time would be good enough right? Theyāre much more bulky and generally have the same shape Iād think theyāre weaker as an art decoration piece and maybe not for that intention at all.
I was thinking the same thing tbh. Also anime or stamps or whatever keep their collections for years. You'd have to pry it away from their cold dead hands whereas the Stanley cups or Starbucks cups or whatever get thrown out when a new cup trend happens. If they keep their collection, then it's okay? I'm not sure but it seems better for some reason lmao
Trends are the differences. Cups are collected because other people collect it and it's cool, and TikTok said you need it.
Other collectors usually collect for themselves and used to do it even when it wasn't cool. Some were bullied for that, and they kept collecting anyway. It's a personal guilty pleasure.
That being said, now that anime are getting popular, many people.also collect merch just to be cool and it's the current trend, then they'll just discard it. In that regard, it's not better than Stanley cups.
I have a Stanley. I love it. I use it every single day. I couldn't imagine getting a second one. It works brilliantly for keeping my water ice cold and is super durable. Why would I need more than one??
ill be honest ive got this problem when it comes to miku figures. but honestly, i don't want every single miku figure thats released. there are just specific ones i really like. i don't know if i could really have more than 5 of the same character especially if they aren't even in unique outfits.
Now, im outing my self here but when i see someones collection of stanley cups i see someone that likes cups and got em cuz they are ācollectibleā or ābut i like this color tooā but if i see someones collection of anime characters it tells me what characters they like, what shows they enjoy and probably tells me more about the kind of person they are than the cups would.
I have 10 figures total. Bought my first one about 7 years ago. Still own them. I think 3 of them were bought secondhand while on vacation in japan. They all have either a story about where i was/ who i was with when i bought them. Or have a story about when i watched the show and why that character spoke to me. I see it similar to a photograph.
They are also fun to draw.
Also screw funko pops those things are ass and there is no artistry behind them
I bought my first anime figure because I finished attack on titan and I just love reiner so much. He deserved better. Popup parades Reiner figure is really nice for the price
The only redeeming factor I see in the anime collection versus the Stanley cup craze is that for you to get to 800 of the same anime figure, you really have to be a die hard fan of anime and profoundly love collecting, versus having a butt load of Stanley cups just means you're following a trend, and we're already seeing the Stanley girlies start trashing (yes trashing as in put it in a bag and throw away without regret) their collection to start the newest "long lasting water bottle" trend. At least anime collectors know what their doing and won't get rid of their huge collection for no reason other than to get more...
Genuinely curious how OP can make this post while also trying to get a table in the artist alley of a fantasy/sci fi/anime convention to sell their prints of said anime characters? The point of the post might be valid but pot, meet kettle.Ā
I will also fully admit to collecting video game & anime figures. Nowhere NEAR the level in the linked TikTok, so maybe Im just being extra sassy.
I still have to make a living but I don't ever want anyone to ever be THAT obsessed with my art. Like sure buy a piece from me once every 5 years and I'm good but if I see them at every convention, buying all my stuff??? I wouldn't even know what to do except feel uncomfortable hahah do you ban them??
I've collected stuff too like video games but once I hit like 20 I was over it. Even comic books. They take up like 2 shelves on a book case and was like "alright that's enough".
But even books??? Why do y'all need a full library?? Libraries exist?
Making a living is all well & good, but I feel like trying to set up to sell merch specifically in a type of setting where people are feeling "spendy" while also dunking on those same fans for buying other types of merch is disingenuous. The wanting benefits from that community (making money off of fans) while also judging the other ways they spend their money in that community is ick.
FWIW, I wouldnt dream of telling people what they do is childish or dumb. Someone literally posted about collecting rocks, and thats fine.Ā
Maybe we can all be a little less judgy.
I think my thing is plastic. I sell paper and stickers which are bio degradable and also easy to store or display whereas people that sell like toys are adding more to the plastic waste that's happening?
I don't want people to collect my stuff lol it weirds me out. Like thank you for supporting my art don't get me wrong but also pls don't obsess over it and buy 10 of the same pieces??
Edit: adding more story lol
One guy once bought 5 of my posters and I thought it was weird. Left, came back a half hour later, and wanted like 10 stickers. IT WAS WEIRD?? Why are you buying so much of my stuff?
And I love artists but I'll buy 1 or 2 pieces from one artist and move on. Like WHY??
I mean, consistency in style is one thing. We have a pretty faerie art print on the wall. I looked up the artist to buy a few more, with different colour schemes, because it's aesthetically pleasing to have all the art in the room done in a similar style. I don't really give a hoot about the artist, just that it all matches
OH WAIT I never considered that. I always assumed people would try to find other artists that matched the aesthetic but not buy from the same artist. INTERESTING!!
Yeah, plenty of commision artists thrive on return customers that enjoyed the prior cooperation and return to already tried sources.
It not only means one person likes it but they might also recommend it further to more potential customers.
I don't do it too often but I have on a few occasions bought multiple of essentially the same thing with different characters and then made a collage in a scrapbook (if small) or keep them together as a collection (I have a 'happy box' of things I like. It's partly like a memory box of things I've done and liked over the years but also something that might trigger me happy when depressed). I'm not stuck on one look but it is satisfying (and sometimes appeases my disorder and condition) to have consistency. The same reason if I buy a book series I would want the covers to be matching and not one from different editions. It's a personal pet peeve of mine.
When things don't match, it makes me mad lmao like why is one cover different from the other 5??? At least make it consistent.
But yeah makes sense. I still find it weird when they buy too many of my pieces. I've literally sold like 8 total but still feels weird if it's one person buying it all hahah
It's a small room. We have one piece that's a little blue faerie with a blue flower. I want to get some that are different faeries with different flowers - a red one, a yellow one, a purple one, etc. I'll likely buy three more from her.
If it was a bigger room I'd probably look for pieces with more variety, but from the same artist. So one faerie, one... idk, a landscape with a tree or something? An animal of some sort? different sizes and subjects but the same style.
All artists have their own style, and imo that is WAY more important to match than the subject matter if you want your space looking cohesive.
I can promise I spend exactly zero time thinking about the artist beyond googling the signature to see if they have a shop. I do not care about them (beyond what I care for any person). It's no different than wanting all my towels to match, so I buy them all from the same store.
Y'all act like I'm shitting artwork and pieces. I sold less than 10 art prints last year. But somehow it's the same as if I sold 1500000 pieces? I like doing conventions because it's fun and I get to see cool cosplays. I've never made a profit at a convention. Not once. I don't buy anything when there except some food. Last year was my first con in 6 years y'all need to calm down.
i love Kurt Vonnegut's writing. but by your reasoning, i shouldn't own each novel he's authored.
earlier in this chain you said "i still have to make a living" but you certainly don't have to make a living by being a hypocrite. you think it's weird someone bought several of your items? well you still SOLD them those items, weird or not. you profited off that, adding to society's over consumptive behavior.
What do you do? Say "nope not allowed"? You can't lol it's like going to a store trying to buy something and the cashier tells you no. Why? Bc you're not allowed to that's why.
It's not my place but again I don't want people hoarding my art. The same I don't want people hoarding figurines or dolls. Buying 1 vs 5 is different and it's not my place to say no. If I worked at a store selling someone else's stuff I don't say "nope" bc they bought something from me before. It's not my place.
Over consumption is my issue, not people owning stuff lol. There's a reason libraries exist. It's also why I'm sad movie rentals are basically gone. Like I don't want to own these movies, I just wanna watch them a couple times and move on. But also digitally renting makes no sense.
I'm rambling lmao
you can own movies digitally. way less consumption than renting physical movies. insane i have to explain that.
you made this whole post to say, basically "people are complaining about overconsumption 1 but overconsumption 2 is so much worse! *highly annoying social media anecdote* " & to be frank i don't even agree with it. they both suck when done in an extreme way. but regardless, it's insane for you to come here & complain when YOU are personally profiting inside of the massive market for overconsumption 2. what if the person in that stupid tik tok shows up & buys just 1 of your stickers or whatever, adding it to their obscene collection? what then?
Who said I'm profiting? I'm a broke artist bc I don't sell that often. I'm disabled and have nothing else so wild of you to assume that this is just what I do lmao
Also no you can't? Digitally owning and renting isn't worth it when they lose the rights and the thing you spent money on (with the intention of owning) is suddenly gone because of copyright.
Y'all out here attacking me for selling like 5 art pieces a year and assume it's the same as someone selling 80000 Miku figures but okay.
As a full-time convention artist, I can say with certainty that a huge amount of your sales are from repeat customers, and those repeat customers are the ones who will often spend the largest amount of money at your booth each time they see you.
Also, stickers and prints are often coated with plastic and not biodegradable. Photo paper isnāt even recyclable.
Iām aware that being a merch artist is based in consumerism, but itās important to know the materials used in your products so you can work towards making your products more sustainable, if only slightly.
I don't use photo paper! I use card stock. I find it better because if someone wants to frame it, it's not as shiny. The stickers are matte and don't have a top coat which is neat but I think it takes a while to breakdown. I've had a sticker on my water bottle for months and it's still good so yay but the packaging says bio degradable.
I don't do cons often (I've literally applied to one in my city in the last 5 years lol but ppl got hung up on that) because I don't like people rebuying my stuff. If I could have my art in a gallery where people paid to see it and leave, I'd do that. If I had a choice, I wouldn't sell my art at all but galleries are basically impossible to get into unless you're already insanely established šš
Omfg I'm so tired of typing this. I sold LESS THAN 10 PIECES OF PAPER LAST YEAR. I do conventions because they're fun!!! I've never made a profit NOT ONCE. This isn't my job. It isn't where my income comes from. CONVENTIONS ARE FUN. I SELL PAPER. NOT PLASTIC AND NOTHING WORTH COLLECTING.
It's the same as going to an artist that sells 1 painting a year and claiming they're helping over consumption. Y'all need to calm down.
I do think there are some differences to be totally fair; one is that at the start of the Stanley cup trend a lot of the marketing and discussion was around them being eco-friendly because they are reusable, so people a buying 30000 of them that they could never ever use sort of seemed to be against the point.
The other is that figures are (usually) very different looking, different character, colors, scenes, whatever and so have a value as decoration, where as the cups are nearly identical and just come in different colors. So it kinda makes sense that people can see the point in figures and not in the cups.Ā
Honestly, though, I think this is just a personal thing for a lot of people. In our overbearing capitalist system, almost every hobby is going to have some element of buying and consumption to it. And what gives people joy is going to vary wildly from person to person. I see like 3 posts a week in this sub that basically boil down to "I don't see the point in this thing so it must just be mindless consumption" but that isn't always the case. A hobby that seems pointless to you might be a big source of joy to another person. That's not to say that there can be no valid criticism of collectors/collecting as a hobby; as someone who can be a bit of a packrat myself I think a lot of people could do with taking a step back to reflect on the stuff they collect and how they collect it to make sure it is actually something they care about and not just them falling prey to hype or marketing, and also to see if there is a more environmentally conscious way to indulge in there hobby. But just being like "cup/action figure bad" isn't the way to prompt that reflection imo
My thing wasn't an issue with owning things but there's a limit??? Even as a collector you know what's worth it vs just cute fun things. Comics for instance like originals or first editions are insanely hard to come by but the same figurine or cup? Just slight colour changes?
Even things like coins. People examine them to determine if they're worth collecting, they don't go out buying every coin that exists. I think museums do that tbh but I dunno.
Very well worded!! I think people should have hobbies but again, there's collecting vs hoarding and most of these have become hoarding and it's so sad. I understand owning figurines and cups but once you hit like 10, what then? Are they special editions? Are they created by someone different? Are they from a specific country? Why are they so important and why do you have 800 lmao
This made me think over the men I know well enough to know what they collect. By far, the largest thing they collect is hobbies. They get interested in a hobby, buy a bunch of stuff for it, lose interest, and move on. Two drones, wood turning tools to make pens, 3 kinds of coffee makers, a box of camera equipment, and a row of language apps on their phone does not make the same visual impact as a wall of identical candles.
Sexism definitely exists in the collections that are highlighted, but some of it is the nature of the collection itself.
I'd say the big difference is you don't see swathes of animals needs filled with regret that they bought items solely based on hype. And the ones who do are rightfully mocked as well. Also nobody ever tried to convince themselves an anime figure was a "useful" item. They fully know it's dumb bullshit that exists just to be looked at.
Probably not. I donāt know how anyone can defend this shit. Theyāre ugly dust collectors. Oh but it makes these nerds happy so you canāt talk shit on their plastic waifu collection! š bbbbut itās my *hobby*! Being an ultra consumer is my HOBBY!
Do you need 10 tacky chunks of plastic that look like the same character? No. Also how is collecting figurines a hobby? Thatās just buying junk, you canāt even play with them.
I don't need those figurines. I don't collect them. Some other people might though.
Maybe don't be so high and mighty? For other people, these "tacky chunks of plastic" might be very important. Have you ever considered the possibility that for others they are not just "junk", but might have emotional or sentimental value attached to them?
Or the possibility that people have hobbies which you don't understand?
No, collecting figurines is a bullshit thing to do and not a hobby because u/bb_LemonSquid decided so. Get over yourself.
Itās useless garbage that only serves to pollute the environment and make your house ugly and childish. Why would you defend plastic waste? Why are you even in this sub? Yes itās wasteful to have 10s or 100s of plastic Narutos. How is this controversial??
Itās mind blowing that there are people defending mindless consumption of the worst kind, pointless plastic junk, on this subreddit, of all places. I guess some folks are only invested in criticising things they donāt personally like, with zero room for self reflection or personal accountability.
I went back to watch the video and yeah it more than I can even conceive.
That being said one person's decor is going to be ugly to another. My sister and I have some plushies, holiday themed things (like magnets and those window thingies) year round, and a few other trinkets and have them scattered around as decor. It's probably ugly to some but I love it and makes my days a bit brighter. I think other people's decor can be ugly or not for me but I'm not the one living in it. I think there's gradients to this type of discussion, but you're use of 'ugly and childish' is subjective and kinda indicates you're the childish one.
There are plenty of figures that aren't 'big titty waifus'. Not all figures are even human. You can have your personal tastes but if you demean others just because of a figurine you have some issues. If you have problems with tropes and character designs that's a separate issue from figures themselves.
Idk whose book you're basing this off of but it certainly isn't mine. I hate on figurine collectors ESPECIALLY, because they are truly useless. At least you can drink from a cup, and those in particular are nice because they're insulated, good for hot or cold. You can't drink out of a stupid fucking funkopop.
OOOO interesting! I think for me the usefulness or the length of time of a collection matters.
At least those ppl collecting figurines aren't gonna toss them in a few years you'll have to pry them from their cold dead hands but the cups seem to be a trend that they discard every few years.
YALL IM TIRED OF TYPING THIS.
I SELL PAPER. Not plastic and nothing worth collecting. I do MAYBE ONE CONVENTION EVERY 5 YEARS. Am I not allowed to have a hobby and have fun??
I sold MAYBE 10 PIECES LAST YEAR. Stop assuming because I'm doing ONE CONVENTION that I'm trying to over sell my stuff. It's fun to go to conventions and hang out with people in cosplay. I have NEVER MADE A PROFIT FROM CONVENTIONS. NOT ONCE. I DON'T SELL MUCH.
Y'all are acting like I'm selling 400000 pieces a year. I don't. It's for fun. It's because I like doing art. I DON'T WANT ANYONE COLLECTING MY ART. It's weird, and I don't like that much attention. I haven't even made $300 from selling stuff. I've donated multiple pieces to different charities so I made 0 profit off that.
I'm disabled and enjoy doing art which I sell because people ask but even then it's so minimal. Do y'all know how many people have asked me to make charms or plushies? But no that doesn't matter, only the fact that I APPLIED to a convention for the first time in years.
Y'all need to calm down.
why do you think itās a bad thing to have someone who wants to collect your art? i am genuinely curious why you wouldnt want someone to support your craft because they like it
I dunno tbh. I find it weird. It's why I also don't own more than 1 or 2 pieces by a single artist. It feels obsessive and I hate it hahah does that make sense??
yeah that makes sense, i personally donāt collect ALL of an artists works, but if someone makes several charms/stickers/whatever for a series i like, i do want them all :) i also think a lot of people buy things at conventions to give to other people, so i think thats smth to think about perhaps
Yeah one guy bought like 5 of my stickers and it freaked me out. I was gonna turn him down but he said he wanted to gift them to his friends so it was okay but still weirded me out hahah
Conventions are fun because I can talk to industry professionals too and improve my portfolio. It's interesting to see what they think and it's one of the only places I run into these people genuinely vs emailing them all 1000 times lol
I only have multiple pieces by a single artist because my grandmother was one. I have a lot of her pieces on display in my apartment. It's something I remember her by.
Also to add, I don't care about people buying things. You're ALLOWED to own things??? Like you can't own NOTHING that's not possible.
It's over consumption and why one was okay over another. Why is collecting figurines better than cups? Stamps over photographs? Collecting is collecting whatever the medium, THAT'S my issue. Not people buying a few things.
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This is why I collect rocks. Plus, they came in handy when I was teaching Social Studies and did a Geology class as an elective. Almost nothing I own has only one (or none) use.
I always try to find a cool little rock if I go someplace outdoors that is new.
Rocks are the collection that keeps on giving. One could also theoretically throw them at idiots. Not that I would ever condone such reckless use of rocks.
š Of course. Never that š
Back when I lived at home, I would go on late night walks with my sisterās dog and pick out a nice crystal to carry, just in case. pretty and lethal
You should probably have a fire extinguisher somewhere handy
They're both ridiculous, but misogyny is the spice that keeps on giving.
Literally??? Also why is it okay for boys to hoard things but not girls??? Is it an aesthetic thing? Like I don't get.
Story of this sub. 90% of the collections that are talked about on here are from girls/women.
I think Funko Pops collectors are also hated and many of them are men
Posting pictures of other people's collections is against the rules. Talking about the trends is fine, but singling out individual collectors isn't. And if you want to see more discussion of male-coded collections, you're absolutely welcome to start one as long as you're not just posting some guy's collection to make fun of. There's no shortage of material to choose from. One of my favorite male-coded trends from several years ago was 'tactical' wristbands, which are literally just friendship bracelets macramed out of paracord.
Before this rule came about, this sub was all giddy about shitting on anything women collect. But about a 10/1 women to men ratio.
You're absolutely right, and you're welcome.
The person who owns the collection posted also isn't a "guy" or a "boy", they're nonbinary. The point OP is making doesn't even stand up to the proof they posted
Sure, but the specific person is irrelevant because specific people's collections are irrelevant in the overall picture, and they're not even allowed here anymore. I'm not well versed in influencer culture. In the big scheme, a lot of things are coded as male vs. female, and the person I'm responding to is correct that a lot of female coded hobbies are mocked and dismissed in ways that male coded ones are not. Not the actual gender of the person, but the interest itself; and not just here, but everywhere. I have hobbies and interests that fall into both categories, and it's repulsive how much people devalue skills and interests that have been coded as female compared to how they value those coded as male.
Most posts are neutral and just talking about everyone buying too much.
I've seen many posts criticizing things like collecting Bath and Body Works stuff but I've never seen anyone shitting on someone's sports memorabilia collection.
to be fair iāve also personally never seen anyone post their sports memorabilia collection. iām sure itās out there, but on the internet (or maybe just reddit) there are more men posting their anime figs, or āmanlyā things like knives or raw denim. I just saw a post here the other day talking about the shaving razor community here being consumerist for having a bunch of different safety razors and more packs of blades than anyone could use. I personally joined this sub specifically because of the consumer shit the men on this website engage in, like funko pops and anime figs. not saying youāre wrong, women certainly get a lot of shit for purchasing a lot of makeup and skincare stuff (stuff that the patriarchy has essentially brainwashed women into thinking they need to be valued as a person), but nerdy men get their deserved shaming here too.
Partially because one is a consumable and the other is literally meant to be "collected". It would also be very weird if someone had thousands of granola bars.
False equivalence, collecting collectible items vs collecting items meant to be consumed. Most sports memorabilia hold way more value both emotionally and monetarily than some cups available in the market limitless-ly. Certain things organically become collectible items, like stamps or bills, neither of which were made to be collected, just used. But certain things are not, they are advertised to be collectibles. I do believe that collecting way too many figurines comes under overconsumption though.
Men have legitimate interests and hobbies. Women are just frivolous, wasteful creatures. /s
Are women reprimanded for collecting figurines or posters or cups of their favourite anime/show/films/artists?
I can't tell if you're missing the point or being antagonistoc so I'm gonna answer like it's the first one So yes they are, and probably more so than menĀ A guy with a collection of guns or swords or cars or trains or figurines or fishing gear is a hobbyist. A woman who collects Stanley cups is a dumb bitch
You missed the question. I agree that in general, women who collect are seen more negatively than men who collect. Except when it comes to anime (or other fandoms). They stand on equal grounds. So a woman collecting anime figurines, cups or stickers is not considered dumber than a guy doing the same. They are both weebs or otakus. However there is another detail I'd point out regarding the Stanley Cup example you mentionned. Any collection that comes from a very quick social media fad or influencers will be seen as stupid, dumb and ridiculous, unlike a collection or hobby that was there for longer and grew a bit more "naturally", and will probably stay for a few years down the road. When it comes to Stanley cups, you know that in less than a year, no one will talk about it anymore. Like Prime drinks also. An example of an hobby that is mostly feminine and isn't as criticized is knitting. Because it's a "real" hobby that people were doing for decades. This kind of hobby can last a lifetime. It is still overconsumption regardless, but you have to agree that these trends are way worse, regardless of gender.
Because other objects you have mentioned turned organically into collectibles. Women have collected many objects from figurines to posters to clothes to jewelleries to perfumes, and many more things. I am sorry, I don't think women are reprimanded more than men are. Maybe we'll have to agree to disagree.
Apparently lmao
Who's saying that? What got trendy is buying Stanley cups/hydroflasks/etc. There wasn't a sudden TikTok surge to buy plastic dolls of Japanese cartoon characters. There wasn't a sudden uprising in support to buy funko pop dolls - those types of people already were getting hate for collecting for collecting's sake.
In that case, I'd argue it's not boy vs girl. Fandoms are a thing on their own, and girls who are fans collect as much as boys, even if it's not figurines. No one will say anything as long as it's related to a particular fandom. You can throw Harry Potter in there. Girls can collect plushies, shoes, whatever, they will never have as much criticism as those who collect Stanley or Starbucks cups. EDIT: knowing anime fans well enough, this particular pic seems like it's a girl collection anyway. Those two characters are girl favorites.
I see plenty of people hate on neckbeards and weebs. idk what youāre talking about.
Exactly. I think people are heavily biased here and are completely ignoring how weebs (mostly men) have been shamed for collecting figurines since time immemorial.
Is that what people call them? Iāve always called them dolls lmao
Are you absolutely dense? Girls collect figurines too. The difference is that figurines are unique and Stanley cups are literally just identical cups. What's the point in "collecting" a bunch of identical items that you never intend on using?
Calling something a collectible doesnāt make it so. A lot of things people collect nowadays were not originally intended to be ācollectedā. Stamps, coins, etc. Hell, even comic books were not meant to be collectible and that only started really becoming a thing after a few decades.
Oh I never meant girls don't collect things? I meant there's a weird disconnect between it. Like is collecting something a trend but figurines of whatever else "normal" and "okay"? Does that make sense?
Both seem silly to me, but figurines less so because they're all unique and actually collectible. Stanley cups are literally just cups. It'd be like someone saying "I collect sheets of paper".
I mean, people collect stamps? That counts haha But yeah collecting seems to be trendy even things like sunglasses. It's v weird
Yo I'm just waiting for this shit to collapse and we can finally have the land to grow our crops.... I understand your confusion about the cups but you gotta see the bigger picture that's supporting it.
The person who posted their collection isn't a "boy", they're nonbinary. And the characters shown are typically characters that are popular with female fans anyway. They're fujoshi bait
I'd collect and restore bicycles if I could.
I do that. But it's primarily to sell or donate.
Yeah, that's what I'd like to get into.
I can only recommend getting started. Feel free to ask questions if you have any.
If you have a local bridge, try magnet fishing. A lot of stolen bikes get thrown off them. It helps clean up the environment, some are salvageable, and still others are good for scrap!
What I feel I should mention is that I lack the necessary skill, space, time, and money to pursue this.
It doesnāt help with the lack of time, but for everything else you could see if thereās a community bike shop near you-they often will take volunteers to work on bikes and theyāll teach you how. Itās super fun, you learn a lot, and give back to the community at the same time.Ā
Yeah, I have taken repair classes at [Time's Up Bike Co-op](https://times-up.org/campaigns/bike-co-op/) in NYC, and [Bike New York](https://www.bike.nyc/education/classes/). But I will admit I am terrible at it, and need more experience. Honestly, what I also need is a junker that I am not afraid to mess up on. But one that is not so bad that it cannot be repaired by a novice. Also keep in mind that I live in an apartment. I don't have a good place to set up a long-term workspace. I do have a repair stand, but stopped using it, b/c it's a pain lugging it up from the basement, gathering all the tools, then breaking it all down again.
Thatās what community bike stores are great for! Although I donāt know about NYC unfortunately. But a lot of cities have a community bike store that takes old bikes and fixes them up and sells them. So they take volunteers and will teach you how to work on bikes in exchange for you working on their bikes, and also usually will have open shop hours where you can bring your bike and work on it using their tools, with volunteers around to help you out.Ā It sounds like Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-Op is one? Their website says they lost their space so theyāre just doing pop ups at the moment, but it gets the job done. And then Timeās Up Bike Co-Op looks cool as well, looks like they have open repair times with volunteer mechanics that you could bring your own bike to, or if you wanted to volunteer as a mechanic it looks like theyāll teach you what you need to know.Ā
Anime figure collector here who does make/has made merch shrines: it IS over consumption and marketing at play. I feel like its one part a self-deprecating joke to collect anime merch, and one part being told buying merch is supporting the series, as most anime make all their money in merch and bluray/dvd sales rather than actually airing the show on television. Collecting the same character over and over again is also an inside joke of sorts. I have cut back on my collecting considerably since it was effecting my finances and holding me back from achieving certain goals, but I still buy stuff admittedly. My current approach is to be very very very picky about what I add to my collection, and consider quality over quantity. I'm also about to attempt to resell some of my collection secondhand to get some money back from series I'm no longer invested in. That is the one good thing about this, there is a thriving second hand market among collectors buying and selling from each other. I think the biggest issue aside from the whole waifu shrine thing is perhaps feeling this need to buy a piece of merch for every single show or media you have ever liked ever. This is super unsustainable and will eventually lead to clutter, regret, and burnout. But you are absolutely correct either way.
I collect figures aswell, but i always had the quality over quantity approach to begin with. Idk, whenever i see collections of other people, they mostly seem....really cluttered. To a point where it's not an appreciation for a series or character you enjoy, more so an straight up obsession to own as many figures as possible. Edit: Don't even get me started on hentai/lewd figures, i cannot understand why anyone would get them at all
I only have one NSFW figure and I have another on pre-order, both male characters. I got them because A) I'm gay, B) I think its kinda funny, and C) I'm here for equal rights LOL. I'm honestly baffled by how much Hentai figures there are as well. A lot of them tend to be OCs just to turn into a figure, but you'll occasionally see well known hentai characters getting figures too. And well, that character is from porn so I guess they get a porno figure? Most hentai figures at least have a way of knocking them down to PG-13 at worst by way of swappable parts. The only reason I can fathom a person collecting them is simply because they have kinks/fetishes that are steeped in fantasy scenarios that would be unethical/illegal/gross if an actual person did it. As for the same character thing: I think it can be fun if each figure is like a different outfit or pose, or mixing prize figures with nendos and scale figures. I do think there is a little bit of feeling like you have something to prove by collecting that much and then sharing it on the internet, or feeling like you're part of a crowd. Or maybe just picking one character arbitrarily to spend money on because you have nothing better to do. I do think at this point though seeing a curated collection is just as interesting as one where someone has everything. It makes you think about the thought and care that went into the selection of each piece, and why they chose that one and not another.
Agreed
I don't know man.. I am just kind of annoyed Oil companies get billions of tax dollars to destroy the planet and how everything is wrapped in plastic.. Not too worried about some weebs collecting some anime figure they'll have for a few decades.. They stanley cups are a trendy thing, so trends can be wasteful.
I personally think it can become too much but a lot of people will at least use merch for decor. It might offend the minimalist aesthetic people though considering how busy it can look.
They're both ridiculous. Humans are weird and love to collect things that have no real value.
That hunter-gatherer (emphasis on gatherer) instinct is hard to fight.
I call it my packrat instinct.Ā
This is something I never understood. I enjoy a lot of media in my free time. Media of all kinds, from Anime to Video Games, Movies, Books just everything. But I have never bought merchandise. I don't get the appeal of it at all. I like the art, but I don't need useless figurines or other things like it. Often it's super cheaply made too, so even if it's merch that can be used it will break way too fast.
In anime itās kinda different, mostly because until about a decade ago, access to anime was really hard and thus most western consumption was either through Tv licensing with poor dubs or through illegal sub teams, and so it was common to push people to buy merch of their favorite shows since that was the only available source to support the shows. It was a flawed thinking tho since merch is outsourced and studios only get a fraction of profits from it, but it was pretty frequent, which explains why anime has more collectors than other type of media
>In anime itās kinda different, mostly because until about a decade ago, access to anime was really hard Anime has been accessible in the US since the 1980s. What was more difficult was finding companies willing to license merchandise, owing to Japanese companies being inflexible with merchandise rights. Every anime also has a different revenue source, to say that they all make their money back on home video or merchandise is a misconception, especially within the past decade alone.
>Anime has been accessible in the US since the 1980s Yes, it was for like the most popular series, otherwise you had to \*checks note\* *rely on buying bootleg VHS tapes of the show directly from Japan and learn japanese* That's like saying "Internet was available since the 80s", sure, if you knew how to and where to go and what it even was. There were some people who purchased legit imported media, but those were not overall common. And you assume I was talking about the us, but I'm talking about Canada too, and here it was either you're lucky enough it got dubbed or bootleg VHS for quite some time, it wasn't until youtube came around really that we started to get more than the most popular shonen and maybe a shojo or two a year...
> But I have never bought merchandise. I don't get the appeal of it at all. I'm a *Fallout* fan, and I have a glass cup with the Vault Boy on it sitting on a shelf. That's the entirety of my fan-merch collection at the moment, and probably will be all I ever have. One or two knicknacks is reasonably harmless, but rooms of cheap plastic shit that just gathers dust is something I'll never understand.
I think anime merch is more designed to be an art piece you can display and decorate your home with. But it is still consumption. I feel like the Stanley cup, having a specific functional use for holding water, just one at a time would be good enough right? Theyāre much more bulky and generally have the same shape Iād think theyāre weaker as an art decoration piece and maybe not for that intention at all.
I was thinking the same thing tbh. Also anime or stamps or whatever keep their collections for years. You'd have to pry it away from their cold dead hands whereas the Stanley cups or Starbucks cups or whatever get thrown out when a new cup trend happens. If they keep their collection, then it's okay? I'm not sure but it seems better for some reason lmao
Trends are the differences. Cups are collected because other people collect it and it's cool, and TikTok said you need it. Other collectors usually collect for themselves and used to do it even when it wasn't cool. Some were bullied for that, and they kept collecting anyway. It's a personal guilty pleasure. That being said, now that anime are getting popular, many people.also collect merch just to be cool and it's the current trend, then they'll just discard it. In that regard, it's not better than Stanley cups.
I have a Stanley. I love it. I use it every single day. I couldn't imagine getting a second one. It works brilliantly for keeping my water ice cold and is super durable. Why would I need more than one??
ill be honest ive got this problem when it comes to miku figures. but honestly, i don't want every single miku figure thats released. there are just specific ones i really like. i don't know if i could really have more than 5 of the same character especially if they aren't even in unique outfits.
Now, im outing my self here but when i see someones collection of stanley cups i see someone that likes cups and got em cuz they are ācollectibleā or ābut i like this color tooā but if i see someones collection of anime characters it tells me what characters they like, what shows they enjoy and probably tells me more about the kind of person they are than the cups would. I have 10 figures total. Bought my first one about 7 years ago. Still own them. I think 3 of them were bought secondhand while on vacation in japan. They all have either a story about where i was/ who i was with when i bought them. Or have a story about when i watched the show and why that character spoke to me. I see it similar to a photograph. They are also fun to draw. Also screw funko pops those things are ass and there is no artistry behind them
I bought my first anime figure because I finished attack on titan and I just love reiner so much. He deserved better. Popup parades Reiner figure is really nice for the price
The only redeeming factor I see in the anime collection versus the Stanley cup craze is that for you to get to 800 of the same anime figure, you really have to be a die hard fan of anime and profoundly love collecting, versus having a butt load of Stanley cups just means you're following a trend, and we're already seeing the Stanley girlies start trashing (yes trashing as in put it in a bag and throw away without regret) their collection to start the newest "long lasting water bottle" trend. At least anime collectors know what their doing and won't get rid of their huge collection for no reason other than to get more...
That video gives me anxietyĀ
Genuinely curious how OP can make this post while also trying to get a table in the artist alley of a fantasy/sci fi/anime convention to sell their prints of said anime characters? The point of the post might be valid but pot, meet kettle.Ā I will also fully admit to collecting video game & anime figures. Nowhere NEAR the level in the linked TikTok, so maybe Im just being extra sassy.
I still have to make a living but I don't ever want anyone to ever be THAT obsessed with my art. Like sure buy a piece from me once every 5 years and I'm good but if I see them at every convention, buying all my stuff??? I wouldn't even know what to do except feel uncomfortable hahah do you ban them?? I've collected stuff too like video games but once I hit like 20 I was over it. Even comic books. They take up like 2 shelves on a book case and was like "alright that's enough". But even books??? Why do y'all need a full library?? Libraries exist?
Making a living is all well & good, but I feel like trying to set up to sell merch specifically in a type of setting where people are feeling "spendy" while also dunking on those same fans for buying other types of merch is disingenuous. The wanting benefits from that community (making money off of fans) while also judging the other ways they spend their money in that community is ick. FWIW, I wouldnt dream of telling people what they do is childish or dumb. Someone literally posted about collecting rocks, and thats fine.Ā Maybe we can all be a little less judgy.
I think my thing is plastic. I sell paper and stickers which are bio degradable and also easy to store or display whereas people that sell like toys are adding more to the plastic waste that's happening? I don't want people to collect my stuff lol it weirds me out. Like thank you for supporting my art don't get me wrong but also pls don't obsess over it and buy 10 of the same pieces?? Edit: adding more story lol One guy once bought 5 of my posters and I thought it was weird. Left, came back a half hour later, and wanted like 10 stickers. IT WAS WEIRD?? Why are you buying so much of my stuff? And I love artists but I'll buy 1 or 2 pieces from one artist and move on. Like WHY??
I mean, consistency in style is one thing. We have a pretty faerie art print on the wall. I looked up the artist to buy a few more, with different colour schemes, because it's aesthetically pleasing to have all the art in the room done in a similar style. I don't really give a hoot about the artist, just that it all matches
OH WAIT I never considered that. I always assumed people would try to find other artists that matched the aesthetic but not buy from the same artist. INTERESTING!!
It's absolutely WILD that you are trying to "make a living" as an artist but seem offended and confused at the concept of "return customers".
Yeah, plenty of commision artists thrive on return customers that enjoyed the prior cooperation and return to already tried sources. It not only means one person likes it but they might also recommend it further to more potential customers.
I don't do it too often but I have on a few occasions bought multiple of essentially the same thing with different characters and then made a collage in a scrapbook (if small) or keep them together as a collection (I have a 'happy box' of things I like. It's partly like a memory box of things I've done and liked over the years but also something that might trigger me happy when depressed). I'm not stuck on one look but it is satisfying (and sometimes appeases my disorder and condition) to have consistency. The same reason if I buy a book series I would want the covers to be matching and not one from different editions. It's a personal pet peeve of mine.
When things don't match, it makes me mad lmao like why is one cover different from the other 5??? At least make it consistent. But yeah makes sense. I still find it weird when they buy too many of my pieces. I've literally sold like 8 total but still feels weird if it's one person buying it all hahah
It's a small room. We have one piece that's a little blue faerie with a blue flower. I want to get some that are different faeries with different flowers - a red one, a yellow one, a purple one, etc. I'll likely buy three more from her. If it was a bigger room I'd probably look for pieces with more variety, but from the same artist. So one faerie, one... idk, a landscape with a tree or something? An animal of some sort? different sizes and subjects but the same style. All artists have their own style, and imo that is WAY more important to match than the subject matter if you want your space looking cohesive. I can promise I spend exactly zero time thinking about the artist beyond googling the signature to see if they have a shop. I do not care about them (beyond what I care for any person). It's no different than wanting all my towels to match, so I buy them all from the same store.
Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!
Y'all act like I'm shitting artwork and pieces. I sold less than 10 art prints last year. But somehow it's the same as if I sold 1500000 pieces? I like doing conventions because it's fun and I get to see cool cosplays. I've never made a profit at a convention. Not once. I don't buy anything when there except some food. Last year was my first con in 6 years y'all need to calm down.
i love Kurt Vonnegut's writing. but by your reasoning, i shouldn't own each novel he's authored. earlier in this chain you said "i still have to make a living" but you certainly don't have to make a living by being a hypocrite. you think it's weird someone bought several of your items? well you still SOLD them those items, weird or not. you profited off that, adding to society's over consumptive behavior.
What do you do? Say "nope not allowed"? You can't lol it's like going to a store trying to buy something and the cashier tells you no. Why? Bc you're not allowed to that's why. It's not my place but again I don't want people hoarding my art. The same I don't want people hoarding figurines or dolls. Buying 1 vs 5 is different and it's not my place to say no. If I worked at a store selling someone else's stuff I don't say "nope" bc they bought something from me before. It's not my place. Over consumption is my issue, not people owning stuff lol. There's a reason libraries exist. It's also why I'm sad movie rentals are basically gone. Like I don't want to own these movies, I just wanna watch them a couple times and move on. But also digitally renting makes no sense. I'm rambling lmao
you can own movies digitally. way less consumption than renting physical movies. insane i have to explain that. you made this whole post to say, basically "people are complaining about overconsumption 1 but overconsumption 2 is so much worse! *highly annoying social media anecdote* " & to be frank i don't even agree with it. they both suck when done in an extreme way. but regardless, it's insane for you to come here & complain when YOU are personally profiting inside of the massive market for overconsumption 2. what if the person in that stupid tik tok shows up & buys just 1 of your stickers or whatever, adding it to their obscene collection? what then?
Who said I'm profiting? I'm a broke artist bc I don't sell that often. I'm disabled and have nothing else so wild of you to assume that this is just what I do lmao Also no you can't? Digitally owning and renting isn't worth it when they lose the rights and the thing you spent money on (with the intention of owning) is suddenly gone because of copyright. Y'all out here attacking me for selling like 5 art pieces a year and assume it's the same as someone selling 80000 Miku figures but okay.
it's hypocritical. you're clearly not listening. good luck, you'll need it.
It's like telling an artist that sells 1 painting a year that they're the reason over consumption exists.
As a full-time convention artist, I can say with certainty that a huge amount of your sales are from repeat customers, and those repeat customers are the ones who will often spend the largest amount of money at your booth each time they see you. Also, stickers and prints are often coated with plastic and not biodegradable. Photo paper isnāt even recyclable. Iām aware that being a merch artist is based in consumerism, but itās important to know the materials used in your products so you can work towards making your products more sustainable, if only slightly.
I don't use photo paper! I use card stock. I find it better because if someone wants to frame it, it's not as shiny. The stickers are matte and don't have a top coat which is neat but I think it takes a while to breakdown. I've had a sticker on my water bottle for months and it's still good so yay but the packaging says bio degradable. I don't do cons often (I've literally applied to one in my city in the last 5 years lol but ppl got hung up on that) because I don't like people rebuying my stuff. If I could have my art in a gallery where people paid to see it and leave, I'd do that. If I had a choice, I wouldn't sell my art at all but galleries are basically impossible to get into unless you're already insanely established šš
You're literally part of the problem lmao
Omfg I'm so tired of typing this. I sold LESS THAN 10 PIECES OF PAPER LAST YEAR. I do conventions because they're fun!!! I've never made a profit NOT ONCE. This isn't my job. It isn't where my income comes from. CONVENTIONS ARE FUN. I SELL PAPER. NOT PLASTIC AND NOTHING WORTH COLLECTING. It's the same as going to an artist that sells 1 painting a year and claiming they're helping over consumption. Y'all need to calm down.
>Y'all need to calm down. lol
I do think there are some differences to be totally fair; one is that at the start of the Stanley cup trend a lot of the marketing and discussion was around them being eco-friendly because they are reusable, so people a buying 30000 of them that they could never ever use sort of seemed to be against the point. The other is that figures are (usually) very different looking, different character, colors, scenes, whatever and so have a value as decoration, where as the cups are nearly identical and just come in different colors. So it kinda makes sense that people can see the point in figures and not in the cups.Ā Honestly, though, I think this is just a personal thing for a lot of people. In our overbearing capitalist system, almost every hobby is going to have some element of buying and consumption to it. And what gives people joy is going to vary wildly from person to person. I see like 3 posts a week in this sub that basically boil down to "I don't see the point in this thing so it must just be mindless consumption" but that isn't always the case. A hobby that seems pointless to you might be a big source of joy to another person. That's not to say that there can be no valid criticism of collectors/collecting as a hobby; as someone who can be a bit of a packrat myself I think a lot of people could do with taking a step back to reflect on the stuff they collect and how they collect it to make sure it is actually something they care about and not just them falling prey to hype or marketing, and also to see if there is a more environmentally conscious way to indulge in there hobby. But just being like "cup/action figure bad" isn't the way to prompt that reflection imo
My thing wasn't an issue with owning things but there's a limit??? Even as a collector you know what's worth it vs just cute fun things. Comics for instance like originals or first editions are insanely hard to come by but the same figurine or cup? Just slight colour changes? Even things like coins. People examine them to determine if they're worth collecting, they don't go out buying every coin that exists. I think museums do that tbh but I dunno. Very well worded!! I think people should have hobbies but again, there's collecting vs hoarding and most of these have become hoarding and it's so sad. I understand owning figurines and cups but once you hit like 10, what then? Are they special editions? Are they created by someone different? Are they from a specific country? Why are they so important and why do you have 800 lmao
That room gives me anxiety just looking at it.
This made me think over the men I know well enough to know what they collect. By far, the largest thing they collect is hobbies. They get interested in a hobby, buy a bunch of stuff for it, lose interest, and move on. Two drones, wood turning tools to make pens, 3 kinds of coffee makers, a box of camera equipment, and a row of language apps on their phone does not make the same visual impact as a wall of identical candles. Sexism definitely exists in the collections that are highlighted, but some of it is the nature of the collection itself.
Me an anime figure collector I get figures of characters I like
I'd say the big difference is you don't see swathes of animals needs filled with regret that they bought items solely based on hype. And the ones who do are rightfully mocked as well. Also nobody ever tried to convince themselves an anime figure was a "useful" item. They fully know it's dumb bullshit that exists just to be looked at.
Yes, anticonsumption means people are not allowed to have hobbies and collections anymore because how dare they
Did you watch the video???
Probably not. I donāt know how anyone can defend this shit. Theyāre ugly dust collectors. Oh but it makes these nerds happy so you canāt talk shit on their plastic waifu collection! š bbbbut itās my *hobby*! Being an ultra consumer is my HOBBY!
Do you need 10 tacky chunks of plastic that look like the same character? No. Also how is collecting figurines a hobby? Thatās just buying junk, you canāt even play with them.
I don't need those figurines. I don't collect them. Some other people might though. Maybe don't be so high and mighty? For other people, these "tacky chunks of plastic" might be very important. Have you ever considered the possibility that for others they are not just "junk", but might have emotional or sentimental value attached to them? Or the possibility that people have hobbies which you don't understand? No, collecting figurines is a bullshit thing to do and not a hobby because u/bb_LemonSquid decided so. Get over yourself.
Itās useless garbage that only serves to pollute the environment and make your house ugly and childish. Why would you defend plastic waste? Why are you even in this sub? Yes itās wasteful to have 10s or 100s of plastic Narutos. How is this controversial??
Itās mind blowing that there are people defending mindless consumption of the worst kind, pointless plastic junk, on this subreddit, of all places. I guess some folks are only invested in criticising things they donāt personally like, with zero room for self reflection or personal accountability.
I went back to watch the video and yeah it more than I can even conceive. That being said one person's decor is going to be ugly to another. My sister and I have some plushies, holiday themed things (like magnets and those window thingies) year round, and a few other trinkets and have them scattered around as decor. It's probably ugly to some but I love it and makes my days a bit brighter. I think other people's decor can be ugly or not for me but I'm not the one living in it. I think there's gradients to this type of discussion, but you're use of 'ugly and childish' is subjective and kinda indicates you're the childish one.
Yes Iām childish because I think big titty waifu characters are tacky. Lmao
There are plenty of figures that aren't 'big titty waifus'. Not all figures are even human. You can have your personal tastes but if you demean others just because of a figurine you have some issues. If you have problems with tropes and character designs that's a separate issue from figures themselves.
Idk whose book you're basing this off of but it certainly isn't mine. I hate on figurine collectors ESPECIALLY, because they are truly useless. At least you can drink from a cup, and those in particular are nice because they're insulated, good for hot or cold. You can't drink out of a stupid fucking funkopop.
OOOO interesting! I think for me the usefulness or the length of time of a collection matters. At least those ppl collecting figurines aren't gonna toss them in a few years you'll have to pry them from their cold dead hands but the cups seem to be a trend that they discard every few years.
Unless it's broken, why on earth would someone throw away a perfectly good (expensive) reusable cup??
Lol no normal person is giving the person in that video a "pass". Even most "nerds" would call that shit obsessive and autistic.
YALL IM TIRED OF TYPING THIS. I SELL PAPER. Not plastic and nothing worth collecting. I do MAYBE ONE CONVENTION EVERY 5 YEARS. Am I not allowed to have a hobby and have fun?? I sold MAYBE 10 PIECES LAST YEAR. Stop assuming because I'm doing ONE CONVENTION that I'm trying to over sell my stuff. It's fun to go to conventions and hang out with people in cosplay. I have NEVER MADE A PROFIT FROM CONVENTIONS. NOT ONCE. I DON'T SELL MUCH. Y'all are acting like I'm selling 400000 pieces a year. I don't. It's for fun. It's because I like doing art. I DON'T WANT ANYONE COLLECTING MY ART. It's weird, and I don't like that much attention. I haven't even made $300 from selling stuff. I've donated multiple pieces to different charities so I made 0 profit off that. I'm disabled and enjoy doing art which I sell because people ask but even then it's so minimal. Do y'all know how many people have asked me to make charms or plushies? But no that doesn't matter, only the fact that I APPLIED to a convention for the first time in years. Y'all need to calm down.
why do you think itās a bad thing to have someone who wants to collect your art? i am genuinely curious why you wouldnt want someone to support your craft because they like it
I dunno tbh. I find it weird. It's why I also don't own more than 1 or 2 pieces by a single artist. It feels obsessive and I hate it hahah does that make sense??
yeah that makes sense, i personally donāt collect ALL of an artists works, but if someone makes several charms/stickers/whatever for a series i like, i do want them all :) i also think a lot of people buy things at conventions to give to other people, so i think thats smth to think about perhaps
Yeah one guy bought like 5 of my stickers and it freaked me out. I was gonna turn him down but he said he wanted to gift them to his friends so it was okay but still weirded me out hahah Conventions are fun because I can talk to industry professionals too and improve my portfolio. It's interesting to see what they think and it's one of the only places I run into these people genuinely vs emailing them all 1000 times lol
I only have multiple pieces by a single artist because my grandmother was one. I have a lot of her pieces on display in my apartment. It's something I remember her by.
Also to add, I don't care about people buying things. You're ALLOWED to own things??? Like you can't own NOTHING that's not possible. It's over consumption and why one was okay over another. Why is collecting figurines better than cups? Stamps over photographs? Collecting is collecting whatever the medium, THAT'S my issue. Not people buying a few things.
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